Germany, France and Italy were part of the original
Inner Six founders of the EU along with
Benelux nations.
Negotiations for greater integration in the EU
Determined to keep the European project intact in the wake of the UK's vote to
leave the European Union in 2016, France, Germany and Italy called for greater integration in various trilateral summits in
Berlin,
Paris and
Ventotene.[7][8][9]
More recently France, Germany and Italy have agreed a common position about the
Paris climate agreement[10] they have led a draft EU law to restrain Chinese acquisitions of European firms and technologies[11] and they lead the EU sanctions on
North Korea.[12]
The UK joined the European communities in 1973 and
voted to leave in 2016, formally withdrawing from the EU in 2020.
Negotiations with Iran
In 2003, France, Germany and the UK launched negotiations attempting to limit the
Iranian nuclear program, which led to the Tehran Declaration of 21 October 2003 and the voluntary Paris Agreement of 15 November 2004.[13][14][15]
EU 3 + 3, more commonly referred to as the E3+3,[16] refers to a grouping which includes the EU-3 and
China,
Russia, and the
United States. It was coined when these states joined the EU diplomatic efforts with Iran in 2006. In the United States and Russia, it is more commonly known as
P5+1, which refers to the five permanent members of the
UN Security Council plus Germany.[17]
Italy took part in a number of these meetings between 2006 and 2007.[18][19] In 2014, under the request of the Italian PM
Matteo Renzi, Foreign Minister
Federica Mogherini was named High Representative of the EU as the negotiations approached a conclusion and came to an end with the elaboration of the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2015.[20]