Foreign relations of Monaco
Encyclopedia
The Principality of Monaco is a sovereign and independent state, linked closely to France
by the Treaty of July 1918, which was formally noted in Article 436 of the Treaty of Versailles
of 1919. The foreign policy of Monaco is one illustration of this accord: France has agreed to defend the independence and sovereignty of Monaco, while the Monegasque Government has agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with French interests, whilst at the same time maintaining complete independence. Since then, the relations between the sovereign states of France and Monaco have been further defined in the Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963.
Although not a member of the European Union
(EU), Monaco is closely associated with the economic apparatus of the EU through its customs union with France and its reliance upon the euro as its official currency.
Monaco actively participates in the United Nations
, which it joined in 1993. Monaco joined the Council of Europe
on October 4, 2004. Monaco also is a member of many international and intergovernmental organizations, including Interpol
, the UNESCO
, and the World Health Organization
(WHO). The International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) is headquartered in Monaco.
Monaco has 10 diplomatic missions in Western Europe and permanent representation at the United Nations and the Council of Europe. It maintains honorary consulates in 106 cities in 45 countries. Seventy-six countries have consulates general, consulates, or honorary consulates in or accredited to Monaco.
has a consulate in Monte Carlo
, while Monaco operates one in Hellerup
.
policies through its interaction with France. Monaco is in the EU's customs and VAT area, is a de facto member of the Schengen Area
due to its open border with France and uses the euro as is sole currency.
In 2002, Monaco renegotiated its 1918 treaty with France. In 2005, it was ratified by both parties and entered into force. The terms of the treaty upgrade France's representation in Monaco from Consulate General to that of an embassy; permit, for the first time, other countries to accredit ambassadors to Monaco; and formally recognize the succession scheme set out in the 1962 Constitution, which extends eligibility to the Prince's daughters and other family members.
With respect to the Holy See, the Holy See has only maintained a diplomatic legation in Monaco since 2006. The appointment of a papal diplomatic representative to the Principality was subsequent to the revision of Monaco's treaty with France which was revised in 2002 and ratified in 2005. This revised treaty granted the Principality the sovereign prerogative of establishing formal diplomatic relations with other sovereign states at the highest diplomatic level, that of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary—for the Holy See this means at the nunzorial level, i.e., that of an apostolic nunciature headed by an apostolic nuncio (apostolic nuncios normally hold the ecclesiastical rank of archbishop). The first, and current, apostolic nuncio to represent the Holy See to Monaco, with residence and coterminous accreditation to the EU in Brussels, is H.E. Archbishop Andre Dupuy. Archbishop Dupuy presented his credentials to HSH Prince Albert II on 26 September 2006.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
by the Treaty of July 1918, which was formally noted in Article 436 of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
of 1919. The foreign policy of Monaco is one illustration of this accord: France has agreed to defend the independence and sovereignty of Monaco, while the Monegasque Government has agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with French interests, whilst at the same time maintaining complete independence. Since then, the relations between the sovereign states of France and Monaco have been further defined in the Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963.
Although not a member of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU), Monaco is closely associated with the economic apparatus of the EU through its customs union with France and its reliance upon the euro as its official currency.
Monaco actively participates in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, which it joined in 1993. Monaco joined the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
on October 4, 2004. Monaco also is a member of many international and intergovernmental organizations, including Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, and the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO). The International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) is headquartered in Monaco.
Monaco has 10 diplomatic missions in Western Europe and permanent representation at the United Nations and the Council of Europe. It maintains honorary consulates in 106 cities in 45 countries. Seventy-six countries have consulates general, consulates, or honorary consulates in or accredited to Monaco.
Relations by country
Monaco maintains formal diplomatic legations, some as consulates others with the stature of an embassy, in the following nations:Denmark
DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
has a consulate in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, while Monaco operates one in Hellerup
Hellerup
Hellerup is a Danish town of Region Hovedstaden, located in the Gentofte Municipality in Denmark. It is bordered to the east by the sound Øresund and to the South by Copenhagen and counted among the most affluent areas in Denmark....
.
European Union
Monaco participates in a number of European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
policies through its interaction with France. Monaco is in the EU's customs and VAT area, is a de facto member of the Schengen Area
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area comprises the territories of twenty-five European countries that have implemented the Schengen Agreement signed in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, in 1985...
due to its open border with France and uses the euro as is sole currency.
France
Formal relations were established in 1918. France has agreed to defend the independence and sovereignty of Monaco, while the Monegasque Government has agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with French interests. Since then, the relations between the sovereign states of France and Monaco have been further defined in the Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963.In 2002, Monaco renegotiated its 1918 treaty with France. In 2005, it was ratified by both parties and entered into force. The terms of the treaty upgrade France's representation in Monaco from Consulate General to that of an embassy; permit, for the first time, other countries to accredit ambassadors to Monaco; and formally recognize the succession scheme set out in the 1962 Constitution, which extends eligibility to the Prince's daughters and other family members.
Holy See
It is part of Monaco's generally accepted cultural and political history that Monaco and the Holy See have maintained a diplomatic friendship bound by the Catholic Faith since the founding of the Principality. Article 9 of the Monegasque Constitution, dated 17 December 1962, and modified in 2002, establishes the Catholic religion as the official religion of the sovereign state, which is a Catholic constitutional monarchy ruled by the Catholic Grimaldi dynasty. According to the Annuario Pontificio, the official yearbook of the Holy See, Monaco has maintained a diplomatic representative to the Holy See with the rank of minister plenipotentiary since 1915. In 1982, following the July 1981 signing of a new convention between Monaco and the Holy See reaffirming the close Catholic friendship and diplomatic relations which exists between the Catholic Principality and the Holy See, the rank of Monaco's diplomatic legation was elevated from that of a ministerial rank diplomatic legation to that of an embassy, with H.E. Cesar Charles Solamito, being elevated from the rank of minister plenipotentiary to ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in June 1982. Ambassador Solamito served as Monaco's first ambassador to the Holy See until 1997. In 1999, the position of ambassador of Monaco to the Holy See was assumed by Monegasque ambassador H.E. Jean Claude Michel.With respect to the Holy See, the Holy See has only maintained a diplomatic legation in Monaco since 2006. The appointment of a papal diplomatic representative to the Principality was subsequent to the revision of Monaco's treaty with France which was revised in 2002 and ratified in 2005. This revised treaty granted the Principality the sovereign prerogative of establishing formal diplomatic relations with other sovereign states at the highest diplomatic level, that of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary—for the Holy See this means at the nunzorial level, i.e., that of an apostolic nunciature headed by an apostolic nuncio (apostolic nuncios normally hold the ecclesiastical rank of archbishop). The first, and current, apostolic nuncio to represent the Holy See to Monaco, with residence and coterminous accreditation to the EU in Brussels, is H.E. Archbishop Andre Dupuy. Archbishop Dupuy presented his credentials to HSH Prince Albert II on 26 September 2006.
Italy
- Italy has an embassy in the city of Monaco.
- Monaco has an embassy in Rome.
- Around 10,000 Italians live in Monaco.
Russia
- Monaco and Russia had bilateral relations since 1858, when Russia and Monaco signed treaties and agreements of extradition of criminals, of mutual legal assistance, on recognition of civil status of natural persons and of medical aid. However diplomatic relations suspended in 1917.
- Diplomatic relations were reestablished in April 2002.
- Monaco has an honorary consulate in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
- Russian interests in Monaco is represented by its consulate-general in MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
.
United States
- The United States and Monaco enjoy excellent relations. From 1956 until her death in 1982, the American-born Grace KellyGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
was married to Prince Rainier IIIRainier III, Prince of MonacoRainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
, Prince Albert'sAlbert II, Prince of MonacoAlbert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
father. The United States does not yet have a diplomatic mission located in Monaco but there is an embassy in Paris, and a consulate general in Marseille. - In December 2006, the United States and Monaco upgraded from consular to full diplomatic relations. Shortly thereafter, Craig StapletonCraig Roberts StapletonCraig Roberts Stapleton is a former United States ambassador to France and the Czech Republic.-Biography:Stapleton was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His grandfather, Benjamin F. Stapleton, was a politician who served five terms as mayor of Denver. He received his secondary school education at...
(ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to France) was accredited to Monaco, and ambassador Gilles Noghes became the first MonegasqueMonégasque languageMonégasque is a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, spoken in Monaco.- Language family :Forming a part of the Western Romance dialect continuum, Monégasque shares many features with the variety of Ligurian spoken in Genoa, but differs from its neighboring dialects Intemelio and Mentonasc. It...
ambassador to the United States.