The leaders of France and Germany meet Thursday in Paris to discuss a joint plan to combat a spiralling youth jobs crisis in the eurozone which threatens the future of millions.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet counterpart Francois Hollande to hammer out a common position on the subject, which will be among key issues dominating a European Union summit at the end of June.
The two leaders will first visit the Louvre for an exhibition on the main themes that structured German thinking from 1800 to 1939, before holding talks at the Elysee in the afternoon and addressing a news conference.
They will also be handed a report on promoting growth and competitiveness in Europe which is co-authored by Gerhard Cromme, the chairman of the board of Siemens, and Jean-Louis Beffa, the chairman of the board of French glass and construction material maker Saint Gobain.
Berlin and Paris have pledged a joint action plan to create more jobs for youth. Hollande has warned of a generational “rupture” if the problem is not tackled on an emergency footing.