EU european union, germany, UK United Kingdom, european integration, Brexit, international relations, economic relationships, political factors, trade and financial partners, Anglo-German relations, mutual interests
History showed that Germany and the United Kingdom were often enemies, even if they were also strongly dependent and linked on many levels. Indeed, they were commercial and industrial rivals before 1914, and then they fought against each other during the two World Wars. But more recently, they managed to work together and became partners on several levels. Germany became one of the United Kingdom's first economic partners: in 2015, Germany was its second partner for exportations (after the United States of America) and its first partner for importations. Besides, political and economic relationships between Germany and the United Kingdom must be understood in the context of the European Union, as both states are members of this union - since its creation for Germany, which is one of its founding members, and since 1973 for the United Kingdom. One also notices that these two states behave very differently towards the European Union: while Germany has always promoted it, the United Kingdom remained quite Eurosceptic over time, even if some of its leaders tried to become more involved in the European Union. Recently, Brexit confirmed this tendency by putting an end to the United Kingdom's adhesion to the European Union. Thus, it is likely to have many important repercussions on the existing Anglo-German relations, since they used to take place within the European context. Then, what is particularly striking about the political and economic relationships between Germany and the United Kingdom is the relation to the European Union that they manifest. What are the evolutions of the political and economic relationships between the United Kingdom and Germany within Europe, after the end of World War II in 1945 and until today's Brexit?
[...] At this year's conference, efforts were made by the UK cabinet ministers to suggest a future special relationship between the two countries. Unsurprisingly, the German government was not in a mood for ideas of this kind, and made it quite clear that the 27 remaining members of the European Union would stand together in negotiating the UK's exit deal." Furthermore, Brexit is a very important event to analyze in a study of the Anglo-German relations: the way Germany is reacting and will react in the future greatly affects the United Kingdom's future within the European Union. [...]
[...] Germany and the United Kingdom also became important trade and financial partners - this relation became more and more important until today. In January 1969, Jean Monnet advised the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson that he "should concentrate on improving their relations with Germany", because this country was becoming more and more important within Europe. Wilson replied that the British government "had this constantly in mind" . According to Monnet, this collaboration was important because Europe was undergoing an important transition period. [...]
[...] After the World Wars that opposed them, the United Kingdom and West Germany became allies in NATO in 1955. When the United Kingdom applied to become a member of the European Union for the second time, in 1967 - after the French veto of 1961 - it was heavily supported by Western Germany and this support was decisive. Indeed, the two countries shared some common interests since they were both "newcomers" according to Gottfried Niedhart: "the Germans in Eastern and the British in Western Europe. [...]
[...] These stereotypes were far from the German reality but very present in the young British people's minds. Indeed, "in 2004, the then German Foreign Minister Fischer remarked in an interview with the German magazine, Der Spiegel, "If you want to learn the traditional Prussian goose step, then you have to watch British television, because no young people in Germany, or even in my generation, know how to goose step."" This kind of cultural stereotypes have a strong impact on the way two countries can behave towards each other, and show that the Anglo-German relations were not that bright during this era. [...]
[...] Besides, the British Ambassador to Germany stated loud and clear his wish to keep close relations to Germany, despite the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union. Indeed, he shared his views with the newspaper The Local in 2018: "Today, even as we negotiate with the EU in Brussels, the UK and Germany stand together on every major international issue which confronts us - from global trade, to the nuclear deal with Iran, to climate change. And that won't change. [...]
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