Hans-Dietrich Genscher Biography

Supports the Paris summit decision to advance direct elections to the European Parliament.

Supports the act establishing direct universal elections to the European Parliament.

Supports the Bremen agreement that advances plans for closer European monetary cooperation.

Genscher signs for West Germany as Federal Foreign Minister during the Athens ceremony.

Serves as foreign minister when German voters participate in the first direct elections to the European Parliament.

Helps submit the German-Italian Draft European Act proposing stronger political cooperation and progress toward European Union.

Defends the German-Italian initiative for stronger European political cooperation before the European Parliament.

Supports adoption of the Solemn Declaration on European Union at the Stuttgart European Council.

Supports creation of the Dooge Committee to propose improvements in Community institutions and political cooperation.

Genscher backs Germany's participation in the founding five-state agreement for gradually reducing checks at common borders. German policy links open internal borders with stronger external controls.

Supports the Milan decision to convene an intergovernmental conference on treaty reform and the internal market.

Supports the decision to establish the Delors Committee to study concrete steps toward economic and monetary union.

Supports the Strasbourg decision to convene an intergovernmental conference on treaty changes needed for monetary union.

Links German unification with continued commitment to European integration during the special Dublin meeting.

Genscher backs the detailed 1990 Convention regulating visas, frontiers and cooperation between national authorities. The German approach combines mobility with coordinated frontier safeguards.

During the Schengen process, Genscher backs Italy's Paris accession to the Schengen Convention. Germany supports freer travel alongside common security and visa rules.

Supports opening treaty negotiations on political union alongside the parallel conference on monetary union.

In Germany, Genscher supports the Bonn agreements extending Schengen to Spain and Portugal. The German approach combines mobility with coordinated frontier safeguards.

Represents German foreign policy as leaders review the intergovernmental conferences preparing the Maastricht settlement.

Works on Germany's political-union priorities while the Twelve meet in Luxembourg.

Secures Germany's diplomatic interests in the final agreement on political cooperation.

Signs the Treaty on European Union for Germany as Federal Foreign Minister.