France’s president Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz have agreed to recognise the role of nuclear power in Europe’s energy transition, potentially ending years of friction between the countries over energy policy, including subsidies for reactors.

An agreement at the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers in Toulon, France, seeks to reconcile policy differences and promote joint initiatives that can serve as a model for broader EU collaboration”, according to a press release.

The release said France and Germany will establish a cooperative working process which “reflects the perspectives of both France and Germany and develops common perspectives on the role of different energy technologies contributing to European climate goals as well as on how to reduce administrative and regulatory burden”.