Exchange Of Letters Constituting An Agreement Between The Federal Republic Of Germany, France And Luxembourg Concerning German-French-Luxembourg Co-Operation In The Frontier Areas
Source: Unofficial
Letter I
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Bonn, 16 October 1980
On behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, and with reference to the talks between representatives of the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. the last of which took place. on 21 March l9 at Kaisers-lautern, I have the honour to propose the following Agreement concerning German-French-Luxembourg co-operation in the frontier areas:
I. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg agree, in the interests of facilitating the development of the frontier areas referred to in paragraph 2, to extend their trans frontier co-operation.
This co-operation concerns activities of common interest, particularly in the administrative, technical, social, economic and cultural fields, which are designed to strengthen and develop good-neighbourly relations.
2. The implementation of the provisions of paragraph I shall be entrusted to an Intergovernmental Commission and a Regional Commission, whose task will be to facilitate the examination of contiguity problems in the following frontier areas and to propose solutions to them:
- Saarland
- In Land Rhineland-Palatinate: the Trier and Westpfalz region's and Landkreis Birkenfeld
- The Departments of Meuse, Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle and Vosges;
- The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
These frontier areas are shown on the map annexed to this Agreement.
3. (a) The Intergovernmental Commission shall be composed of three delegations, the members of which shall be appointed by their respective Governments.
Each delegation shall have a maximum of nine members. Each delegation may call upon the services of experts.
(b) The Intergovernmental Commission shall normally meet once a year. in each 0 the three States in turn.
(c) The Intergovernmental Commission may establish working groups.
(d) The Intergovernmental Commission shall determine its own rules of procedure.
4 The Intergovernmental Commission shall deal with the general aspects co-operation questions relating to the frontier areas referred to in paragraph 2.
It shall formulate recommendations to the Contracting Parties and, where appropriate, shall prepare draft agreements.
The Intergovernmental Commission may instruct the Regional Commission to submit proposals or draft agreements, to present recommendations and to report to it on questions referred to the Regional Commission for consideration.
S. (a) The Regional Commission shall be composed of representatives of the Land governments of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. the Prefect of the Lorraine region, the Prefect of the Moselle Department of Meuse, Meurthe-et-Moselle and Vosges, of their representatives, and representatives of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Experts may be invited to attend the meetings.
(b) The Regional Commission shall meet as often as necessary, and at least once a year.
(c) The Regional Commission may establish working groups.
(d) The Regional Commission shall determine its own rules of procedure.
6. The Regional Commission shall deal with the regional aspects of co-operation questions relating to the frontier areas referred to in paragraph 2. It shall report to the Intergovernmental Commission on its activities and, where appropriate, shall submit recommendations to it.
7. This Agreement shall not affect the activities of bodies which have been or may be established under international agreements.
8. This Agreement shall also apply to Land Berlin, provided that the Government or the Federal Republic of Germany don not make a declaration to the contrary to the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg within three months of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
9. If the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg agree to the foregoing provisions, this letter and the replies from the Embassy of the French Republic and the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg shall constitute an agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which shall take effect on the date of the last acceptance. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany shall inform the Governments of the French Republic and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg of the acceptances it has received.
10. This Agreement may be denounced by any Contracting Party at any time. Such denunciation must be made in writing and shall cake effect three months after it has been notified to the other Contracting Parties.
Accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
LAUTENSCHLAGER
His Excellency Mr. Jean-Pierre Brunet
Ambassador of France
Bonn
His Excellency Mr. Georges Heisbourg
Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Bonn
Letter II
THE AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE
TO THE FEDERAL REPUDLIC OF GERMANY
Bonn, 16 October 1980
Dear Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 16 October 1980 reading as follows in an agreed text
[See letter 1]
I have the honour to inform you that the foregoing is acceptable to my
Government.
Accordingly, your letter of 16 October 1980 and the replies of the Embassy of the French Republic and the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg shall constitute an agreement between the Government of the French Republic the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which shall take effect on the date of the last acceptance
I would also inform you that I have forwarded a copy of this letter to the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, together with a request that I should be supplied with a copy of the reply from the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Accept, Sir, etc.
[Jean-Pierre BRUNET]
His Excellency Mr. Hans-Werner Lautenschlager
Secretary of State
Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bonn
III
Dear Sir,
EMBASSY OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG
Bonn, 16 October 193
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 16 October 1980, the text of which reads as follows:
[See letter I]
I have the honour to inform you that the foregoing provisions are acceptable to my Government. Accordingly, your letter of 16 October 1980 and the replies of the Embassies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the French Republic shall constitute an agreement between the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the French Republic, which shall take effect on the date of the last acceptance.
Accept. Sir, etc.
[GEORGES HEISBOURG]
Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
His Excellency Mr. Hans-Werner Lautcnschlager
Secretary of State
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bonn
