What Happened After months of friction, Italy and France have started what could be an incipient reconciliation. Italian Economy Minister Giovanni Tria received his French counterpart, Bruno Le Maire, in Rome on Aug. 1 to discuss several issues on their bilateral agenda. In a joint statement, the two officials called for eurozone reforms, including the introduction of a budget for the currency area and the completion of the banking union. They also called for the rapid implementation of a proposal by the European Commission to change the way that companies in the digital sector are taxed. Le Maire heralded the countries' convergence of opinion after the meeting, noting, “Regarding the eurozone, Italy is the country with which we share the closest position.” Why It Matters The meeting demonstrated a marked change in tone in Franco-Italian relations following tensions over several issues in the past few months.