What prompted the countries to sign the new treaty?

The document was delayed by a year and fulfils President Macron’s proposal from his speech at the Sorbonne in September 2017 calling for a new cooperation agreement to be signed on the 55^th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty and refreshing the symbolism of Franco-German reconciliation. The leaders of both countries emphasised the necessity to strengthen their alliance against new challenges, among which they mentioned the rise of populist and nationalist tendencies in Europe. From the German point of view, the signing of the new agreement is also a gesture of support for the French president. Macron has been seriously weakened as a result of a long-term political crisis. With the perspective of elections to the European Parliament in May, this crisis has raised the risk of a victory by Eurosceptic National Rally.

What was decided in the sphere of security?

The treaty indicates that the close cooperation in all areas of security, from the fight against terrorism to political stabilisation in Africa, is founded on an additional guarantee of mutual assistance in case of military aggression against the territory of France or Germany, strengthening an earlier reference to security guarantees within NATO and the EU. The close cooperation in this area is also confirmed by the assurance of French support for granting Germany a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The wording of the treaty, though, also indicates a discrepancy in their positions. The tandem is not ready to compromise on the unification of arms-export rules. The regulation about “developing a common approach” is limited to products derived from Franco-German projects.

What economic initiatives does the treaty include?

The key announcement is the creation of a common Franco-German economic area. This requires the unification of national laws, such as regarding bankruptcy, property or tax law. The treaty focuses on the development of new technologies by initiating joint projects, for example, in the fields of artificial intelligence and space. These projects are intended to strengthen France and Germany vis-à-vis global competition, especially against China and the U.S. Much attention was also paid to the development of border regions, mainly about overcoming bureaucratic obstacles in the implementation of joint initiatives in such areas as the economy, energy transport, and environmental protection.

What does the new French–German treaty mean for the EU?

The content of the document leaves a lot of room for diverse interpretation regarding the role of France and Germany in the EU. On the one hand, it is a signal that in the face of Brexit, France and Germany are ready to play the role of leaders of the integration project and to undertake new initiatives to deepen the EU. However, in the treaty there is no reference to Macron’s proposals on reforming the euro area, creating a “European army,” or differentiated integration. France and Germany want to avoid the impression that they are imposing their proposals on European integration on the other Members State, which would risk antagonising relations with, for example, the countries of Central and Northern Europe. The Franco-German tandem looks, therefore, towards building the widest possible sets of alliances.

What does Aachen Treaty mean for Poland?

From Poland’s point of view, the announcement that France and Germany are strengthening the defence potential of NATO and the EU and building a common position in consultation with other EU states within the UN Security Council are favourable. However, there are also concerns, for example, with regard to the additional mutual security guarantees. They may suggest a decrease in German and French trust in NATO sustainability. There is also a risk that Germany’s closer cooperation with the militarily stronger France will induce the former to concentrate more on the situation in the Mediterranean at the expense of the security of the eastern part of the EU. From Poland’s point of view, the declarations by France and Germany regarding European integration are also important. They mean a chance to revive cooperation within the Weimar Triangle.