Publié le 30/11/2018
Eileen KELLER

This study analyses the joint efforts by France and Germany to bring about a comprehensive reform of the European currency union. These efforts culminated in the joint Meseberg Declaration adopted in June 2018. The article contextualises these efforts with respect to the reforms realised so far and the different reform options at hand. Besides questions of economic viability and institutional deficits, the article tackles issues of political feasibility.

“From Meseberg to nowhere” was the prognosis given by Werner Mussler, economic correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in Brussels. Commenting on the outlook for the joint declaration by the French President and German Chancellor on 19 June, following protracted negotiations at the German Government's official guest house at Schloss Meseberg, near Berlin, the journalist was critical of both the compromises it contained on strengthening the euro area and the chances of these ever being implemented.

There is no question that the negotiations on the development of the euro area come at a difficult time. However, there are still good grounds for reaching a different conclusion. Both valid economic and political reasons can be found for the reforms proposed in the declaration, the details of which have yet to be developed. Anyone broaching the subject realistically knows that negotiations on economic and monetary union have always been challenging, due to differing concepts of economic policy and divergent economic needs and interests. At the same time, the two figures responsible for the Meseberg Declaration are both exceptional political personalities whom have shown in the past that they can cope with difficult negotiations, and can achieve remarkable results – on condition that Angela Merkel remains in office.

Eileen Keller is a specialist on economic policy at the Deutsch-Französisches Institut (dfi) in Ludwigsburg. She lectures, publishes and teaches on various aspects of French and German economic and fiscal policy as well as European financial and economic integration. 

This publication can be downloaded in German on the website of the Franco-German Institute [1] : Von Meseberg nach nirgendwo? Deutsch-französische Impulse für die Eurozone. (PDF [2]).

The French version is available on our French website [3]: De Meseberg à nulle part ? Des impulsions franco-allemandes pour la zone euro. (PDF [4])