60 years of the Elysée Treaty: now we need a friendship treaty for Europe!
60 years of the Elysée Treaty: now we need a friendship treaty for Europe!
> The Elysée Treaty between France and Germany will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Sunday 22 January.
> Volt France proposes to reinvent the Elysée Treaty with a new multilateral Aachen Treaty as an accelerator of European integration
> Volt France presents a white paper with three treaty pillars to advance the European project.
Paris, 20th of January 2023
The Elysée Treaty between France and Germany will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Sunday, the 22nd of January. In 1963, the two countries promised to strengthen their cooperation in foreign and security policy and to promote cultural exchange.
After the reaffirmation by the Treaty of Aachen in 2019, we nevertheless see the importance, in addition to the Franco-German friendship, of bringing all European states closer together. Volt France and Volt Germany are therefore presenting a joint proposal for a new European edition of the Élysée treaty.
Germany and France are important driving forces for Europe, but the current crises can only be solved by all EU member states. Sven Franck, co-president of Volt France, says: "In 1963, it was important to create links between the citizens on both sides of the Rhine, and the Elysée Treaty did that. In 2023, it is essential to extend these links to all 27 countries of the European Union".
Rebekka Müller, co-president of Volt Germany, emphasises the importance of a stable Franco-German relationship: "The challenges we face - the war in Europe, the climate crisis, social instability - require solutions that cross borders. A strong Franco-German relationship is essential to advance European integration for future generations!"
These three pillars, must provide the framework for European integration:
1) European understanding. A greater presence of Europe in schools, in the media as well as European events allow young people to expand their networks and learn more from each other.
2) Building bridges. While town twinning already exists in many places, the system can be extended across Europe. Travel opportunities such as Interrail make cultural exchange not only more accessible, but also more attractive.
3) A common security policy. The current parallel crises in Europe show how essential it is to find common solutions. European-wide crisis management and military cooperation ensure faster and more effective responses to financial crises, pandemics or wars.
You can download the complete white paper "A reinvented Élysée treaty for European integration" her or on our website.
About Volt
As the first truly pan-European party, Volt is committed to reforming the European Union and responding to today's challenges in a coordinated way at European level. Volt's vision: a progressive Europe with an inclusive society, a climate-friendly economy, an adaptable education system and self-determined digitalisation.
Volt is convinced that only the democratic participation of all European citizens will prepare us for a sustainable, economically strong and socially just future. This is why Volt acts at all levels - from local to European, as a movement and as a party. The movement gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to engage politically from within society. Today, Volt is present all over Europe: thousands of people of all ages and professions are involved in 30 European countries with teams in hundreds of cities.
For interview requests or further information, please contact us at the following address :
Contact
Zoé Gadeyne - Co-Responsable Communication
Mail : zoe.gadeyne@volteuropa.org
Sven Franck - Co-President de Volt France
Mail : sven.franck@volteuropa.org
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Updated on January 20th, 2023 Photo by the Èlysée