Franco-German relations are not what they used to be. Yesterday's talks between President Jacques Chirac and Chancellor Angela Merkel were perfectly correct, but they lacked the enthusiasm there used to be between Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand. It is not just a matter of personal chemistry, but a reflection of something more profound: 15 years after German unification, Berlin has a clearer sense of its national interest. Both sides have to work harder to find common ground.

Within the enlarged European Union, the Franco-German "motor" remains an essential bilateral relationship. Agreement between Paris and Berlin is necessary for any serious EU initiative to work, but it is no longer a sufficient condition for progress. Agreement between the two governments is most essential when they set out from opposing viewpoints, and find a compromise. If they both start on the same side of an argument, their partnership tends to be seen by other member states - not least the UK - as a conspiracy.