This volume analyzes French and German diplomacy during the intergovernmental conferences (IGCs) on economic and monetary union (EMU) and political union, and the subsequent national treaty ratification process in each country. It uses various approaches to explore the domestic-international interactions predominant during internal bargaining in Paris and Bonn, and external negotiations at different levels among working groups, personal representatives, ministers and political leaders in Brussels. The author argues that there are at least two reasons why this topic merits close examination. The historic importance of Franco-German relations in the European Union is an essential starting point. For over 30 years, the "privileged partnership" has launched initiatives in European construction. The European Monetary System (EMS) is one example. In the aftermath of German unification, the significance of the Franco-German tandem for European integration is even greater as both states adjust to the new Europe. A second point of departure is that the major initiatives on EMU came during the German and French Presidencies of the Council of Ministers in 1988 and 1989 respectively.
Chancellor Helmut Kohl and President Francois Mitterand sustained the momentum towards political union in a series of three Franco-German letters to the Irish, Italian and Dutch Presidencies during 1990-1991. In short, the IGCs were the culmination of an active period of development in the European Community, and Franco-German initiatives were the driving force at the time.