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Franco-Monegasque relations are the special relationship between the
French Republic France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and the
Principality of Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave borde ...
.European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service) , Principality of Monaco
/ref> A friendship treaty signed in 2002 reads: The special relationship can be illustrated by the fact that the
Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...
, the
head of government In the Executive (government), executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presid ...
of Monaco, is usually a French citizen, whose appointment by the Prince of Monaco is proposed by the
Government of France The Government of France (, ), officially the Government of the French Republic (, ), exercises Executive (government), executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister of France, prime minister, who is the head of government, ...
.


History

In 1419, Monaco gained control of its own sovereignty from French control after Lambert Grimaldi convinced the French king Charles VIII to grant it independence. King Louis XII recognized Monaco in 1512 with the signing of a document that also declared a perpetual alliance with the king of France. Following rule by Spain, in the early 1600s Monaco prospered again under Honoré II who strengthened ties with France, a relationship that lasted in this capacity for the next two hundred years. In the Treaty of 2 February (1861) Prince Charles III ceded Monegasque sovereignty over the towns of
Menton Menton (; in classical norm or in Mistralian norm, , ; ; or depending on the orthography) is a Commune in France, commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera, close to the Italia ...
and Roquebrune (now Roquebrune-Cap-Martin) in exchange for full independence from France. Following
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, a treaty signed on 27 July 1919, as well as Article 436 of the
Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
, put Monaco under limited French protection once again and affirmed the special relationship. This relationship continues to the present day with the French government taking responsibility for Monaco's defence, while the latter has only a small police force and palace guard. A mutual legal agreement and a common regime was also set between the two countries; they also signed the Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963 on furthering their relationship.Monaco
/ref> In 2002, the laws deriving from the Treaty of Versailles that governed relations between Monaco and France were renegotiated. It was finally ratified in 2005 with new terms that: upgraded France's representation from a consulate to that of an embassy; permitted other countries to accredit ambassadors to Monaco; and, formally recognised Monaco's ruling Grimaldi dynasty's succession scheme that was initially set out in the 1962 constitution, and which also extended eligibility to the ruling prince's daughters and other family members.


Economic ties

The
European External Action Service The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the diplomatic service in charge of executing all Foreign relations of the European Union, international relations of the European Union. The EEAS is led by the Vice-President of the European Co ...
(EEAS) has worked with Monaco in its initiatives through the relationship with France. Monaco has thus been integrated into the Schengen zone. The EU Council of Ministers authorised France to negotiate a Monetary Agreement that allows Monaco to '' inter alia'' use the
euro The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
as its official currency, grant legal status to the euro and to issue a limited quantity of euro coins with its own national sides. It also signed an agreement with Monaco in regards to the application of EU legislation on pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products and medical devices that was enacted on 1 May 2004. However, goods produced in Monaco would not assimilated into products of EU origin. An agreement on savings taxation was brought into force on 1 July 2005. Monaco is fully integrated into a
customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...
union with France, which also enables participation in the EU market system. The latter collects and rebates trade duties with Monaco. The euro was adopted as the official currency on 1 January 2002.


Monegasque politics

In 1962, Monaco's refusal to impose a tax on both its residents and international businesses caused problems in relations. However, it was resolved with an agreement that French citizens with less than five years of residence in Monaco and companies doing more than 25 percent of their business outside the country would be taxed at French rates. The crisis also led to a new
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
and the restoration of the National Council. Amongst the edicts of the new constitution is the prince's nomination of a Council of Government that consists of a
Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...
who is a French citizen and selected for a three-year term from a group of senior French civil servants selected by the French government. They are the prince's representative and are in charge of foreign relations, directs executive services, the police and the Council of Government. They also choose three council members: one to take care of the economy and finances; one for home affairs; and, one for social affairs. All ministers are accountable to the Prince of Monaco. Since 2002, the Minister of State can be either French or Monegasque."Projet de loi autorisant la ratification de la convention destinée à adapter et à approfondir la coopération administrative entre la République française et la Principauté de Monaco"
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
, 26 December 2006.
Monaco has also agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with French interests.


Judiciary

Monaco's legal system, which is modeled on the
Napoleonic Code The Napoleonic Code (), officially the Civil Code of the French (; simply referred to as ), is the French civil code established during the French Consulate in 1804 and still in force in France, although heavily and frequently amended since i ...
, is similar to that of France. Members of the judiciary of Monaco, such as members of the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, can be French citizens.


Cultural relations

The two countries share French as their official language, although the historic language of Monaco is Monégasque, a variety of Ligurian, one of the Gallo-Italic languages. French and Italian nationals comprise more than half the country's population.
French cuisine French cuisine is the cooking traditions and practices of France. In the 14th century, Guillaume Tirel, a Court (royal), court chef known as "Taillevent", wrote ''Le Viandier'', one of the earliest recipe collections of medieval France. In ...
is also prevalent in Monaco. Approximately two-thirds of Monaco's 30,000 jobs are filled by workers from neighbouring French and Italian towns.Culture of Monaco - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, marriage, men, life, tribe, population, religion, ritual...
/ref>


Resident diplomatic missions

* France has an embassy in
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
. * Monaco has an embassy in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
.Embassy of Monaco in Paris (in French)
/ref>


References


External links


Treaty establishing the relations of France with the Principality of Monaco (with exchange of letters). Signed at Paris on 17 July 1918
(''English translations'') {{DEFAULTSORT:France - Monaco Relations
Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...
Bilateral relations of Monaco