Having previously said that it was "time to accept the idea of a two-speed Europe", French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron and German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said "we must reconcile general European interests and national interests."
Amid threats that Greece will default on its debt if the Eurozone and International Monetary fund try to impose austerity measures in return for loans and calls from the British Prime Minister for "a better deal for Britain" in the EU, French and German economy ministers are calling for a strengthened Eurozone.
"From one border of the European Union, Greece, to the other, the United Kingdom, the European ideal is being challenged."
"The current set up has faults which must be repaired so that the euro maintains its promise of economic prosperity and, more broadly, prevents Europe from drifting towards discontent and divisions," the French and German ministers said.
"Strengthening the euro is not only about the Eurozone. It cannot be isolated from a broader rethinking of the EU," they added.
I'm confident we will negotiate a substantive package of #EUReform for the British people @BBCr4today @naughtiej
— Philip Hammond (@PHammondMP) May 28, 2015
Calling for a "stronger sense of community" within the EU, the ministers believe that: "Institutional legitimacy arises from closer links between citizens."
Meanwhile, more outspoken support for reform of the EU is growing among some member states. British Prime Minister David Cameron appears to be gaining support for his "better deal for Britain" from the Danish People's Party and the Dutch government which have said they agree with Cameron over the idea that an "ever closer union" should not be a shared general ambition.
My statement after meeting w/the President of the European Commission, Mr. @JunckerEU http://t.co/KOslm6aQ6y #Greece pic.twitter.com/4MI45TsGc2
— Alexis Tsipras (@tsipras_eu) June 4, 2015
Alex Tsipras, Greek Prime Minster has been summoned to Brussels and told that his proposals in return for a $11 billion (7.2bn euro) bailout had been rejected.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has promised an In-Out referendum by the end of 2017. France's right-wing party, the National Front (FN), has also called for a vote on its membership of the EU.
Florian Philippot, FN deputy leader and European Parliament member said France should "follow the British example."
In what appears to becoming an increasingly fragmented union, the German and French economic ministers also called for reconciliation of "general European and national interests" alluding to "anti-European forces" developing in some EU member states.
