Ministers of foreign affairs Sigmar Gabriel (Germany) and Jean-Marc Ayrault (France) | Pool photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images France, Germany support Juncker’s white paper options Foreign ministers back Juncker’s call for a multi-speed Europe.

The French and German foreign ministers on Wednesday gave their support to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's white paper on the future of the EU, saying they backed his call for a multi-speed Europe.

In a joint statement following Juncker’s presentation in the European Parliament, France’s Jean-Marc Ayrault and Germany’s Sigmar Gabriel said ways must be found "to better take into account the different levels of ambition of member states in order for Europe to better respond to expectations of all European citizens.”

Juncker outlined five scenarios for the future of the EU, from a fully-fledged federalist EU with a deeper single market to a multi-speed EU on issues such as defense, internal security, taxation and social matters. The five scenarios are entitled “carrying on,” “nothing but the single market,” “those who want more do more,” “doing less more efficiently,” and “doing much more together.”

The white paper is designed to be the basis of discussion among EU leaders.

Ayrault and Gabriel called the Commission’s vision “an important and precious contribution” to the discussion on the future of Europe and said the role of the EU should be reinforced in many areas, including foreign policy, defense, growth, investment and migration policies.

“The European Union is much more than a single market,” their statement said.

However, the statement by the two socialist foreign minister appears to contradict the official line of the socialist group in the European Parliament.

On Wednesday, Gianni Pittella, who leads the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the assembly, told MEPs he was “disappointed” by the white paper.

“We would consider it a clear political mistake to simply present five options concerning the EU’s future without pointing out a clear political preference,” Pittella told POLITICO on Tuesday, adding that he “can’t accept” going back to “a red-tape Commission” like the one run by Juncker’s predecessor, José Manuel Barroso.

The future of Europe, Pittella said, can’t be sacrificed for “short sightedness or fear of the next national elections.”