The Franco-German Youth Office (FAYO) was established on a July 5, 1963 treaty on a common political initiative of the governments of the Federal Republic of German and the French Republic.
This treaty was signed in executing the agreement of German-French cooperation from January 22, 1963 and modified with the treaties from June 22, 1973 and November 25, 1983.
The Youth Office posesses a common pool. The funds for it are given annually by both governments in equal shares. Beyond that the Youth Office has available other funds based on that treaty.
The treaty gives power to a board of trustees to fulfill the duties of the FAYO. The board of trustees has enunciated guidelines, thoughts and regulations which apply for all programs carried out within the FAYO.
The existing guidelines are markers for the practical work. They have to be confronted with the interests of youths. On basis of a permanent analysis of program results the guidelines are adjusted to the changes in these interests.

1. Principles
1.1. The Youth Office is in the service of the German and French youth. Its duty is to closer link together the youths of both countries. During its work the FAYO shall consider the interests of the youth as being demonstrated in self initiated forms of constitutions and organisations.

1.2. Getting to know each other, understanding, solidarity and collaboration are the aims of the Youth Office.
Getting to know each other is based on an introduction into elementary individual and social facts that influence the life of the individual.
Such an approach is proven essential to notice and understand the specialities o the neighbour country, its people and their habits.
Understanding requires the ability to identify own interest and the ones of the partner. These interests have to be ballanced and discussed. All sorts of conflicts have to be solved.
Understanding asks for the realization of own and foreign biases, self critics and the response to critics of others. Solidarity and collaboration are based on willingness to mutual responsibility due to the realization of mutual dependency.
The exchange of young German and French people shall contribute to their education. For achieving these elemantary aims the linguistic understanding is of special importance. The Youth Office has to create and develop this linguistic understanding.

1.3. The Youth Office is a contruction to promote German-French youth work. The German-French youth work can be exemplary for international especially European collaboration. To meet that claim the Youth Office is asked to promote the the participation of young people from other states in their programs.

Thanks to the exemplary connection between the German and the French youth te aim of the Youth Office is to contribute to the development of international relations.
In the view of the instruments available, the work methods and its aims the Youth office offers a testing field for European youth work.
In the future youths from third countries can take part in events of the Youths office under certain circumstances. Events of the Youth Office will also take place in third countries. Such activities reveal the German and French reality by confronting each other with the mutual problems (see appendix 6).

1.4. To implement these goals the Youth Office has got the duty to fund, advise and to activate, offer and to test actions. It fulfills these duties regarding respect to the independence of youth and the diversity of ideologic engagement, the educational conceptions and the fields of interest.
The common principles therefor are decided by the board of trustees which also controls them.

1.5. The activities of the Youth Office is in both countries usually executed by organisations responsible for education i.e. youth organisations, institutions and organisations of youth and adult education, sports organisations, international youth exchange, universities, business or all independent and public institutions which appeal to youths on the fields of information and education.
Besides funding FAYO can offer special support to improve your own work. Therefor it offers information material for the preparation of youths, for the education of personnel and for the analysis of actions of the Youth Office.

1.6. The Youth Office wants to help all independent and public organsations that want to carry out German-French programs under the guidelines described.
It can take initiative itself if the needs are not met by the existing structures or if there are no adequate structures. It offers youths additional educational possibilities in the form of special programs which are taken over by other structures if proven. In these cases FAYO will try to acquire organisations which will collaborate.

1.7. The Youth Office supports, in association with its partners and on the basis of collected experiences, research projects in which persons of different scientific fields like socologists, psychiologists, pedagogues etc. Work together. The main interest is the relationship between cultures, the harmonisation of communities by exchanges, international youth exchanges as well as methods and techniques of exchanges.