The UK and Germany have agreed to collaborate on migration, trade and security in the biggest treaty between the two countries since the end of the Second World War.
Meeting at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Sir Keir Starmer and the German chancellor Friedrich Merz also agreed to “work ever more closely” on a range of issues.
Under the deal, Germany will close a loophole to allow police to seize small boats being used by migrants to cross the Channel.
As part of moves designed to cut post-Brexit red tape, German school trips to the UK will also become visa-free by the end of the year, while British visitors to Germany will be able to use its passport e-gates by the end of August.
The fast-track will initially be for frequent travellers but will eventually be extended to all British visitors, as part of Sir Keir’s wider Brexit ‘reset’ with the EU.
Sir Keir described the document, known as the Kensington Treaty, as “very special”.
The Labour leader said it was “evidence of the closeness of our relationship as it stands today” as well as a “statement of intent, a statement of our ambition to work ever more closely together”. The treaty also includes a new taskforce designed to pave the way for direct train services between the two countries, which it is hoped could begin within the next decade.
After the signing ceremony, the two leaders then travelled to Downing Street for a further meeting.
Mr Merz said he had been “surprised” to learn that the agreement was the first UK-Germany treaty since the Second World War.
“We had you in the European Union and we thought that was enough,” he said.
“But we are now learning that it’s not enough so we have to do more on that.”
On small boats, Germany has agreed to make people smuggling to the UK an offence by the end of 2025.
While people smuggling into fellow EU countries is a crime under German law, trafficking migrants into the UK has not been illegal since Brexit.
Most asylum seekers who cross the Channel embark from the French coast, however Germany is viewed as a transit country for migrants and is frequently used as a storage hubs for boats and transport equipment.
At least 22,000 people have already made the journey since January, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for crossings.
Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, had won German agreement to change the law to criminalise assisting the smuggling of migrants to the UK in December with Mr Merz’s predecessor Olaf Scholz. However, a change in government in Berlin meant that it had to be renegotiated.
Prior to his visit, Sir Keir said: “Chancellor Merz’s commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome.
“As the closest of allies, we will continue to work closely together to deliver on the priorities that Brits and Germans share.”
The leaders also agreed to jointly produce defence exports such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets and commit to developing their deep precision strike missile in the next decade, with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres.
A series of commercial investments are being announced to coincide with the visit, worth more than £200 million and will create more than 600 new jobs.
These include defence tech company Stark setting up a production facility in Swindon, its first outside Germany, and conversational AI firm Cognigy investing £50 million and expanding its UK team from 13 to 150.
