60 years of the Élysée Treaty: Scholz and Macron invoke country friendship

After considerable tensions in recent months, Germany and France have reiterated the importance of their friendship for the future of Europe on the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty. French President Emmanuel Macron said at a ceremony at the Sorbonne University in Paris that for him Germany and France were like “two souls in one breast”. “To speak for a French person about Germany means to speak about a part of oneself,” he told more than 30 ministers from both governments and around 200 members of parliament.

“German-French engine is a compromise machine”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) thanked the “French brothers and sisters” in French for their friendship. He regarded the differences of opinion between the two countries as normal in such close cooperation. “The Franco-German engine is a compromise machine – well oiled, but sometimes loud and marked by hard work,” said Scholz. “He doesn’t get his drive from sweet cuddles and empty symbolism. But from our firm will to repeatedly convert controversies and differences of interest into aligned actions.”

The ceremony was linked to a joint cabinet meeting, which, however, brought only a few concrete results. Among other things, the two governments agreed to extend a hydrogen pipeline from France to Spain to Germany. They promise Ukraine “unwavering support” without going into specific weapon systems such as battle tanks.

Arrival with two government planes

60 years ago, the Élysée Treaty was signed in Paris to reconcile the two former arch-enemies and opponents of the war. To this day, it is considered the basis for Franco-German cooperation. For the anniversary ceremony and the subsequent deliberations of both governments, Scholz was accompanied to Paris by his almost complete cabinet. Only Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) was absent due to illness. More than 100 members of the Bundestag traveled in a second plane, led by Parliament President Bärbel Bas (SPD).

In the same hall where the ceremony took place, Macron drafted his vision of a sovereign Europe a good five years ago, which caused a stir. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) did not respond to this request until the end of her term in office. Scholz reacted last summer with a keynote speech on European policy in Prague, in which he did not go into detail about the importance of Franco-German friendship for Europe. Neither was well received in France.

In Paris, Scholz expressly thanked him for Macron’s Sorbonne speech. “Today we are working side by side to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty,” he stressed. The forces must be pooled precisely where the nation states would have lost their assertiveness on their own: “In safeguarding our values ​​in the world, in protecting our democracy against authoritarian forces. But also in the competition for modern technologies, in securing raw materials, in energy supply or in space travel,” said Scholz.

At the joint press conference with Macron in the evening, Scholz praised the cooperation on energy issues. A year ago, it was inconceivable that a collapse in Russian gas supplies could be managed without an economic crisis. “But we succeeded, with European solidarity.” He pointed out that France helps Germany with gas and vice versa Germany helps France with electricity.

Macron hugs Scholz – “Made in Europe 2030” strategy proposed

Macron warmly greeted the Chancellor with a hug in front of the Sorbonne. Germany and France are determined to make their friendship “one of the trees of European sovereignty,” he said in his speech. “You can rest assured that we will both continue to advance this once impossible couple, which is simply the result of will, courage and strength.”

In the conflict over the American climate protection investment program, Scholz assumes that a solution will be found in the next few months. “In any case, I am currently very confident that we can reach the necessary understandings in the course of the first part of this year.” The US inflation control law provides for billions in investments in climate protection. Subsidies and tax credits are linked to companies using US products or producing them themselves in the US. In Europe, there are fears of disadvantages for domestic companies. Both Scholz and Macron stressed the need to reform EU rules on state aid to companies.

Series of upsets in the last few months

Since Chancellor Scholz took office a good year ago, there have been repeated upsets in Franco-German relations. Last fall, France was displeased with German resistance to a European gas price cap and the federal government’s 200 billion program to cushion high energy costs. At the time, Macron accused Germany of isolating itself in Europe. The consultations between the two governments, which were actually planned for October, had to be postponed because agreement on all points could not yet be reached.

Most recently, the vote on arms deliveries to Ukraine did not go well. In early January, Macron pushed ahead with the decision on reconnaissance and armored personnel carriers and announced it a day before Scholz and US President Joe Biden.

Agreements on climate, economy, transport

The final declaration of the joint cabinet meeting is about broad cooperation from defense to transport to climate protection.

– Climate: Both countries want to promote the climate-friendly restructuring of their economy and the expansion of renewable energies – but “while respecting the principle of technology neutrality”. In contrast to Germany, France is relying heavily on nuclear power when moving away from fossil fuels. Both sides recognize this different orientation.

– Economy: The competitiveness of the EU economy is to be strengthened with an ambitious strategy and through simplified and accelerated state aid procedures. However, the statement does not say that this is also a reaction to the US anti-inflation law with investments worth billions in climate protection and a feared disadvantage for European companies.

– Traffic: Cross-border traffic connections should be promoted. The expansion of the high-speed train connection between Paris and Berlin will be supported – the railways of both countries initially want to have a fast train commute daily – as well as the night train between the capitals that has already been announced for 2024.