- UK, Germany begin treaty talks to “reset” Brexit relations
- Focus on energy, defense, migration, and market access
- Labour seeks stronger EU ties, revisiting 2020 trade deal
The UK is beginning talks on a new cooperation treaty with Germany as the Labour administration seeks to “reset” relations with Europe.
Sir Keir Starmer, who is in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said the agreement was part of an effort to “turn a corner on Brexit.”
Downing Street stated that the accord would address issues of energy security, technology, defense, and illegal migration.
It also stated that it will encompass access to each other’s markets and cross-North Sea trade.
After Berlin, Sir Keir will go to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and attend the Paralympics’ opening ceremony.
No. 10 said it anticipated the new pact with Germany could be signed by early next year.
Although concrete plans have yet to be published, conversations regarding expanding market access are expected to center on issues such as assisting firms in certifying their products and offering more information about tenders.
Downing Street noted that it would build on a defense agreement between the two countries, which is currently being negotiated and expected to be concluded in the autumn.
That agreement, unveiled last month, saw the two countries commit to purchasing more military equipment together and making it easier for each other’s militaries to utilize it. It also increased cooperation in areas such as cyber warfare.
Sir Keir has promised to strengthen economic ties with Europe, including a “much better” trade pact than the one secured by Boris Johnson in late 2020.
His Labour government hopes to reach agreements with the EU to eliminate border checks on food items, simplify paperwork for touring musicians, and improve recognition of job qualifications, making it easier for some professionals to work abroad.
It also intends to negotiate a security arrangement with the EU and a new return agreement for unsuccessful asylum seekers.
It is still being determined whether Brussels will consider significant revisions to the UK’s current Brexit trade pact, which will be revisited in 2026.
Nils Schmid, foreign affairs spokesperson for Mr Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, stated that the two leaders were “more or less on the same page” in their desire for a deeper partnership between the UK and the EU.
He said that Germany hoped to promote UK-EU collaboration on trade, student mobility, and military matters.
Mr. Schmid stated that a strategy to make it simpler for young Germans to study in the UK was a “major feature of our wish list.
He maintained that such a strategy would not involve “general immigration” but rather “short-term stays” for educational programs, student exchanges, or work experiences.
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However, the Labour government has stated that it does not plan to implement a program that would allow young people from EU countries to live and work in the UK in exchange for young Britons doing the same in Europe.
Prior to the visit, Sir Keir stated that the UK had a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe.”
He stated that cooperation with Germany and France would be “crucial” for the UK’s migration and economic growth.
We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government,” she said.
Earlier, Sir Keir met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Later, he will meet with executives from Siemens Energy and Rheinmetall, which manufactures vehicles for the British Army.
