Foreign relations of Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany is a Central European country and member of the European Union, G4, G7, the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It maintains a network of 229 diplomatic missions abroad and holds relations with more than 190 countries. As one of the world's leading industrialized countries it is recognized as a major power in European and global affairs.
History
Primary institutions and actors
Federal Cabinet
The three cabinet-level ministries responsible for guiding Germany's foreign policy are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Foreign Office. In practice, most German federal departments play some role in shaping foreign policy in the sense that there are few policy areas left that remain outside of international jurisdiction. The bylaws of the Federal Cabinet, however, assign the Federal Foreign Office a coordinating function. Accordingly, other ministries may only invite foreign guests or participate in treaty negotiations with the approval of the Federal Foreign Office.Bundestag
With respect to foreign policy, the Bundestag acts in a supervisory capacity. Each of its committees – most notably the foreign relations committee – oversees the country's foreign policy. The consent of the Bundestag is required to ratify foreign treaties. If a treaty legislation passes first reading, it is referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is capable of delaying ratification and prejudice decision through its report to the Bundestag.In 1994, a full EU Committee was also created for the purpose of addressing the large flow of EU-related topics and legislation. Also, the committee has the mandate to speak on behalf of the Bundestag and represent it when deciding an EU policy position. A case in point was the committee's involvement regarding the European Union's eastern enlargement wherein the Committee on Foreign Affairs is responsible for relations with ECE states while the EU Committee is tasked with the negotiations.
NGOs
There is a raft of NGOs in Germany that engage foreign policy issues. These NGOs include think-tanks, single-issue lobbying organizations, as well as other organizations that promote stronger bilateral ties between Germany and other countries. While the budgets and methods of NGOs are distinct, the overarching goal to persuade decision-makers to the wisdom of their own views is a shared one. In 2004, a new German governance framework, particularly on foreign and security policy areas, emerged where NGOs are integrated into actual policymaking. The idea is that the cooperation between state and civil society groups increases the quality of conflict resolution, development cooperation and humanitarian aid for fragile states. The framework seeks to benefit from the expertise of the NGOs in exchange for these groups to have a chance for influencing foreign policy.Disputes
In 2001, the discovery that the terrorist cell which carried out the attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001, was based in Hamburg, sent shock waves through the country.The government of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder backed the following U.S. military actions, sending Bundeswehr troops to Afghanistan to lead a joint NATO program to provide security in the country after the ousting of the Taliban.
Nearly all of the public was strongly against America's 2003 invasion of Iraq, and any deployment of troops. This position was shared by the SPD/Green government, which led to some friction with the United States.
In August 2006, the German government disclosed a botched plot to bomb two German trains. The attack was to occur in July 2006 and involved a 21-year-old Lebanese man, identified only as Youssef Mohammed E. H. Prosecutors said Youssef and another man left suitcases stuffed with crude propane-gas bombs on the trains.
As of February 2007, Germany had about 3,000 NATO-led International Security Assistance Force force in Afghanistan as part of the War on Terrorism, the third largest contingent after the United States and the United Kingdom. German forces are mostly in the more secure north of the country.
However, Germany, along with some other larger European countries, have been criticised by the UK and Canada for not sharing the burden of the more intensive combat operations in southern Afghanistan.
Global initiatives
Humanitarian aid
Germany is the largest net contributor to the United Nations and has several development agencies working in Africa and the Middle East. The development policy of the Federal Republic of Germany is an independent area of German foreign policy. It is formulated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and carried out by the implementing organisations. The German government sees development policy as a joint responsibility of the international community. It is the world's third biggest aid donor after the United States and France. Germany spent 0.37 per cent of its gross domestic product on development, which is below the government's target of increasing aid to 0.51 per cent of GDP by 2010. The international target of 0.7% of GNP would have not been reached either.Ecological involvement
International organizations
Germany is a member of the Council of Europe, European Union, European Space Agency, G4, G8, International Monetary Fund, NATO, OECD, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, UN, World Bank Group and the World Trade Organization.European Union
European integration has gone a long way since the European Coal and Steel Community and the Elysée Treaty. Peaceful collaborations with its neighbors remain one of Germany's biggest political objectives, and Germany has been on the forefront of most achievements made in European integration:Most of the social issues facing European countries in general: immigration, aging populations, straining social-welfare and pension systems – are all important in Germany.
Germany seeks to maintain peace through the "deepening" of integration among current members of the European Union member states
- European Defence Force
- Introduction of the single currency € Euro
Under the doctrine introduced by the 2003 Defense Policy Guidelines, Germany continues to give priority to the transatlantic partnership with the United States through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, Germany is giving increasing attention to coordinating its policies with the European Union through the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
UN
The German Federal Government began an initiative to obtain a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, as part of the Reform of the United Nations. This would require approval of a two-thirds majority of the member states and approval of all five Security Council veto powers.This aspiration could be successful due to Germany's good relations with the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation. Germany is a stable and democratic republic and a G7 country which are also favourable attributes. The United Kingdom and France support German ascension to the supreme body. The U.S. is sending mixed signals.
NATO member states, including Germany, decided not to sign the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a binding agreement for negotiations for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, supported by more than 120 nations.
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Balkan states
The German government was a strong supporter of the enlargement of NATO.Germany was one of the first nations to recognize Croatia and Slovenia as independent nations, rejecting the concept of Yugoslavia as the only legitimate political order in the Balkans. This is why Serb authorities sometimes referred to "new German imperialism" as one of the main reasons for Yugoslavia's collapse. German troops participate in the multinational efforts to bring "peace and stability" to the Balkans.
Central Europe
; Germany continues to be active economically in the states of Central Europe, and to actively support the development of democratic institutions. In the 2000s, Germany has been arguably the centerpiece of the European Union.| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| 1987-09-15 | See Albania-Germany relations
| |
| 1994-03-08 | ||
| 1956-01-05 | See Austria–Germany relationsRelations between them are close because as countries have strong historical and cultural ties.
| |
| 1992-03-13 | ||
| 1951-06-27 | See Belgium–Germany relations | |
| 1992-11-13 | The German government has made continuous efforts concerning the peace process after the civil war. | |
| 1973-12-21 | See Bulgaria–Germany relationsThe Bulgarian government views Germany as its key strategic partner in the EU.
| |
| 1992-01-15 | See Croatia–Germany relations | |
| 1960-08-20 | See Cyprus–Germany relations | |
| 1973-12-11 | See Czech Republic–Germany relationsToday, they share 815 km of common borders. | |
| 1951-06-27 | See Denmark–Germany relations | |
| 1991-08-28 | See Estonia–Germany relations | |
| 1973-01-07 | See Finland–Germany relations | |
| 1951-07-11 | See France–Germany relationsBeing the historic core of Europe and the "twin engine for European integration", the cooperation with France is one of the most central elements of German foreign policy. The Elysée Treaty from 1963 set the foundation for a collaboration that – next to the European project – also repeatedly called for a "Core Union" with maximum integration. In recent times, France and Germany are among the most enthusiastic proponents of the further integration of the EU. They are sometimes described as the "twin engine" or "core countries" pushing for moves.
| |
| 1834 /1950-12-07 | See Germany–Greece relations | |
| 1954-06-01 | See Germany–Holy See relations | |
| 1973-12-13 | See Germany–Hungary relations | |
| 1952-12-16 | ||
| 1922/As Federal Republic of Germany: 1951-07-26 | See Germany–Ireland relations | |
| 1950-12-02 | See Germany–Italy relations | |
| 2008-02-21 | See Germany–Kosovo relations | |
| 1920 and again as Federal Republic of Germany 1991-08-28 | See Germany–Latvia relations | |
| 1952-05-06 | ||
| 1991-08-28 | ||
| 1951-04-23 | ||
| 1965-02-16 | ||
| 1992-04-30 | See Germany–Moldova relations | |
| 1951-10-16 | ||
| 2006-06-03 | See Germany–Montenegro relations | |
| 1951-03-06 | See Germany–Netherlands relations | |
| 1993-12-16 | ||
| 1951-05-10 | See Germany–Norway relations | |
| 1972-09-14 | See Germany–Poland relationsDuring the Cold War, communist Poland had good relations with East Germany, but had strained relations with West Germany. After the fall of communism, Poland and the reunited Germany have had a mostly positive but occasionally strained relationship due to some political issues. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Germany has been a proponent of Poland's participation in NATO and the European Union. The Polish-German border is 467 km long. | |
| 1952-11-10 | ||
| 1872/As Federal Republic of Germany: 1967-01-31 | See Germany–Romania relations | |
| 1955-09-13 | See Germany–Russia relationsGermany tries to keep Russia engaged with the rest of the Western world. The future aim is to promote a stable market-economy liberal democracy in Russia, which is part of the Western world.
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| 1995-10-01 | ||
| 1879-01-19 | See Germany–Serbia relations | |
| 1993 | ||
| 1992-01-15 | See Germany–Slovenia relations
| |
| 2017 | ||
| 1952-11-06 | See Germany–Spain relations | |
| 1951-04-04 | See Germany–Sweden relations | |
| 1952-05-06 | See Germany–Switzerland relations | |
| 1992-01-17 | See Germany–Ukraine relations | |
| 1951-06-20 | See Germany–United Kingdom relations |
Oceania
German diplomacy
- Bark, Dennis L., and David R. Gress. A History of West Germany. Vol. 1: From Shadow to Substance, 1945–1963. Vol. 2: Democracy and Its Discontents, 1963–1991, the standard scholarly history
- Blumenau, Bernhard, 'German Foreign Policy and the "German Problem" During and After the Cold War: Changes and Continuities'. in: B Blumenau, J Hanhimäki & B Zanchetta, New Perspectives on the End of the Cold War: Unexpected Transformations? Ch. 5. London: Routledge, 2018. .
- Brandenburg, Erich. From Bismarck to the World War: A History of German Foreign Policy 1870-1914 .
- Buse, Dieter K., and Juergen C. Doerr, eds. Modern Germany: an encyclopedia of history, people and culture, 1871-1990
- Feldman, Lily Gardner. Germany's Foreign Policy of Reconciliation: From Enmity to Amity 393 pages; on German relations with France, Israel, Poland, and Czechoslovakia/the Czech Republic.
- Geiss, Imanuel. German foreign policy, 1871-1914
- Haftendorn, Helga. German Foreign Policy Since 1945, 441pp
- Hanrieder, Wolfram F. Germany, America, Europe: Forty Years of German Foreign Policy
- Heuser, Beatrice. NATO, Britain, France & the FRG: Nuclear Strategies & Forces for Europe, 1949-2000 256pp
- Hewitson, Mark. "Germany and France before the First World War: a reassessment of Wilhelmine foreign policy." English Historical Review 115.462 : 570–606.
- Junker, Detlef, ed. The United States and Germany in the Era of the Cold War, 150 short essays by scholars covering 1945–1990 ;
- Kimmich, Christoph. German Foreign Policy 1918-1945: A Guide to Research and Research Materials 264 pp.
- Leitz, Christian. Nazi Foreign Policy, 1933-1941: The Road to Global War
- Maulucci Jr., Thomas W. Adenauer's Foreign Office: West German Diplomacy in the Shadow of the Third Reich
- Papayoanou, Paul A. "Interdependence, institutions, and the balance of power: Britain, Germany, and World War I." International Security 20.4 : 42–76.
- Schwarz, Hans-Peter. Konrad Adenauer: A German Politician and Statesman in a Period of War, Revolution and Reconstruction ; also ; and
- Schmitt, Bernadotte E. "Triple Alliance and Triple Entente, 1902-1914." American Historical Review 29.3 : 449–473.
- Sontag, Raymond James. Germany and England: Background of Conflict, 1848-1898
- Spang, Christian W. and Rolf-Harald Wippich, eds. Japanese-German Relations, 1895-1945: War, Diplomacy and Public Opinion
- Weinberg, Gerhard L. The Foreign Policy of Hitler’s Germany.
- Wright, Jonathan. Germany and the Origins of the Second World War 223pp.
- Young, William. German Diplomatic Relations 1871-1945: The Wilhelmstrasse and the Formulation of Foreign Policy ; how the foreign ministry shaped policy
World/European diplomatic context
- Albrecht-Carrié, René. A Diplomatic History of Europe Since the Congress of Vienna, 736pp; a basic introduction that gives context to Germany's roles
- Kaiser, David E. Economic Diplomacy and the Origins of the Second World War: Germany, Britain, France, and Eastern Europe, 1930-1939.
- Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000 ; very wide-ranging, with much on economic power
- Langer, William. An Encyclopedia of World History, very detailed outline
- Langer, William. European Alliances and Alignments 1870-1890 ; advanced coverage of Bismarckian system
- Langer, William L. The Diplomacy of Imperialism 1890-1902
- Macmillan, Margaret. The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 cover 1890s to 1914; see esp. ch 3–5, 8,
- Mowat, R. B. A History of European Diplomacy 1815-1914, basic introduction
- Schroeder, Paul W. The Transformation of European Politics 1763-1848
- Steiner, Zara. The Lights that Failed: European International History 1919-1933
- Steiner, Zara. The Triumph of the Dark: European International History 1933-1939
- Taylor, A. J. P. The Struggle for Mastery in Europe: 1848–1918 , advanced coverage of all major powers