Germany and European Integration

Signs the Treaty of Rome for the Federal Republic of Germany and commits Germany to the new European Economic Community.

Signs the Treaty of Rome alongside Adenauer after helping shape Germany's negotiating position on European integration.

Heads the Federal German government when the Treaty of Rome enters into force and the EEC begins operating.

Becomes the first President of the Commission of the European Economic Community.

Participates in the Bonn summit where the Six seek proposals for closer political cooperation.

Receives Harold Macmillan's letter requesting negotiations on British accession while serving as President-in-Office of the EEC Council.

As Council President-in-Office, informs Britain that the EEC Council agrees to begin accession negotiations.

Heads the West German government when the Six sign the Merger Treaty creating a single Council and Commission.

Leads West Germany as the Luxembourg Compromise ends the institutional crisis caused by France's empty-chair policy.

Heads the German government when the EEC customs union is completed ahead of the original Treaty of Rome timetable.

Represents Germany as leaders open the Hague summit on completion, deepening and enlargement of the European Communities.

Supports the Hague agreement to open enlargement negotiations with applicant countries including Britain, Denmark and Ireland.

Heads the German government when the Luxembourg Treaty expands the European Parliament's budgetary powers.

Supports adoption of the Davignon Report establishing a framework for European Political Cooperation among the member states.

Heads the German government when accession treaties are signed with Britain, Denmark, Ireland and Norway.

Represents Germany as the Paris summit begins discussions on economic, monetary and political development of the Communities.

Supports stronger political cooperation as the Paris summit sets new objectives for European integration.

Heads the German government as Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Communities.

Represents Germany at the Paris summit where leaders establish regular meetings under the name European Council.

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

Represents Germany at the first meeting formally held under the title European Council.

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

Hosts the European Council as leaders develop plans for a European Monetary System.

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

Participates as the Brussels European Council finalises the political agreement creating the European Monetary System.

Heads the German government when the European Monetary System begins operating with the Deutsche Mark participating.

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

Represents Germany at the Venice European Council during discussions on economic policy and European political cooperation.

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

Represents Germany as leaders discuss the Community budget, agriculture and renewed European integration.

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

Attends his first European Council as chancellor while the Community addresses budgetary and institutional questions.

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

Hosts the European Council as leaders adopt the Solemn Declaration on European Union.

Reports to the Bundestag on the Stuttgart European Council and its declaration on European Union.

Reports to the European Parliament on Stuttgart and stresses implementation of stronger European political cooperation.

Represents Germany as leaders seek a durable settlement of Community budget disputes and institutional reform.

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

Signs the Schengen Agreement for West Germany, committing the participating governments to gradually abolish internal border controls.

Represents Germany as the Milan European Council considers institutional reform and completion of the internal market.

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

Heads the German government as Spain and Portugal join the European Communities, expanding membership to twelve.

Heads the German government when Germany joins the first group of states signing the Single European Act.

Heads the German government when the Single European Act enters into force and strengthens the internal-market programme.

Hosts the European Council as leaders discuss monetary integration and the next stage of the internal market.

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

Represents Germany as leaders approve launching the first stage of economic and monetary union in July 1990.

Supports the Madrid decision setting 1 July 1990 as the start of the first stage of economic and monetary union.

Represents Germany as leaders consider monetary union, political change in Europe and future treaty negotiations.

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.

Represents Germany at the special European Council discussing German unification and the changing political order in Europe.

Heads the German government when the five original Schengen states sign the convention implementing border-free travel arrangements.

Represents Germany as leaders advance preparations for the second stage of economic and monetary union.

Supports work on the timetable and institutional design for economic and monetary union.

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

Backs simultaneous negotiations on political union and economic and monetary union.

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

Takes Germany's position to Luxembourg as leaders examine the two intergovernmental conferences.

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

Works on Germany's response to proposed convergence rules and future monetary institutions.

Represents Germany as the Maastricht European Council opens the decisive negotiations on European Union.

Takes Germany's position into the opening day of the Maastricht European Council.

Supports the final Maastricht settlement establishing the route toward economic and monetary union.

Helps negotiate convergence requirements and institutional arrangements for the planned economic and monetary union.

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

Works on the economic provisions that Germany accepts in the final Maastricht agreement.

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

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

Joins the Edinburgh summit while Germany supports a settlement capable of keeping Maastricht ratification on track.

Helps secure Germany's support for the Edinburgh arrangements designed to unblock Maastricht ratification.

Represents Germany as leaders formulate conditions that future candidate countries must meet before joining the European Union.

Supports the Copenhagen criteria linking future enlargement to democracy, market economics and acceptance of Community obligations.

Leads Germany when it submits its Maastricht ratification notification to the Italian depositary.

Leads Germany when the Maastricht Treaty takes legal effect and establishes the European Union.

Heads the German government when the Maastricht Treaty enters into force and the European Union is established.

Represents Germany as leaders discuss enlargement, institutional development and preparation for the next intergovernmental conference.

Supports preparations for the Union's 1995 enlargement and future institutional reform.

Hosts the European Council as leaders develop a pre-accession strategy for Central and Eastern European applicant states.

Supports the Essen strategy designed to prepare associated Central and Eastern European countries for eventual membership.

Meets Jacques Chirac before the Madrid European Council and reaffirms commitment to the planned single currency.

Represents Germany as leaders agree the timetable for monetary union and choose euro as the single currency's name.

Supports the Madrid changeover scenario establishing euro as the name of the future single currency.

Participates as the intergovernmental conference opens negotiations that later produce the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Supports the Dublin agreement on the essential elements of the Stability and Growth Pact for monetary union.

Represents Germany as European leaders begin the Amsterdam summit that reaches political agreement on treaty reform.

Supports European Council agreement on the Stability and Growth Pact and the new exchange-rate mechanism.

Kinkel signs Germany's instrument at Amsterdam, accepting reforms to Union institutions, employment policy and justice cooperation.

Supports launching the Union's enlargement process with countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus.

Participates in the agreement on the method for determining irrevocable conversion rates for the future euro.

Represents Germany when leaders decide that eleven member states meet the conditions to adopt the euro from 1999.

Represents Germany as leaders prepare for the launch of the euro and discuss employment and institutional reform.

Heads the German government when the euro becomes Germany's currency for electronic payments and accounting.

Serves as finance minister when Germany enters the third stage of economic and monetary union.

Hosts the European Council that reaches an overall agreement on Agenda 2000 and future Union financing.

Supports the Agenda 2000 settlement on finances, policy reform and preparations for enlargement.

Hosts the European Council as leaders address employment, security policy and future institutional development.

Supports the Cologne decision to begin drafting a Charter of Fundamental Rights for the European Union.

Represents Germany as leaders launch the Lisbon strategy for employment, economic reform and knowledge-based growth.

Participates as leaders negotiate institutional changes intended to prepare the Union for a major enlargement.

Supports the political agreement on institutional reform reached at the end of the Nice European Council.

Fischer signs the Nice Treaty, backing institutional changes intended to prepare the Union for enlargement.

Represents Germany as leaders launch a broader debate on the future constitutional structure of the Union.

Oversees Germany's fiscal administration as euro notes and coins enter circulation.

Heads the German government when euro banknotes and coins replace the Deutsche Mark in everyday cash use.

Supports the agreement completing accession negotiations with ten countries scheduled to join the Union in 2004.

Heads the German government when the Treaty of Nice enters into force.

Represents Germany as the intergovernmental conference opens negotiations on a constitutional treaty for Europe.

Heads the German government when ten new member states join the European Union in its largest enlargement.

Signs the European Constitutional Treaty alongside Chancellor Gerhard Schroder.

Signs the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe for Germany.

Receives the Visions for Europe Award for contributions to European integration and discusses future European governance.

Begins Germany's Council Presidency as foreign minister, supporting work to revive European treaty reform.

Leads the German EU Presidency as the Berlin Declaration sets a political timetable for renewed treaty reform.

Supports the Berlin Declaration during Germany's EU Presidency and the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaties of Rome.

Leads the European Council under the German Presidency as negotiations begin on a mandate for a new reform treaty.

Supports the compromise mandate that enables an intergovernmental conference to draft the Lisbon reform treaty.

Signs the Treaty of Lisbon for Germany alongside Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Signs the Treaty of Lisbon for Germany alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Heads the government as the Bundestag approves legislation accompanying German ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

Welcomes a judgment allowing Lisbon ratification once German legislation strengthens parliamentary participation in European affairs.

Germany deposits its instrument of ratification for the Treaty of Lisbon with the Italian government.

Heads the German government when the Treaty of Lisbon enters into force across the European Union.