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Germany and the world

'Germany and Europe

European unification. Ever since its founding in 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany has been one of the main advocates of European unification. Its founders clearly recognized the following: European unification strengthens Europe’s position in the world and serves to promote peace, freedom and prosperity on the Continent. Through the process of European integration, a transparent system of close mutual consultation and cooperation has been created which aims to peacefully reconcile the interests of all.

This highly successful system did not appear overnight. Together with Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952 and then established the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) in 1957. Through the Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities (Merger Treaty) of 1965, the institutions of the ECSC, the EEC and EURATOM were merged with the aim of strengthening the political influence of the Council and the Commission and streamlining the work of the Community institutions.

With the Single European Act of 1986, the Treaty on European Union signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992 and the new Treaty of Amsterdam of 2 October 1997, further steps have been taken towards the unification of Europe.

The Maastricht Treaty laid the foundations for economic and monetary union, the third and final stage of which began upon the introduction of a common currency, the euro, on 1 January 1999. Europe has thus become the world’s second largest single-currency area. Since the Maastricht Treaty came into force, moreover, the European Union (EU) has had a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and a common policy in the fields of justice and home affairs. Thus the preconditions have been created for the development of the EU into a truly comprehensive political union.

The new EU treaty. At the same time, the Treaty of Amsterdam laid the foundations for future enlargements of the European Union. The Federal Republic of Germany was the first Member State to ratify the Treaty. The Treaty went into force on 1 May 1999 and specifically contains the following new items:

Overall, the European Union is to be put in closer touch with its citizens. This is to be facilitated by the strengthening of the principle of subsidiarity, better foundations for environmental protection, and improved protection of basic rights (equality between men and women, for instance, and a general prohibition of discrimination). Issues such as public broadcasting, public credit institutions, churches and sports are addressed in the new treaty.
The efficiency and visibility of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is to be enhanced. This will be accomplished by delegating to the Secretary-General of the Council the additional function of High Representative for the CFSP. He is assisted by the policy planning and early warning unit which has been newly instituted within the Council. In the form of the “common strategy“, a new instrument has been created for implementing the common foreign policy and for the first time enables CFSP decisions to be taken by qualified majority.
Of significance in the area of security policy is the prospect the Treaty offers of integrating the Western European Union (WEU) into the EU. The so-called “Petersberg tasks“ (peacemaking, peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks) have likewise been included in the Treaty on European Union.
Important aspects of policy in the fields of justice and home affairs will be transferred to the more effective Community procedure (overall visa policy, regulations pertaining to external borders, policy on asylum/refugees, immigration and residency requirements for citizens of third countries, cooperation between judicial authorities in civil matters, some aspects of customs cooperation, endeavors to combat fraud affecting the financial interests of the Community).
In the case of those aspects of policy in the fields of justice and home affairs which will continue to be handled by intergovernmental cooperation, the new instrument of framework decisions will simplify the procedure. The role of the European Court of Justice has been significantly expanded. New as well are the vesting of the European Police Office (Europol) with operational powers and the incorporation of the successful Schengen cooperation into the framework of the EU.
Flexibility clauses open up the possibility of closer cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs between states which are willing and able to do so.
The European Parliament will be markedly strengthened. The scope of its powers of codecision will be broadened and the number of procedures reduced.
The Council will more often take its decisions by a qualified majority. Within the Commission, the position of the President will be significantly strengthened. In respect of the future size of the Commission and the weighting of votes in the Council, a multi-stage plan has been agreed which will provide for the necessary institutional reforms prior to the entry into force of the next enlargement.
A separate chapter on employment policy forms the basis for the future development of a coordinated employment strategy in Europe. In addition, the Agreement on Social Policy has been inserted into the EU Treaty.

The European Union (EU)

Progress since Amsterdam. The European Council of Berlin (March 1999) reached agreement on Agenda 2000, which sets the budget framework for the period 2000-6. For Germany, the new financial framework entails contributions relief of EUR 500 million as of 2002, rising to EUR 700 million as of 2004. Thus, a significant turnaround has been achieved as regards Germany’s financing of the EU.

At the European Council in Cologne (June 1999), a European Employment Pact was resolved which brings together all EU employment policy measures in one overarching concept and lays down a dialogue between the Council, the Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB) and employer and employee federations. Thus, the Union has rounded out its range of tools for combating unemployment.

At the Tampere (October 1999) Special European Council Conference on Legal and Domestic Policy an integration project was continued which is intended to forge a Single European Legal Region. Among other things, the creation of a common system of political asylum was agreed.

With its resolutions on principle on European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), the European Council in Cologne (June 1999) opened up a completely new terrain for the EU. The European Council of Helsinki fleshed this project out in the form of far-reaching and ambitious resolutions to give shape to ESDP: a Political and Security Policy Committee, a Military Committee and a Military Staff attached to the Council Secretariat were all set up. Civilian crisis management was upgraded in the form of a separate committee and lent systematic form.

By 2003, the EU intends to have its own rapid response forces (50-60,000 strong, to be mobilized within 60 days for operations of up to one year).

The European Council of Lisbon (March 2000) agreed on a package of measures to modernize the EU economy and society, strengthening and advancing the European social model. In particular, concrete measures are envisaged for preparing Europe’s transition to a new economy based on knowledge and innovation – by making use of new IT and communications technologies.

In order to guarantee functional viability even once the EU is expanded, comprehensive adjustments and changes to the EU’s institutional framework are necessary. A continuation of the institutional structures established for the EEC with its six members will no longer be necessary once the next set of new members accedes. In February 2000, the EU accordingly convened a government conference to prepare its institutions for the forthcoming expansion at the latest for early 2003.