Shortly before the summer break, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met last week to sign the “Kensington Treaty”, so named after the location where it was signed.
Since taking office a year ago, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been promising the British a “reset”, with defence cooperation with Europe at the heart of his plans. With this in mind, Downing Street has been seeking a closer relationship with France and Germany as part of a “triangle alliance”. Further intensification of the trilateral cooperation with France was also one of the Kensington Treaty’s key stipulations.
The contents of the treaty tie in with the Trinity House Agreement from October 2024, which already set out more intensive cooperation in the area of defence policy.
The treaty has already been labelled historic by those involved. In particular, the political symbolism of formulating common positions in view of the current challenges to Euro-Atlantic security and the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against the European continent should not be underestimated.
The most notable aspect of the treaty is probably the reaffirmation of both nations’ commitment to the NATO principles of collective defence. According to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO members regard an attack against one member as an attack against them all. While the reference to this provision does not impose any further legal obligations on either country, it does serve as a symbolic affirmation of mutual support.
The treaty and the associated implementation plan also set out 17 specific priority projects for future cooperation between the two countries.
A common theme throughout the treaty is the establishment of regular communication between the UK and Germany in the form of ministerial meetings and official dialogues, allowing the two nations to consult closely with one another on political, economic and scientific matters.
Defence, internal security and migration
Both countries are committed to close security and foreign policy cooperation across all dimensions (air, land, sea, space and cyber). The treaty explicitly warns against hybrid threats and foreign interference aimed at undermining national security and democratic values.
The UK and Germany wish to strengthen their resilience in order to detect such threats at an early stage and respond to them effectively. To this end, the two nations have agreed to collaborate in the fields of cyber diplomacy, cyber security and emerging technologies. Close cooperation is also planned with regard to their intelligence services and national security capabilities.
The shared objective of reinforcing Euro-Atlantic security and ensuring effective deterrence against potential aggressors is to be achieved by building credible, resilient defence forces on both sides. Further projects include developing Deep Precision Strike capabilities and uncrewed aerial systems, forming a strategic partnership to strengthen the eastern flank and conducting joint undersea operations in the North Sea.
In terms of internal security, cooperation will focus primarily on combating serious, organised cross-border crime and illegal migration. Germany has agreed to introduce regulations criminalising the facilitation of irregular migration to the UK.
Both countries have also made tangible commitments to supporting Ukraine in its reconstruction and strengthening its resilience.
Further joint projects include measures to stabilise the Western Balkans and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Cooperation between both nations’ defence industries is also to be championed, accompanied by the promotion of defence exports.
Economic cooperation, climate and energy
Economic cooperation between the two nations will focus on areas that will ensure the future competitiveness of both countries, for example by capitalising on the significant opportunities arising from the green and digital transformations.
There are also plans for a new direct rail link between Germany and the UK, which will contribute to decarbonising the transport sector.
The signatories also agreed to establish a joint energy infrastructure project in the North Sea. This will include driving the development of offshore hybrid interconnections by 2035, with the aim of linking offshore facilities to the national grids more effectively. Both countries also intend to work together to accelerate the development of H2 and CO₂ infrastructure.
A strategic science and technology partnership will bring together experts from both nations to develop cutting-edge technologies, including quantum technologies, AI, digital technologies, semiconductors, space capabilities, advanced connectivity, fusion and sustainable energy solutions including battery technologies. Joint research into these technologies is intended to promote sustainable economic growth in both countries and actively enhance the German-UK leadership in innovation.
A newly created forum will facilitate exchange between UK and German companies to promote cross-border trade.
German and UK public financial institutions are to cooperate more closely to facilitate cross-border investment and boost growth in both economies by accelerating and supporting investment processes. To this end, ties between the British Business Bank, the National Wealth Fund and Germany’s KfW are to be strengthened. In particular, the aim is to intensify the exchange of knowledge, enhance operational and financial performance and seize investment opportunities in areas of mutual interest.
Cultural exchange and citizen mobility
One of the treaty’s principal aims is to build resilient societies and thus stronger democracies. The two nations also intend to intensify cultural and educational exchanges to strengthen contact between their citizens, which has significantly declined since Brexit.
In future, school groups from Germany will be able to enter the UK more easily, with entry granted on the basis of a summarised list of names provided by the accompanying teachers. UK nationals are to be granted accelerated e-gate access at German airports.
Both countries are also committed to creating and reviewing legal frameworks to promote better exchange in the area of vocational and university education.
Conclusion and outlook
In summary, the treaty is more than just a symbol of closer cooperation between Germany and the UK. With the specified priority projects as a basis, the treaty establishes a political commitment and robust structures, forming a new type of foundation for a modern partnership between the two nations. From a political perspective, the treaty must now be ratified by both parliaments.
Given its potential to generate significant new business opportunities, the treaty is positive news for companies on both sides of the Channel.
This is also likely to result in an increased demand for legal advice, in particular with regard to joint ventures between companies in the security, defence and technology sectors, as well as for UK companies looking to participate in German public procurement procedures in cutting-edge industries.
However, closer cooperation and further agreements can also be expected in terms of bilateral cooperation at the government level.
Nevertheless, the prospect of reversing Brexit is still not on the British government’s agenda.
Author: Julia Maehlich, trainee
