Germany and Britain pledge closer cooperation – EURACTIV.de

Germany and Britain want to get closer again. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and his British colleague Dominic Raab signed a joint declaration of intent on Wednesday (30 June) to strengthen cooperation on foreign and security policy issues.

According to the Foreign Ministry in Berlin, Great Britain promised, among other things, to campaign for a permanent seat for Germany on the United Nations Security Council.

The Foreign Office stated that “the joint declaration of intent underscores the common European and global values ​​and interests on which Germany and the United Kingdom foreign policy is based.” The Declaration cites pluralism, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including gender equality, as examples.

Berlin and London each year want to hold a “strategic dialogue as an opportunity for deeper bilateral exchange” – “also with a view to achieving close cooperation between the EU and the UK”.

Great Britain left the European Union last year after 47 years as part of the European Community of Nations. In addition to the many unanswered questions, for example regarding commercial or police cooperation, cooperation in foreign policy must also be largely reorganized.

According to the German Foreign Ministry, Germany wants to work constructively in Brussels for good relations between the European Union and Great Britain. At the same time, Germany also confirmed that it would maintain “as much transparency as possible towards institutions and EU member states” in bilateral matters with London.