The Charity Commission has granted the Forum charitable status. Non-charitable activities, including the organisation of certain conferences and seminars, will be handled by a separate trading company. Germany and Britain have the choice of becoming masters or victims of intensified international competition. Their chances of success will increase if they draw constructively on the wide economic, social and political networks between the two countries. The advent in Britain of an innovative centre-left government more open to Europe has brought fresh opportunities.
Reform is under way in Germany too.
These climatic improvements form a propitious background to the initiatives taken by the German-British Forum to link the two countries' citizens and strengthen understanding in Europe.