Yesterday (17 December) Dr Werner Hoyer, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office met his French opposite number Pierre Lellouche, Minister of State for European Affairs and Commissioner for Franco-German Cooperation.

The focus of the talks were the preparations for the coming Franco-German Council of Ministers on 4 February in Paris. It is expected that Minister of State Hoyer will travel to Paris on 7 January for further preparatory talks.

In the evening Minister of State Hoyer and Minister of State Lellouche also met their British counterpart and Minister for Europe Chris Bryant.