Bavaria and France. Preparing the Future together
France and Bavaria have a longstanding close and solid partnership. However, the relationship between France and Bavaria is not only marked by a common history and by the structures created over the decades.
With its 13 million inhabitants, its internationally oriented economy, and its gross domestic product (GDP) of 630 billion euros, the Free State of Bavaria is a strong region in the heart of Europe.
The challenges of the future are the focus of cooperation today: the digitization of economies, climate change, dealing with the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis and the further construction of the European Union. In the future, Bavaria wishes to cooperate even more closely with France in these areas and to launch joint initiatives. The partnership should make it possible to act together within the European Union in the fields of research and innovation as well as technological cooperation.
Florian Hermann is Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Minister for Federal and European Affairs and Media.
This publication is available the following languages:
- FRENCH: "La Bavière et la France. Préparer l’avenir ensemble" (pdf)
- GERMAN: "Bayern und Frankreich, gemeinsam in die Zukunft" (pdf)
Published in cooperation with the Paris office of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
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