1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Israel and the crisis in the Middle EastGerman coalition collapseUS election

Germany and France Forge Stronger Bond

January 21, 2003
https://p.dw.com/p/3Bw5

On Jan. 22, 1963, West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French President Charles de Gaulle signed the German-Franco Friendship treaty which came to be known as the Elysée Treaty. The pact brought to an end an era of bloody conflict and enmity between the two neighbors and ushered in an unprecedented level of German-Franco cooperation. The Elysée Treaty came to be widely hailed as a cornerstone of German-Franco ties and foundation for the political integration of Europe.

As Germany and France celebrate 40 years of the Elysée Treaty on Jan.22, 2003, DW-WORLD has compiled a dossier on some of the background issues as well as current burning topics and sticking points that have come to shape German-Franco relations.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

EU Reform Debate Tops Franco-German Summit Agenda

At a summit this week in Schwerin, President Jacqués Chirac and Chancellor Gerhard Schröder are seeking to end a dispute over agricultural subsidy cuts that threaten to delay eastward expansion of the European Union.
July 30, 2002

Berlin, Paris Plan New Joint Defense Projects

Germany and France on Tuesday agreed to integrate their national military satellite systems as part of a new emphasis on European Union security and defense coordination.
July 31, 2002

Germany, France To Forge Tighter Ties

A wide-reaching cooperation pact, which German and French leaders hope to finalize by next week, encourages ministers to take part in each others cabinet meetings and builds on a friendship treaty of 1963.
January 13, 2003

Iraq Policy Leaves Europe Divided

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said on Tuesday that he favored a second U.N. resolution prior to any military strike. But Germany's strong anti-war stance is making it difficult for Europe to unite on foreign policy.
January 14, 2003

Berlin and Paris Get European Motor Back on Track

German and French leaders put aside differences on Tuesday and agreed on a common approach towards the much-needed reform of European Union institutions.
January 15, 2003

France, Germany Defend Joint EU Constitution Proposal

Germany and France's foreign ministers sought to build support for their EU Constitution proposal on Tuesday, but faced stiff resistance from members of the constitutional convention.
January 21, 2003

Mutually Beneficial

Since France and Germany embarked on friendly relations 40 years ago, bilateral trade between the neighbors has progressed with leaps and bounds. Now they are each others' most important market.
January 20, 2003

Savoir Vivre On Wheels

Car maker Renault is the number one automobile import in Germany. Although its track record in breakdown statistics isn't the best, German drivers still love this four-wheeled Frenchman.
January 18, 2003

From Arch Foes to Friendly Neighbors

Forty years after the Elysée Treaty was signed, France and Germany are gearing up to mark the occasion with glittering celebrations. The seminal accord laid the foundation for close Franco-German military cooperation.
January 21, 2003