Franco-German Ministerial Council

The Franco-German Ministerial Council (french: Conseil des ministres franco-allemands, german: Deutsch-Französischer Ministerrat) is the regular meeting of the ministerial cabinet of both the government of Germany and the government of France. The joint ministerial council is held approximately twice a year—in spring and autumn.

History

The Franco-German Ministerial Council replaces the regular summits of the heads of state of France and Germany as designated in the Élysée Treaty of 1963. During the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty it was decided to put the ministerial staff into regular direct contact. It is the duty of the respective foreign ministers to prepare the ministerial council.

The Franco-German anniversary declaration of 22 January 2003 also includes sections to put councils at regional level in direct contact. The annual summits of the heads of state of France and Germany had already been replaced by Blaesheim Process with regular meetings every six to eight weeks named after the little town Blaesheim near Strasbourg where the first meeting was held on 31 January 2001.

The joint ministerial council represents another step in the Franco-German integration —the original Elysee Treaty of 1963 saw the creation of a student exchange office ( - OFAJ / - DFJW) that was extended into a joint council on cultural exchange in 1988 ( - HCCFA / - DFKR). On the 22nd anniversary of the Elysee Treaty (22 January 1988) a joint council on economic affairs was created ( - CEFFA / - DFFWR) organising meetings of the ministers of finance about four times a year and a joint council on security affairs was created ( - CFADS / - DFVSR) organising meetings of the ministers of external affairs and the military about twice a year. An annual joint ministerial council on environment protection ( - CFAE / ) was first held on 13 February 1990 following a resolution of the ministerial consultations on 2 November 1989.

On the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty a declaration was resolved by the Franco-German Ministerial Council on 22 January 2013. The "Erklärung des Deutsch-Französischen Ministerrats anlässlich des 50. Jahrestags des Élysée-Vertrags" asked for more integration on the administration level. After that point the joint ministerial council meetings turned to an annual interval. The declaration named goals such as the harmonisation of the social modell, the education system, the taxation standard and it pointed to MALE drones as part of the bilateral military collaboration.

On the 2017 summit the creation of an integration office (Conseil franco-allemand de l’intégration - CFAI / Deutsch-Französische Integrationsrat - DFIR) was resolved. This committee is handling tasks of the migrant crisis 2015 and it promotes actions on the Franco-German University which was founded in 2013. This was followed by the 2018 Meseburg Declaration which asked for the introduction of a common corporate tax and the start of common military research naming the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) and the Future Combat Aerial System (FCAS). In 2019 Spain joined the Future Combat Air System programme to be developed until 2040 under the leadership of Airbus Defence and Space.

On the 2019 summit, the countries agreed to take a joint effort on supporting research on breakthrough technologies. A network for artificial intelligence shall be created by the Agentur für Sprunginnovationen (leap innovation board) to establish a European Innovation Council (see Horizon 2020 and the discussion on the underfunded Horizon Europe project). The bilateral Aachen Treaty on further Franco-German integration efforts was endorsed which includes additional funding for the Youth Office (DFJW / OFAJ). The Franco-German Main Ground Combat System

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