Today's Date:

Placing France and Germany’s friendship at the service of a shared responsibility for Europe

1. The Elysée Treaty, signed forty years ago between France and the Federal Republic of Germany by General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer, sealed the reconciliation between our two nations and laid the foundations of a lasting peace on the continent.

2. France and Germany, founding members of the European Communities, have played a leading role by giving a boost to the major advances in building Europe, particularly over the past twenty years: the Single European Act, Maastricht Treaty, euro, Schengen Area. Just recently, Germany and France were absolutely determined to contribute to the success of ten candidate countries’ accession negotiations concluded in Copenhagen. France and Germany are aware that they exercise a historic joint responsibility to support and pursue the building of Europe. Their ambition is to continue their role of initiating proposals, without imposing anything, and so giving a lead to their partners.

3. The Elysée Treaty also ushered in an era of unprecedented cooperation between our two countries. Our close dialogue and our cooperation in every sphere are encouraging an increasingly high level of exchanges between our societies. Today, we pay tribute to all the players who have contributed to the development and deepening of this dialogue: political figures, local authorities, companies, voluntary organizations, educational, scientific and cultural establishments.

4. We also salute the work of the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ – Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse) which has enabled over seven million young people to meet each other, the Franco-German University (Université franco-allemande [a network of French and German higher-education establishments created in 1999, with many campuses and an administrative headquarters in Saarbrücken]), through which every year over 3,000 students follow integrated binational degree courses, and the ARTE television channel, a symbol of our two countries’ desire to cooperate, which has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. In the military sphere, we highlight the role played by the Franco-German brigade, which paved the way for the European Corps, which allows us jointly to conduct crisis-management operations. At a time when France and Germany are deciding, on this anniversary, to strengthen the bond uniting them, these institutions and all the Franco-German cooperation structures must adapt their missions to this new era of ever-closer ties and make an even greater effort to incorporate the European dimension in their action.

5. In the past 40 years, the background to Franco-German cooperation has radically changed. The end of the Cold War and German unification marked the beginning of Europe's reunification. The combination of the European Union's enlargement and the adoption of a common Constitution confront our two countries with considerable challenges. Against the background of globalization, the achievements of 40 years of cooperation augur well for our ability to take on the tasks of the new Europe. So we are determined to embark on a new stage in our two countries' cooperation. Exercising our joint responsibility in Europe

6. France and Germany are bound together by a community of destiny. Our common future is inextricably linked to that of a deepened and enlarged European Union. We therefore want to propose to our partners a common vision of tomorrow's Europe and are determined to do our utmost to promote the strengthening of this Union.

7. After a painful history, we welcome the European reunion on which the Copenhagen European Council set the seal and are resolved to make a success of the enlargement by helping the new member countries to integrate harmoniously within the European Union and to promote, at our side, the values which are the essence of the European project. We are together preparing the future accessions, particularly those of Bulgaria and Romania and shall be encouraging the establishment of a particularly close partnership with the States bordering the EU, in order to guarantee the stability and prosperity of Europe and its neighbours.

8. This enlarged, more diverse and consequently more complex Union must retain its ability to take decisions and act. To this end, we desire the success of the Convention on the Future of Europe. We have submitted to the Convention our contribution on the ways to enable the European Union to take up the internal and external challenges confronting it. We call on it to establish the foundations of a stronger, more democratic, more mutually-supportive and efficient Union with a higher profile and enjoying greater credibility on the world stage. We are keen for the Union's institutions to be more capable of taking action and have greater accountability and stability. We also wish to build a genuine people’s Europe. This is one of the reasons why the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be integrated into the text of the Constitution, giving their full force to the values and principles which are the bedrock of our European project.

9. We are determined to make the Common Foreign and Security Policy and European Security and Defence Policy enter a new stage so that the Union can take on its full role in the international arena and promote at world level freedom, peace and democracy in accordance with its values. We are proposing the creation of a European Security and Defence Union which will give concrete shape and efficacy to its members' solidarity and common security and must also contribute to strengthening the European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance. To signal our determination to pursue such a development of the European Security and Defence Policy, we shall embark on the requisite efforts to improve military capabilities and, by so doing, shall significantly step up our bilateral cooperation.

10. We shall also endeavour to promote new solidarity with the countries of the South in order inter alia to ensure the development of the poorest countries, particularly in the framework of the negotiations under way at the World Trade Organization.

11. It is our joint responsibility to develop the Union's common policies and adapt them to the new realities of the European enterprise since these policies constitute the essential bedrock of the solidarity between the Union's countries. We shall also prepare together for the great debate which is going to open on the Union's financial perspective and the future of the common policies post-2006, keeping in mind the concern to keep control of overall expenditure which informed the conclusions of the recent Brussels European Council (24-25 October 2002).

12. We shall ensure respect for linguistic pluralism in the Union's institutions and are determined to take the necessary measures to promote the use of German and French in the European Union bodies, for example by encouraging future European civil servants, particularly those from the new member countries, to learn both languages as part of their degree or vocational training courses.

13. We want to strengthen Europe as an area of freedom, security and justice so that all European citizens live in security throughout the Union, particularly in the face of the development of new threats. The European Union must be a community under the rule of law and an area in which weight is given to the role of individuals as corporate citizens. So we intend to encourage freedom of movement in the Union by abolishing the requirement for residence permits for European citizens. We shall also work for a common European policy on the right of asylum, and immigration. We also pledge to campaign actively for the establishment of a European Prosecutor's office, creation of a European criminal record system, the strengthening of Europol's capabilities and setting-up of a European border police force, which will enable the effective combating of illegal migration. Increasing solidarity between France and Germany through more intense cooperation

14. To play to the full their role of injecting momentum and giving a lead within the European Union, our two countries must develop their cooperation in an exemplary manner within the European Union. Our objective is for our projects to serve as the basis for the European policies. We shall therefore take bilateral initiatives allowing us to try out, in the priority action areas, a closer union between our citizens, our societies and our institutions. Youth, education and sport

15. The diversity of languages is a source of wealth for the Union and, for the young generations, learning them has to be an asset and a way of enabling them to realize their full potential. We are keen to take resolute action on the teaching of the partner country's language and, more generally, intend to promote together a model of education allowing young people to master two European foreign languages.

16. We declare 22 January “Franco-German day”. In the future, we wish this day to be devoted, in all our educational institutions, to a presentation of our bilateral relations, the promotion of the partner country's language and an information campaign on programmes of exchanges and meetings and on the possibilities of studying and employment in the partner country.

17. Our objective is to encourage our two countries' young people to regard France and Germany as a unique environment for studying and working. To facilitate exchanges of students and young people undergoing training as well as job mobility, we shall continue to work for total mutual recognition of our diplomas and to encourage transparency and comparability of our vocational qualifications. The relevant ministers will identify the remaining obstacles, will decide, between now and the next Franco-German Summit, on a specific timetable for realizing this goal and will have to make regular progress reports. We shall promote the development of the Franco-German University (Université franco-allemande) and enable it to admit the largest possible number of students to its courses. France and Germany wish to give it a new dimension by encouraging their European partners to set up groups of higher-education establishments. In the vanguard of "University Europe", these will offer students academic courses integrated at European level.

18. With a view to stepping up sports exchanges, we are keen for France and Germany to bid jointly to host international sports competitions. We call for the holding of major Franco-German crossborder, sports and other events appealing to the general public. Civil society, culture and media

19. Greater cooperation between France and Germany requires our societies knowing each other better and being more familiar with each other's cultures. In order to allow a more vigorous dialogue between our senior political figures and those in our countries with responsibility in the economic, trade union, voluntary and media sectors, and leading figures in the cultural sphere, we propose that a Franco-German conference bring them together every year so that they can discuss the major issues of interest to both our societies.

20. We seek the launch, this year, of the negotiations to draw up an international convention on cultural diversity in the UNESCO framework. This diversity must find expression particularly in the audiovisual and new information and communication technology sectors. Promotion of our cultural industries must also contribute to it. We call for increased exchanges of journalists between our two countries. We are asking our ministers to embark on joint cultural projects in third States, particularly by mobilizing the joint funds created for this purpose by the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and to seek joint premises for our cultural institutes in Moscow.

21. We are encouraging the ARTE cultural channel to open up to the rest of Europe, while retaining its Franco-German identity, inter alia by supporting the channel’s establishment of a European programme bank and are urging it to promote closer ties between our societies. We stress the importance of guaranteeing the presence in the French and German audiovisual landscapes of at least one channel of the partner country and of encouraging the production and broadcasting of joint programmes by the two countries' radio and television networks. We are keen for our two countries to continue thinking about the future of the European Euronews channel. Harmonization of legislation

22. To step up the efforts to bring our societies closer together and looking ahead to the new progress to be made at European level, we shall ensure the harmonization of our national legislation in the main areas where it affects our citizens' lives. We call on our ministers, when preparing Bills, systematically to consult their opposite numbers and take greater account of the state of, and developments in the partner country's legislation in order to seek the greatest possible convergence. We are particularly seeking the presentation of Bills designed to harmonize legislation on civil law and especially family law. We must thereby enable our nationals to enjoy, if they so wish, dual French/German nationality. We must also reduce and eventually remove the remaining difficulties for citizens whose professional, family and personal lives are shared between France and Germany. Law and ethics

23. We are committed to providing joint responses to the ethical problems raised by advances in research and medicine. Taking account of the discussions conducted by the two countries' ethics committees, we wish to present Bills which represent a closely concerted effort to adopt comparable legislation. Decentralized border cooperation

24. We also ardently desire stronger cooperation between local authorities in order to encourage the emergence of new ties, particularly between French regions and German Länder, and the development of crossborder cooperation and inter-municipal links. We support the creation of a Strasbourg-Kehl Eurodistrict, well served by public transport, which can explore new forms of cooperation and host European institutions, and call for the establishment of other Eurodistricts. Foreign policy

25. France and Germany will ensure they adopt common positions in the international bodies, including the Security Council, and define agreed strategies vis-à-vis third countries, especially in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

26. Our Ministers of Foreign Affairs will increase the complementarity of our diplomatic and consular networks, particularly by establishing joint premises and services. We are also asking them to look at the possibility of opening joint Franco-German embassies.

27. The services rendered to our citizens in the partner country will also have to be improved through greater cooperation, under the aegis of our Ministries of Foreign Affairs, between the consular and administrative services of the country of residence. Mutual assistance provided for our fellow citizens living in third countries will also be stepped up. Defence

28. In the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy, France and Germany stress, on this occasion which also marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Franco-German Security and Defence Council, the high quality and importance of their cooperation on defence and their determination to strengthen it within a European context. This involves inter alia the development of military capabilities and establishment of new forms of cooperation, particularly by harmonizing the planning of military needs, pooling capabilities and resources, contributing to the implementation of a European armaments policy and promotion of a European security and defence culture. Economic and financial policy

29. In order to strengthen the coordination of our economic policies and our action, both at EU and international level, France and Germany will develop, within the Franco-German Economic and Financial Council set up under the 1988 Protocol, which is the cornerstone of our bilateral relations, common positions on the fundamental economic and financial policy issues we have to consider in the medium and long term, such as the funding of pensions, health systems and the labour market. We shall also be taking our cooperation further on policy in the areas of industry, trade, energy, technology and transport in order to bolster, in the European framework, our economies' competitiveness.

30. In order that Europe can make its full contribution to international debates on economic, financial and trade policy, and have a greater capacity for analysis and initiating proposals, thereby strengthening its position in these spheres, France and Germany have decided to launch a European initiative for the creation of a European centre for the international economy devoted to those objectives. This centre, which could be located in Brussels, should progressively be able to open up to all the European partners – member States, EU institutions and private-sector businesses. Development assistance

31. France and Germany will strengthen their coordination on development assistance, especially when it comes to defining the priorities of their bilateral policy and assessing its progress, and will endeavour to define common positions in the various relevant international fora. They will step up their cooperation on the ground by implementing common or complementary projects designed to contribute to the development, in priority of the continent of Africa, and to combat scourges such as drugs and the major pandemics, like AIDS.

32. We are also calling for the establishment of a Franco-German volunteer service in order to enable young French and Germans to embark together on cooperation projects in third countries, and particularly developing countries. Environment and sustainable development

33. In a context in which catastrophes and in particular flooding are increasingly frequently raising new issues with respect to the prevention of natural hazards and crisis management, France and Germany want to be the driving force behind a European policy to prevent natural catastrophes, and particularly flooding. They will ask the Commission to submit a proposal on the creation of a European centre for flood prevention and protection. The Franco-German Environment Council will make this one of its priorities. The two countries will consider the possibility of using joint intervention capabilities in the event of catastrophes.

34. We shall act in support of genuine international governance of the environment through a stronger United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in order to aim, eventually, for the creation of a World Environment Organization in the United Nations framework. Research and technological development

35. We seek the development of Franco-German cooperation to contribute to the creation of a European research area, inter alia through action to encourage the mobility of researchers and development of doctorate-level training in the Franco-German University. We are determined to give a new boost to our cooperation in space, particularly in the field of launchers. We are in favour of expressly inserting into the treaties the fact that space activities fall within the European Union’s sphere of competence. Given the latest developments in the relevant technology, we again declare our firm opposition to the cloning of human beings, in line with the Franco-German initiative taken in the framework of the United Nations Organization. We shall encourage cooperation between French and German research establishments so as to enable them to conduct, together, an even more effective fight against cancer. Strengthening our bilateral consultation procedures

36. The Franco-German summits will take the form of a Franco-German Council of Ministers. It will be prepared by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The Council of Ministers will ensure the coordination of Franco-German cooperation at the highest level and the monitoring of its implementation in the priority action areas. Select Council of Ministers meetings may be convened to deal with specific issues.

37. The Committee and Franco-German Security and Defence Council meetings will be held back-to-back with the Franco-German Council of Ministers.

38. If an agenda item is particularly relevant to a minister’s remit, he/she will attend the partner country’s Council of Ministers and be invited to present proposals for common Franco-German legislation.

39. Our two countries' ministers will also have to meet more systematically and more frequently outside the European Union Councils, especially to prepare the agenda of the Franco-German Council of Ministers. 4

0. The regularity of the high-level meetings between the President and the Chancellor, in the presence of the two Foreign Ministers, will be maintained and additional meetings can be held whenever necessary.

41. The post of secretary-general for Franco-German cooperation will be established in each country. It will be held by a very senior figure, attached personally to the Chancellor [Germany] and the Prime Minister [France] and have appropriate facilities at the relevant Foreign Ministry. They will coordinate the preparation, implementation and monitoring of both the decisions taken by the political consultative bodies and our two countries’ efforts to work more closely together in the European fora. Each secretary-general will be assisted by a deputy from the partner country. The secretary-general for Franco-German cooperation will participate in the Franco-German Council of Ministers. He/she will chair the Interministerial Commission for Cooperation between the two countries.

42. In order to improve each country’s knowledge of the other's administrative practices and the efficacy of our joint efforts in our two countries’ government departments, we are asking our ministers to increase the number of civil servants posted to the partner country’s civil service, at national as well as local level, systematize contacts between those with the same remit in each State, step up information exchanges, improve knowledge of the partner’s language and put in place joint training schemes, particularly for supervisory staff. We are also urging them to include in their team, in their private offices, a national from the partner country. We are also inviting the local authorities to set up such exchanges.

43. The implementation of the present declaration is the joint responsibility of the relevant ministries of each country. They will submit a joint cooperation programme at the summit following this 40th anniversary. Every Franco-German Council of Ministers will then assess the implementation of the cooperation programmes and update their priorities./.