The Multi-Dimensional Dynamics of the Polish-German Relationship. Towards a New Framework of Analysis.

Abstract

The panel deals with the study of bilateralism in the European Union and explores the political and social dynamics of the bilateral relations between Germany and Poland at the supranational, national and subnational levels across different policy areas (foreign and security policy, health policy and cross-border cooperation). Its goal is to identify the driving forces and hindering factors of bilateral relations which are characterised, on the one hand, by the logic of close cooperation due to geographic proximity and economic ties and, on the other hand, by the logic of disruption related to divergent political interests in areas such as energy and climate policy or refugee and asylum policy. The point of departure for this panel is constituted by an assumption that there is a need for the development of a renewed research framework of the Polish-German relations that takes account of the changes that occurred within the last 15 years. It needs a more analytical and less descriptive outlook that aims to disentangle the Polish-German relationship by acknowledging the complexity of bilateral relations at the national and subnational levels. Moreover, the influence of the EU as one of the dominant supranational reference frameworks of Polish and German policies should be taken into consideration while examining the bilateral cooperation between these two states. Also, by applying the concept of embedded bilateralism defined by Krotz and Schild (2012), the papers test the premises of this approach and examine to what extent Polish-German relationship qualifies as embedded bilateralism – similar to the Franco-German partnership.

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