Dutch prime minister Marc Rutte held talks with new French president Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday morning to discuss European cooperation and social and economic policy.

After the meeting Rutte said both leaders told a news conference that the time is right for a Europe ‘which delivers concrete results and protects its citizens’.

‘We agreed that good cooperation is essential to achieve this,’ Rutte said.

‘Along with PM Mark Rutte, we have seen to what extent people doubt Europe. It is up to us to regain confidence and remake Europe,’ Macron said on his English language Twitter account after the meeting.