The participants on the German side were Minister-President Anke Rehlinger, Minister of State Timon Gremmels, Minister Bettina Martin, State Councillor Björn Tschöpe, State Secretary Friederike Haase, and State Secretary David Lindemann.
After intensive discussions, Saarland’s Minister-President Anke Rehlinger, who chairs the Bundesrat Friendship Group, underlined that “Franco-German cooperation is particularly crucial when Europe faces difficult times. Our meetings facilitate better understanding of each other’s point of view. This understanding is vital in order to arrive at compromises and move forward together”.
The Chairman of the Senate Friendship Group, Senator Ronan Le Gleut, also underlined the importance of these parliamentary meetings: “Europe needs the Franco-German tandem more than ever to tackle the shared challenges we face and, above all, to find tangible solutions to help our citizens in their daily lives. Our work contributes to this through better mutual understanding, along with direct, ongoing dialogue”.
Sustainable Energy
Members of the Friendship Groups
© Bundesrat
The members of the Friendship Groups discussed hydrogen technologies in the first working session. In her opening presentation, Minister-President Anke Rehlinger emphasised that “hydrogen is one of the keys to our continent’s industrial future. Our production sites will only manage to survive with sustainable energy sources and internationally competitive energy prices, with a view to securing European sovereignty”.
Participants emphasised the need for shared hydrogen infrastructure in Europe and agreed that differing standpoints in Germany and France – for example, concerning hydrogen from nuclear power – should not be allowed to hinder joint progress.
Border and Migration Policy
In the discussion on current border and migration policy, there was a particular focus on Germany’s decision to introduce border controls on the Franco-German border too. Both sides regretted that current threats had led to such measures being adopted, commenting that this was a sad development, particularly against the backdrop of the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement next year. However, both sides are counting on implementation of the reformed Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to ensure such border controls are once again relegated to the past.
Investment in Infrastructure and Restructuring Processes for Industry
When addressing industry and competitiveness, the Senators and Bundesrat Members agreed that the key issue is not competition within Europe, but rather Europe’s survival as an industrial centre in the light of competition from the USA and China.
As with many challenges facing the EU, it is essential that Germany and France work together and adopt a clear stance. Despite the different situations in both countries in terms of fiscal policy, investment in infrastructure and restructuring of industrial companies must indubitably be driven forward to avoid rising transfer payments in the medium and long term.
Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity
During the last working session, the Friendship Groups discussed cooperation on issues related to artificial intelligence; Minister Bettina Martin gave the keynote speech. “We have identified an increased need for action in Europe to ensure that we do not lose touch with international developments. AI is one of the strongest drivers for innovation and economic progress today. It is therefore crucial for European science and research to play a leading role in development and application of AI technologies. We agreed that the major challenges in the field of AI, including cybersecurity and the legal framework, can only be solved at the European level and that France and Germany, with their strong research sectors, will play a key role in this process”, the minister noted.
Building Stronger Trust in Democracy
Over and above the topics tackled in the working sessions, this year’s meeting addressed the challenges facing democracy in both countries. At a working breakfast with constitutional law expert Professor Bertrand Matthieu, exploring the tense domestic political situation in France, one of the principal issues debated was a dilemma facing democratic parties in both France and Germany, namely that they are unable to form a majority without including extremist forces from beyond the political mainstream.
Members of both Friendship Groups concurred that regaining citizens’ trust in democracy is the greatest challenge of our day. Minister-President Anke Rehlinger expressed her conviction that “democracy is demanding, but the effort it involves is always worthwhile. It is up to us now to ensure that democracy’s enemies in our countries cannot exploit it to overturn democracy”.
