Name of country: Czech Republic (Česká republika)

Establishment of diplomatic relations:

• 18 October 1949 (German Democratic Republic)
• 11 December 1973 (Federal Republic of Germany)

System of government: Republic, parliamentary democracy

Relations between Germany and Czechia are very close. After Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed Czech President Petr Pavel to Berlin on 9 July 2025, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz received Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in the German capital for his inaugural visit on 10 March 2026. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed Foreign Minister Petr Macinka to Berlin on 8 May.

The Treaty on Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation of 27 February 1992, together with the German-Czech Declaration on Mutual Relations and their Future Development of 21 January 1997, is one of the most important cornerstones of German-Czech relations. The essence of the Declaration is the undertaking by both sides to advance German‑Czech relations in a spirit of good neighbourliness and not to burden them with political and legal issues stemming from the past.

Czechia and Germany work together intensively on European Neighbourhood Policy, on the Western Balkans and on supporting Ukraine since the start of the Russian war of aggression. As part of the two countries’ strategic dialogue, there are 11 working groups made up of German and Czech ministry staff. On 7 July 2025, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his then Czech counterpart Jan Lipavský signed the 2025 2027 work programme for the strategic dialogue in Prague. Cross-border cooperation with the Free State of Bavaria and the Free State of Saxony has been stepped up in recent years. The Federal Foreign Office has hosted the annual German-Czech regional forum since 2023.

Germany is Czechia’s most important trading partner, and the two economies are closely interconnected, particularly in the automotive sector. Around 4000 German companies or companies with German shareholdings have set up business in Czechia.

There is diverse cultural exchange at all levels. Almost all political foundations and organisations involved in cultural mediation and educational cooperation (the Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA) and the German School Prague (DSP)) are represented in Czechia. The German-Czech Future Fund and the German-Czech Dialogue Forum are key stakeholders in the area of civil society cooperation.