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L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Merz visits UK as Europe closes ranks in face of threats
Friedrich Merz embarks on his first trip to London as German chancellor on Thursday to sign a wide-ranging friendship treaty with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, part of a broader push to reset the EU's relationship with Britain. Merz's day trip follows a three-day state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron, signalling greater cooperation between Europe's top three powers at a time of threats to the continent and uncertainty about their U.S. ally. Europe has been confronted with new U.S. tariffs since President Donald Trump returned to the White House as well as questions about the U.S. commitment to defend its European allies, including Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion. "The agreement comes at a time when, as Europeans, we are particularly challenged in terms of security policy," a German government official said in a briefing ahead of the trip. "Not stated in the preamble is that transatlantic matters are also — let's put it this way — in flux. This too is part of the context." Germany has such friendship treaties with just a handful of countries like France, symbolizing the closeness of their ties. Coming nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the European Union, the treaty includes a clause on mutual assistance which, "in light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, is highly significant", the official said. It builds on a defence deal agreed last year that included the joint development of long-range strike weapons, and comes after France and Britain agreed last week to reinforce cooperation over their respective nuclear arsenals. As part of the announcement on Thursday, Britain and Germany will pledge to "pursue joint export campaigns" to drum up orders from other countries for equipment they make jointly, such as the Typhoon Eurofighter jet and the Boxer armoured vehicle. That could help boost sales, and represents a significant reversal from the previous ten years, when Germany blocked Saudi Arabia and Turkey from buying Typhoons. Typhoons are made by a consortium of European companies, including BAE Systems in Britain and Airbus in Germany, with the different partner governments responsible for orders to different countries; the Boxer is made by a German-British joint venture, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land. Further deepening ties, a German defense tech company, Stark, has also agreed to build a new factory in Britain, the first production facility outside of Germany, to create AI-powered unmanned systems. Beyond defense, the treaty will also include an agreement to jointly combat smuggling and human trafficking, the German official said - addressing a key demand of Starmer's government which is under pressure to show it can control migration. The British government said Germany would make a landmark commitment to outlaw the facilitation of illegal migration to Britain, with a law change to be adopted by the end of the year. That would give law enforcement the tools to investigate warehouses and storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal dangerous small boats intended for illegal crossings to Britain, it said in a statement.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
U.K., Germany sign friendship treaty, deepening ties in face of threats
Britain and Germany signed a wide-ranging friendship treaty on Thursday (July 17, 2025), deepening ties in areas ranging from defence to transport, to mark Friedrich Merz's first trip to London as chancellor, the latest visit to help reset U.K. ties with the EU. Mr. Merz's day trip follows a three-day state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron, signalling greater cooperation between Europe's top three powers at a time of threats to the continent and uncertainty about their U.S. ally. "This is a historic day for German-British relations," Mr. Merz said at the signing ceremony in the Victoria and Albert museum, co-founded by Britain's Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, of German origin. "We want to deepen our cooperation in the field of defence, in foreign policy, but also in economic and domestic policy." Coming nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the European Union, the treaty is, on the one hand, a sign of the normalisation of German-British relations, said Nicolai von Ondarza at Berlin's SWP think-tank. "On the other hand, the treaty is a sign that the UK has become even more important as a security partner due to transatlantic uncertainty." Europe has been confronted with new U.S. tariffs since President Donald Trump returned to the White House as well as questions about the U.S. commitment to defend its European allies, including Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The treaty includes a clause on mutual assistance which, "in light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, is highly significant", a German official said earlier this week. It builds on a defence deal agreed last year that included the joint development of long-range strike weapons, and comes after France and Britain agreed last week to reinforce cooperation over their respective nuclear arsenals. Deeper defence As part of Thursday's announcement, Britain and Germany pledged to "pursue joint export campaigns" to drum up orders from other countries for equipment they make jointly, such as the Typhoon Eurofighter jet and the Boxer armoured vehicle. That could help boost sales, and represents a significant reversal from the previous 10 years, when Germany blocked Saudi Arabia and Turkey from buying Typhoons. Typhoons are made by a consortium of European companies, including BAE Systems in Britain and Airbus in Germany, with the different partner governments responsible for orders to different countries; the Boxer is made by a German-British joint venture, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land. Further deepening ties, a German defence tech company, Stark, has also agreed to build a new factory in Britain, the first production facility outside of Germany, to create AI-powered unmanned systems. Beyond defence, the treaty also includes an agreement to develop a new direct rail link between the two countries and to jointly combat irregular migration, part of Starmer's push to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving in Britain to try to fend off the populist Reform U.K. party. Germany pledged to outlaw the facilitation of illegal migration to Britain, with a law change by the end of the year. That would give law enforcement the tools to investigate warehouses and storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal dangerous small boats intended for illegal crossings to Britain.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
UK signs treaty on defence, trade and migration with Germany
London, Jul 17 (AP) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signed a landmark treaty on Thursday that pledges to tighten defence ties and boost law-enforcement cooperation against criminal people-smuggling gangs using the English Channel. 'This is a historic day for German-British relations," said Merz, making his first official visit to Britain since taking office in May. 'We want to work together more closely, particularly after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. It is overdue for us to conclude such a treaty with each other." Starmer said the agreement — signed at London's V&A Museum, which is named after Queen Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert — was a 'statement of intent, a statement of our ambition to work ever more closely together." Starmer has made it a priority of his centre-left Labour Party to curb the gangs behind cross-Channel people smuggling. About 37,000 people were detected crossing the English Channel from France in small boats in 2024, and more than 20,000 people made the crossing in the first six months of 2025. Dozens have died trying to make the crossing. Berlin agreed last year to make facilitating the smuggling of migrants to the UK a criminal offence, a move that will give law enforcement more powers to investigate the supply and storage of small boats to be used for the crossings. Merz is expected to commit to adopting the law change by the end of the year. '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," Starmer said. The treaty builds on a defence pact the UK and Germany, two of the biggest European supporters of Ukraine, signed last year pledging closer co-operation against a growing threat from Russia. It includes a promise to come to one another's aid in the event of an attack — though as NATO members, they are already committed to that. The leaders' talks over lunch at 10 Downing St. included ways to boost European support for Ukraine, following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a plan to bolster Kyiv's stockpile by selling American weapons to NATO allies who would in turn send arms to Kyiv. They announced that German defense startup Stark, which makes drones for Ukraine, will open a factory in England. They are also expected to agree to jointly produce defense exports such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, and to develop a deep precision strike missile in the next decade. Starmer has worked to improve relations with Britain's neighbours, strained by the UK's acrimonious departure from the European Union in 2020. He has sought to rebuild ties strained by years of ill-tempered wrangling over Brexit terms, an worked to reduce trade barriers and to strengthen defense cooperation. But Starmer has ruled out rejoining the 27-nation bloc's single market or customs union, and has been cool to the idea of a youth mobility agreement with the EU. The two countries agreed on a more limited arrangement that will make it easier for schoolchildren to go on exchange trips. 'I am glad we were able to reach an agreement so that schoolchildren and students can come to Britain more easily in the future, and the other way round can come to Germany more easily, so that the young generation in particular has an opportunity to get to know both countries better," Merz said. (AP) GSP view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 19:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Int'l Business Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
UK, Germany Vow To Tackle People Smuggling Gangs
Britain and Germany signed landmark deals Wednesday to boost defence ties and crackdown on people smuggling gangs on the first official visit to the UK by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Merz had agreed to change German law this year so that small boats used to transport migrants across the English Channel can be seized in Germany. "It's a clear sign that we mean business in every way," the British premier told reporters. Berlin, though, has yet to confirm when the legislation will be introduced. Merz's trip came a week after undocumented migrants topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron. Merz said he would host Macron in Germany next week. Starmer and his German counterpart signed the first ever "friendship treaty" between their countries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, named after Queen Victoria and her German-born husband, before holding talks at the PM's Downing Street office. Merz said London and Berlin had agreed an exchange programme, in which German and British school children would not need visas to take part. Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the "young generation" to get to know each other and their respective countries was a "good basis for the further development of our relations". Downing Street said the two leaders would also agree to jointly boost exports of military goods such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to "billions of pounds of additional" orders. They would also commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) in the next decade. Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer's year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars. More than 22,500 would-be asylum seekers have arrived on England's southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone. The prime minister's office said changing the law in Germany would allow police to "take action against warehouses and storage facilities used by migrant smugglers" to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. Starmer and Merz also discussed continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit was Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times. They made the same trip by train to Ukraine just days after Merz took office in early May. The wide-ranging agreement also known as the "Kensington Treaty" refers to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and includes a mutual defence pact. "There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other," the pact says, with a pledge the two countries "shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack". While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defence as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defence cooperation, including operations on NATO's eastern flank. Macron's trip to Britain in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since the UK's acrimonious departure from the EU in 2020 following the 2016 referendum. Merz said that while he personally "deplore(d)" Britain's decision to leave the bloc, the UK, France and Germany were "converging" in policy matters including migration and security. Britain and Germany also agreed that some UK passport holders would be able to use faster German eGates and they committed to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s -- the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany. Downing Street said the two leaders had agreed to boost exports of military goods AFP
Arab News
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Britain seeks German help against people smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit
LONDON: Britain sought a firm commitment Thursday from Germany to change its law to help smash people smuggling gangs, as the two countries agreed to boost defense ties on the first official UK visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The trip comes a week after undocumented migrants also topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz signed the first ever 'friendship treaty' between their countries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum before heading for talks at the PM's Downing Street office. Merz said London and Berlin had agreed an exchange program for German and British students. Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the 'young generation' to get to know each other and their respective countries was a 'good basis for the further development of our relations.' The two leaders were also expected to unveil a deal to jointly produce military goods such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to 'billions of pounds of additional defense exports,' Downing Street said. They were to commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) in the next decade. '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,' Starmer said ahead of the talks. His office said it was hoped the German legal changes could be made 'this year.' Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer's year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars. More than 22,500 would-be asylum seekers have arrived on England's southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone. The 'friendship treaty' also seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbors. Macron's trip in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since Brexit — the UK's acrimonious 2020 departure from the bloc. A German government source said 'we shouldn't underestimate' how much relations with the UK had improved since the 'traumatic' experience of Brexit. The friendship deal would be a 'foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems,' Starmer said. The two leaders were also to discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip by train to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. The wide-ranging treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and include a mutual defense pact. 'There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other,' pact says, with a pledge the two countries 'shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack.' While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defense as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defense cooperation, including operations on NATO's eastern flank. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accompanied Merz, meeting with his British counterpart, David Lammy. On migration, Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalize the facilitation of 'illegal migration.' This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. The two countries will also commit to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s — the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.
