By making Paris her first foreign trip, the Chancellor, who was accompanied by Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, underlined the special status enjoyed by Franco-German relations. Before her meeting, Angela Merkel stressed that, "We have already worked very closely over the last few months, but now we can start a new phase."

Her talks with François Hollande concentrated on preparations for the European Council meeting on 19 and 20 December in Brussels, but they also touched on bilateral and international issues. The situation in Ukraine and in the Central African Republic, for instance, were on the agenda.

Preparations for the European Council meeting

At the summit due to start on Thursday, the European heads of state and government will be discussing progress with the economic and monetary union as well as the EU’s common security and defence policy.

"The Council meeting will give us a chance to make progress, firstly with the banking union, but also in the field of economic cooperation," said the Chancellor in a statement to the press.

Angela Merkel pointed out that everything must be done to ensure that there is no repetition of the crisis, and to make Europe in general and the euro zone in particular more resilient. Progress has been made, "but we still have some way to go," said the Chancellor.

Stepping up bilateral relations

Angela Merkel and François Hollande agreed to hold Franco-German government consultations on 19 February 2014. The aim will be, "to bring together our civil societies and to demonstrate that together we can do more for the people in both countries than either country could alone," explained Angela Merkel.

Foreign Ministers meet

The newly sworn in Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with his French opposite number Laurent Fabius. Before leaving Germany, he underlined the "unique nature" of the friendship between Germany and France.

The Federal Foreign Minister declared, "We aim to pool our forces, our resolve and our creativity – for the wellbeing of our countries and for the success of Europe."

France is Germany’s closest and most important partner in Europe. Germany does not hold such regular and intensive consultations across the board with any other country. At the Franco-German Council of Ministers on 22 January 2013 – fifty years after the Elysée Treaty on Franco-German cooperation was signed – a common agenda was agreed, which is to be realised step by step.