ABSTRACT
Introduction This chapter concerns the way Eastern enlargement has been handled by the Franco-German couple. The emphasis is not placed on the candidacies of Central European countries and their viewpoint is, yet again, neglected. Our aim is to throw light on the Franco-German relationship by analysing how the two countries have dealt with a problem about which they held very different views. We shall argue that they drew closer together, albeit with painful slowness, and that their difficulties and modest success have been reflected in the EU approach to Eastern enlargement as well as to the Intergovernmental Conference which was supposed to make the institutional reforms that were considered a necessary prerequisite to enlargement. At the same time, France and Germany have no monopoly on Eastern enlargement. Other countries, whether large like Italy or small like Portugal, exert some influence, while institutional actors, such as the Commission, are also active.
