Parijs droomt van een Frans-Duitse politieke Unie (en)

Paris and Berlin are considering plans to create a core union, which would keep the two countries strong in an enlarged European Union.

This 'Union of France and Germany' would mean the two countries would merge their foreign and defence policies and co-operate on education and economy.

Although the idea has been mooted for many years, the initiative of a Franco-German union has been urged recently in private conversations by Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the French Prime Minister, and Dominique de Villepin, the French Foreign Minister, the French daily, Le Monde, reported yesterday.

Earlier this month, Mr de Villepin said that a Franco-German union was "the only historic gamble that we cannot possibly lose".

For his part, Mr Raffarin asked what else there is for France if enlargement fails.

The two allies could also become a single touch negotiator in the final round of discussions on the proposed EU Constitution.

If the talks in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) fail and France for instance does not get the best deal, "a German EU Commissioner could also represent France", said Mr Raffarin.

But concrete co-operation in the Constitution talks, has not yet been discussed with Germany.

The overall plans are perceived as a response to fears in both countries that Berlin and Paris will no longer play the dominant role in an enlarged EU.

A long story, but a utopia?

The idea, long in the making, was moreover turned down by the French in 1994, but is now being actively pushed by both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister.

It was re-launched this year during the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty - a treaty of Franco-German friendship.

Also, the project has been given a boost by the closer relationship between French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

Both leaders were active opponents of the American-led war in Iraq.

Together, France and Germany recently used the EU method of `enhanced co-operation' which allows a group of countries to advance more quickly than others.

At an October Summit of EU leaders, they held a separate meeting, together with Belgium, to talk about European defence plans.

And, during the same Summit, Mr Chirac spoke symbolically on behalf of Germany.

However, not all are so optimistic about the immediate future of such a Union.

French EU commissioner Pascal Lamy, responsible for trade, suggests that while a Franco-German `Bund' would be a "good antidote" if enlargement caused the EU to loosen, public opinion in both countries is not yet ready for such a move.