Treaty of Friendship between Anglo and Germany officially sealed - Sealed Pact of Alliance Between Germany and Britain
The recently signed Germany-UK Friendship Treaty, on July 17, 2025, marks a significant step in deepening bilateral cooperation on various fronts, including defence, migration, economy, and civil society, establishing a new foundation for cooperation for decades to come.
### Key Details and Implications
#### 1. New Rail Link While the treaty does not provide explicit details about a new rail link between Germany and the UK, the Implementation Plan mentions 17 priority projects covering broad cooperation areas. The rail link, if realised, is expected to enhance direct connectivity, economic ties, and facilitate easier movement of goods and people, aligning with the treaty's broader goals.
#### 2. Visa-Free Travel Although the treaty does not explicitly mention visa-free travel arrangements, bilateral friendship treaties with strong cooperation on migration and civil society often seek to ease travel restrictions for citizens. The treaty emphasises closer coordination on migration policy and criminalising the facilitation of illegal migration, suggesting improved legal and regulated movement could be encouraged alongside strict controls against smuggling.
#### 3. Defense Cooperation Defense is a major pillar of the treaty. The Trinity House Defence Agreement under the treaty commits the UK and Germany to a much deeper and longer-term defense partnership aimed at addressing threats and strengthening NATO. Key defense cooperation elements include:
- The development of a new Deep Precision Strike capability to enhance conventional deterrence in Europe. - Joint investments in defence technologies to mutually benefit both countries. - Boosting joint defence exports and cracking down on illicit activities that threaten security, like smuggling networks facilitating illegal migration.
The treaty reflects a strategic alignment in defence and security, with regular reviews every two years by a Joint Cabinet to oversee progress.
### Additional Implications - The treaty also involves close coordination on recovering and reconstructing Ukraine, reinforcing joint humanitarian, development, and peace initiatives. - Germany commits to criminalising the facilitation of illegal migration to the UK, providing law enforcement new tools to combat migrant smuggling facilitators and dismantle the criminal networks behind dangerous crossings. - Economic cooperation includes significant investments and joint projects creating high-skilled jobs, reflecting a broader partnership beyond politics into technology and industry.
### Summary The Germany-UK Friendship Treaty substantially strengthens bilateral relations with a focus on deepening defence cooperation, tackling illegal migration, supporting Ukraine, and promoting economic collaboration. While explicit details about the new rail link and visa-free travel are not highlighted in the immediate announcement, the treaty's comprehensive scope naturally lays a groundwork for enhanced connectivity and mobility initiatives in the near future.
- The treaty was signed five years after Brexit. - The treaty was signed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. - The fight against human trafficking will be strengthened through mutual legal assistance and support in pursuing criminals. - The treaty does not specify the exact details of the economic policy cooperation. - The treaty aims to deepen cooperation in defence, economic policy, irregular migration control, and cross-border crime fighting. - The treaty is accompanied by a 17-point action plan. - Within a decade, a European weapon system involving both countries will be developed to hit targets up to 2,000 kilometers away, including in Russia. - Visa-free travel for school groups will be implemented by the end of the year.
The treaty's 17-point action plan may also guide future discussions on the proposed vocational training programs under economic cooperation, which could benefit communities on both sides. As the treaty aims to deepen cooperation in policy-and-legislation like irregular migration control, it is crucial to address the issue of politics involving Germany and the UK in the realm of general-news, such as the criminalization of the facilitation of illegal migration.
