[1] With the signing of this treaty, Germany and France established a new foundation for relations, bringing an end to centuries of French–German enmity and wars.

[4] The post-war West German chancellor Konrad Adenauer made rapprochement between the historic rivals one of his priorities.

[5] The treaty called for regular consultations between France and West Germany on all important questions concerning defense, education and youth issues.

President de Gaulle intended the treaty to make West Germany distance itself and eventually separate itself from its American protector.

[10] This effectively emptied the Treaty of any sense (in Gaullist understanding) and put end to General de Gaulle's hopes of building the EEC into a counterweight to the US and the USSR.

[10] New forms of bilateral coordination between the two countries were created in the course of the 40th anniversary celebration, such as the Franco-German Ministerial Council,[14] which meets twice a year.

[citation needed] Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron, along with lawmakers from both countries, called for a "new Élysée Treaty" in January 2018 on the occasion of its 55th anniversary.