The new Franco-German treaty, which will be signed on 22 January in Aachen by Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron, will be "an important symbol in an objectively difficult context", according to a close associate of the French President.
Its "common thread" will be the "convergence of our economies and societies" in the service of Europe, the French assert. In practice, between economic integration and cross-border cooperation, France and Germany want to become the vanguard and laboratory of European integration.
This new text will "supplement and not replace" the Elysée Treaty concluded by the two countries in 1963. Nor is it "intended to replace an EU reform", said German Secretary of State for European Affairs Michael Roth in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "It is a complement because our countries have a particular responsibility for a better and sovereign Europe", he said.
Coordination of European positions
The first two articles of the future treaty are devoted to cooperation "in the field of European policy". France and Germany plan to consult "regularly at all levels" to coordinate positions and speeches.
This coordination already involves exchanges of diplomats working with the other country's ministers. In the future, ministers will participate more systematically in the partner country's councils of ministers, the French Presidency announces.
The idea is not to isolate oneself, but to strengthen Europe, recalling that Chancellor Angela Merkel has built networks with Eastern European countries and that President Macron has made "no fewer than 20 trips" to EU countries since he came to power.
Economic area, avant-garde of the Single Market
With a view to further integrating the two national markets, the new Treaty provides for coordination when transposing European directives in order to avoid divergent interpretations.
France and Germany also intend to approximate their company law, particularly with regard to bankruptcy. A working group is already in place for this purpose. The Franco-German tandem will also create a common "economic council" to instil a common "culture", particularly on budgetary issues.
Bringing the EU to the UN
Foreign policy and defence are also at the heart of the Treaty. There is no longer any question of handing over France's seat to Europe, as suggested by the German Finance Minister, Olaf Scholz. On the other hand, the Treaty institutionalises exchanges between the Permanent Representations to the EU, NATO and the UN.
The two countries must "carry together the positions of the European Union" during the two years that Germany is a member of the United Nations Security Council. For the future, "the admission of the Federal Republic of Germany as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council is a priority for Franco-German diplomacy", the draft treaty states.
Common doctrine for arms exports
At the bilateral level, the treaty provides that the two countries "shall afford each other aid and assistance by all means at their disposal, including armed force, in the event of armed aggression against their territories".
A solidarity that mainly targets terrorism. The Treaty also confirms bilateral cooperation in the judicial, intelligence and police fields.
The Treaty also consolidates common projects of the defence industries, including the construction of aircraft and battle tanks. As a necessary corollary, it announces a "common approach to arms exports" on these joint projects.
This is a thorny issue, as the dispute between Berlin and Paris over the arms export embargo on Saudi Arabia has shown.
Cross-border cooperation
The third major aspect of the Treaty concerns cross-border cooperation, particularly within the five Eurodistricts uniting the municipalities and regions on either side of the 450 km Franco-German border.
The text promises them to be endowed with "appropriate skills, dedicated resources and accelerated procedures". The objective of promoting the harmonisation of tax and social security standards will make daily life easier for the 46,000 French and 4,000 Germans who cross the common border to get to work.
See a draft treaty in German: http://bit.ly/2QX7ORP.
See a draft treaty in French (via Context): http://bit.ly/2DeyPw5. (Original version in French by Nathalie Steiwer)