In this file photo taken on Dec 9, 2019 German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron give a press conference after a summit on Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (LUDOVIC MARIN / POOL / AFP)

LONDON/PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will present a new Franco-German initiative later on Monday, Macron's office said in a surprise statement.

The two leaders will hold a video-conference at 1330 GMT, which will be followed by a news conference around 1500 GMT, the Elysee palace statement said.

A source close to Macron told Reuters the new initiative would touch on public health, economic recovery, green and digital transition, and industrial sovereignty

It gave no details on what the new initiative might entail, but a source close to Macron told Reuters it would touch on public health, economic recovery, green and digital transition, and industrial sovereignty.

France and Germany have struggled to present a united front in the coronavirus crisis, with France leading a push by mostly southern European countries to  convince fiscally conservative countries like Germany to issue joint European debt to help them weather the economic impact.

ALSO READ: Germany plunges into recession with biggest slump in decade

The two countries, long the engines of EU integration, have also fared differently in dealing with the pandemic, with the number of deaths in France three times higher than in Germany, according to official figures.

A woman passes an advertisement alerting passengers arriving into the United Kingdom about the government's advice on COVID-19. At an almost-empty departure hall of Terminal 1 of Manchester Airport in Manchester, northern England on May 11, 2020. (OLI SCARFF / AFP)

Meanwhile in the UK, British Culture Minister Oliver Dowden said Monday Britain was still in talks with France over whether French travellers should be exempt from a requirement for a 14-day quarantine when they arrive in the United Kingdom.

"Discussions are ongoing with the French on that," he told Sky News.

The two countries had said earlier this month that Britain would not impose quarantine to travellers coming from France at this stage but Britain has still not set out the full details.

ALSO READ: As COVID-19 ebbs, EU seeks to unlock borders for summer