German Foreign Minister Gabriel and French Minister Ayrault: a strong European Union for a bright future / Four leaders’ meeting in Versailles, 6 March 2017. An EU with different speeds

Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany on the occasion of the presentation of the White Paper on the future of Europe by the European Commission, 1 March 2017.

Commentators took it as a sign of support of France and Germany for further moves to a multi-speed European Union as a way of relaunching the EU27 following the decision of the UK to leave the European Union and in the context of other challenges facing the Union.

Following on from this French President François Hollande hosted an informal summit of the heads of France, Germany, Italy and Spain at Versailles on the 6 March 2017 to prepare a coordinated strategy in advance of the European Council, Brussels, 9-10 March 2017 at which the EU27 would hold a Political reflection on the future of the European Union and continue discussions at the Treaty of Rome EU60 celebrations at the end of March 2017 in Italy.

• Primary Source

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Commission presents White Paper on the future of Europe [European Commission: Press Release IP/17/385, 01.03.17] http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-presents-white-paper-on-the-future-of-europe-avenues-for-unity-for-the-eu-at-27/

EUObserver, 02.03.17: Germany and France endorse multi-speed Europe https://euobserver.com/institutional/137080

EUObserver, 06.03.17: Hollande: EU will be multi-speed or will 'explode' https://euobserver.com/institutional/137118

Politico, 01.03.17: France, Germany support Juncker’s white paper options http://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-support-junckers-white-paper-options/

France: President: News, 06.03.17: Déclaration au sommet informel Allemagne, Espagne, France, Italie http://www.elysee.fr/declarations/article/declaration-au-sommet-informel-allemagne-espagne-france-italie/

The Guardian, 06.03.17: UK will have to give up all EU perks after Brexit, François Hollande warns https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/06/francois-hollande-on-brexit-uk-has-made-bad-choice-at-bad-moment

EurActiv, 06.03.17: Versailles: A summit to restore faith in Europe http://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/versailles-a-summit-to-restore-faith-in-europe/

Deutsche Welle, 06.03.17: Merkel backs idea of 'multispeed Europe' at Versailles meet http://dw.com/p/2YkA5

EurActiv, 07.03.17: ‘Big four’ call for new European dynamic, multi-speed EU http://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/big-four-call-for-new-european-dynamic-multi-speed-eu/

EurActiv: Tag: Multi-speed Europe http://www.euractiv.com/topics/multi-speed-europe/

Politico, 06.03.17: In Versailles, EU’s big 4 back multispeed Europe http://www.politico.eu/article/in-versailles-eus-big-4-back-multi-speed-europe-italy-france-germany-spain/

EUObserver, 07.03.17: EU's big four back 'multi-speed' Europe https://euobserver.com/news/137134

Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2017: Four-way summit on the future of the EU http://www.eurotopics.net/en/175597/four-way-summit-on-the-future-of-the-eu

Germany: Federal Government: News, 06.03.17: Four leaders' meeting in Versailles. An EU with different speeds https://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/EN/Reiseberichte/2017_en/2017-03-03-merkel-versailles_en.html

EurActiv, 07.03.17: Tusk against the Quartet’s multi-speed Europe http://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/tusk-against-the-quartets-multi-speed-europe/

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