‘Free sample.’ On 19 January 2001, following the government statement made by the German Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder on the outcome of the Nice European Council held on 7, 8 and 9 December 2000, the German cartoonist Mohr portrays the sceptical reaction of Friedrich Merz, leader of the political group CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Party/Christian Social Party) in the Bundestag, to the disappointing results obtained by the Fifteen.