An ambitious trade deal with Germany will not necessarily lead to closer ties with Europe

(Alamy)

4 min read6 hours

The ambitious bilateral treaty being negotiated by the two governments could serve as a litmus test for the future as attention shifts to reshaping the relationship between the UK and the European Union.

Having studied in Hannover for a year and having half my family living in Bavaria, Germany is a country I know well. So it was a pleasure to join a cross-party delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to Berlin in September and speak to German MPs from all major parties in the Bundestag.

During my visit, there was a clear desire from all parties to move on from Brexit, which has dominated the past decade, and instead find practical solutions to work more closely with the UK.

On security and defence, there was unanimous support for Ukraine and for closer cooperation with our European allies to ensure that Putin’s unlawful invasion does not succeed.

France and the United Kingdom formalized their defense relationship in 2010 with the Lancaster House Agreement. Our German colleagues will use this agreement as a source of inspiration.
On the German side, there is a clear ambition for better access to British universities, closer cooperation on tackling the climate crisis and securing energy supplies, and more cross-border work in the fight against illegal migration.

This speaks to the Labour government’s desire to grow the economy and destroy the criminal gangs that smuggle people across the Channel. But unlike Whitehall, the German government remains a traffic light coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals who are forced to make compromises that appeal to the wider electoral base and present unique challenges.

With the US presidential election approaching in November, there is an eagerness on both sides to negotiate a sustainable, long-term deal as soon as possible. One that speaks to Germany’s manufacturing strengths and recognises Britain’s strengths in services such as technology, finance and education.

Against this backdrop, there are recurring parallels between the two countries. The rise of the Eurosceptic, far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the far-left, populist Bűndnis Sahra Wagenknecht parties in recent state elections in the former East echoes concerns in the UK about the rise of extremist political voices, the spread of disinformation and voter worries about border security.

There is goodwill on both sides and a genuine desire to share expertise at the government level. Deepening that desire to span cultural, economic, security and even parliamentary relations should come as a next step, taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the treaty.

With that in mind, the Prime Minister would do well to forge closer ties with Germany, but we must remain critical about extending the outcomes of bilateral negotiations to the EU27.

Negotiations between the UK and the EU may focus on potential quick wins for both sides. But a broader reset is needed, one that capitalises on German goodwill, respects the integrity of the single market on the European side, and does not reopen Brexit debates on the British side, but ultimately resolves the issues that the previous government failed to ‘get right’.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s 2022 Zeitenwende speech to the Bundestag, in which he confirmed a commitment to spend two percent of GDP on defense and invest €100 billion in the German armed forces, marked a historic change in German foreign policy. Two years later, Russia’s unlawful, full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to a fundamental reappraisal of Germany’s role in NATO and the EU, as well as with key non-EU members such as the UK.

Negotiations with Germany do not necessarily translate into those with the European Commission. But a successful bilateral agreement between the two countries would signal the opportunities for future alignment on key issues, and generate tangible goodwill with Europe’s largest economy and a key partner in security and defence.

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