ABSTRACT
Introduction The unique history of interaction over the last forty years and the multitude of bilateral institutions have given the Franco-German relationship a special character in the emerging multilateral setting of European integration, sometimes referred to as the ‘core’ or ‘engine’ of a united Europe. Although this ‘axiomatic character’ of Franco-German relations in the domain of high politics (e.g. foreign and security policy) has been a popular topic in political research, there is only a few studies on areas of low or sectoral politics.
