Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor Friedrich Merz exchanged ratification documents in Berlin and set further work on technology, hybrid threats and space.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor Friedrich Merz finalised ratification of the Kensington Treaty in Berlin on Thursday by exchanging documents, the UK government and the German federal government said in a joint statement. The treaty was signed in London in July 2025.
The statement also set an industrial technology corridor to link AI and critical-technology firms with industrial demand. A first roundtable of selected company chiefs and officials is planned later this autumn. The initial focus is AI and high-value industrial uses.
The two governments said they will deepen work on hybrid threats, including protection of critical infrastructure, and will work toward a space memorandum of understanding for government consultations in early 2027. Near-term space work includes launch cooperation involving SaxaVord Spaceport.
On quantum technology, financial backing for research is to rise to 19.5 million euros, supporting five further projects and bringing the funded total to 10, the German text of the statement said.
The row is filed under Germany because the ratification exchange took place in Berlin. It is not duplicated under the United Kingdom.
People Sentiments Positive
- The joint statement said the treaty is meant to deliver tangible benefits for British and German citizens.