President Macron and Chancellor Merz appeared together at the EU summit, emphasizing the need for common action, despite economic divergences.

At the informal summit of the European Union at Alden Biesen castle, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz appeared shaking hands, a symbolic gesture meant to minimize the divergences between the two countries. Macron emphasized the urgency of European action against unfair competition from China and the tariffs imposed by the USA, insisting on the need to simplify and deepen the single market.

Although they agreed on some aspects, divergences persist, especially regarding Macron's proposal for a common European loan and the "European preference" in the use of local components. Merz rejected the idea of a common loan and emphasized that solutions should be reserved for strategic sectors. Additionally, Paris is concerned about Berlin's closeness to Italy, which further complicates the relations between the two major European economies.