German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron minimized their policy differences ahead of a key European Union leaders’ retreat aimed at revitalizing the bloc’s economy. The leaders of Europe’s top two economies arrived together on Thursday at the historic Alden Biesen castle in eastern Belgium for the day-long gathering.
Shared Commitment to Urgent Action
The duo emphasized unity on the pressing need for rapid economic measures, despite occasional divergences in approach. EU leaders are ramping up calls to overhaul the continent’s economy amid rising U.S. protectionism and China’s growing industrial dominance.
This retreat sets the stage for deeper market integration, reduced energy costs, business expansion, and boosted investments across the EU.
“We want to make this European Union faster, we want to make it better, and above all, we want to ensure that we have a competitive industry in Europe,” Merz told reporters alongside Macron.
Merz outlined the timeline: “We will prepare decisions today which will be finalized in four weeks when we meet for the next regular summit,” referring to the upcoming March gathering.
Macron echoed the sentiment with a focus on immediacy: “The priority is to have a very short-term response, which consists of implementing everything we agree on.” He stressed delivering “very concrete measures” by June in areas like energy, finance, and cutting red tape.
Bridging Policy Gaps
Recent debates highlighted tensions, with Macron advocating stronger “Buy European” initiatives and collective EU debt to spur growth—positions where Merz shows less enthusiasm.
Prior to the retreat, the leaders held a private bilateral meeting. They aligned on prioritizing simplified EU regulations and enhanced single-market integration.
“Today we’ll discuss competitiveness and the European interior market,” Merz noted. “In four weeks, we’ll discuss financing as well.”
Merz added a touch of levity: “I’m happy that in respect to these questions, Emmanuel Macron and I are agreeing with each other—almost always.” The pair then departed without fielding questions from the press.
