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Romania and Germany – 140 years of diplomatic relations
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu looking at the recognition note of 1880, © Florian Gaertner/photothek.net
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is meeting his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu today (20 February) on the latter’s inaugural visit to Berlin. The visit marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Romania.
20 February 1880 – a historic date
On 20 February 1880, Germany, France and Great Britain officially recognised Romania in an exchange of identical notes. This was a result of the 1878 Congress of Berlin, which had previously confirmed Romania’s independence. 20 February 1880 thus marked the start of diplomatic relations between Romania and Germany.
Close and friendly relations
Today, 140 years later, German-Romanian relations are close and friendly, including at the federal - state and civil - society level. Germany is Romania’s main trading partner and German companies employ almost 250,000 people in Romania. At the political level, the two countries work well together in many policy fields. Germany thus supported Romania on its path to NATO accession in 2004 and EU accession in 2007. Germans and Romanians also enjoy close cultural ties: around 200,000 students learn German at school in Romania. Furthermore, the country has a well-integrated German minority that receives a large amount of support.
Foreign Minister Maas paid tribute to President Klaus Iohannis’s active commitment to the EU, for which he will receive the Charlemagne Prize on 21 May 2020:
Romania has experienced political turbulence in the past two years. However, many Romanians have been relentlessly and vocally defending the rule of law and European values. It is thanks to them that Romania is firmly back on a European track.
Firmly on a pro-European track
Following its successful EU Presidency in the first half of 2019, Romania wants to continue playing an active role in the EU. In recent years, many Romanians have been relentlessly and vocally defending the rule of law and European values. Turnout in the European elections rose from 32% in 2014 to 51% in 2019 – the second-largest increase among all EU member states.