After Brexit: E3. New treaty puts UK, Germany and France back at the heart of European security<\/p>\n
EXPERT COMMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n Friedrich Merz\u2019s visit to the UK only a week after that of Emmanuel Macron symbolizes a return of the E3 format \u2013 France, Germany and the UK \u2013 as the driving force of European security.<\/strong><\/p>\n German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was in London this week where he met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and signed a landmark UK\u2013Germany friendship treaty. His visit follows that of French President Emmanuel Macron last week. These back-to-back visits symbolize and reinforce a return of the E3 group \u2013 France, Germany and the UK \u2013 as the driving force of European security. Despite Brexit, this configuration has the potential to tie the complex European security architecture together.<\/p>\n Revitalizing the bilateral relationship<\/p>\n The\u00a0UK\u2013Germany Kensington\u00a0Treaty<\/a>\u00a0is first and foremost is a significant upgrade to the bilateral relationship. Before Brexit, Germany largely structured its relationship with the UK primarily via the EU, with the exception of its foreign and security policies. After Brexit, Berlin firmly prioritized the cohesion of the EU single market and the UK\u2013Germany relationship consequently suffered in terms of overall trade, wider economic links, personal contacts and government-to-government ties. The UK dropped from Germany\u2019s\u00a0third most important trading\u00a0partner<\/a>\u00a0in 2016 to\u00a0ninth in 2024\u00a0<\/a>\u2013 even school exchanges from Germany to the UK have fallen by\u00a0more than 80 per\u00a0cent<\/a>\u00a0since Brexit.\u00a0<\/p>\n Attempts to counter this decline and revitalize the relationship began under the previous German government. Thanks to the close links between the German SPD and the UK Labour Party, Starmer and then German chancellor Olaf Scholz\u00a0tasked their foreign\u00a0ministries<\/a>\u00a0with negotiating a broader friendship treaty in August 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although the finalization of these negotiations was suspended due to the collapse of the Scholz-led government in November 2024, it was clear from the outset that the new German government, in which the SPD continued as a junior partner, wanted to finalize the treaty quickly. In addition, since becoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz has emphasized the UK\u2019s role as a security partner with whom he wants Germany and the EU to stand\u00a0\u2018shoulder to\u00a0shoulder\u2019<\/a>, in particular on Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine, and transatlantic relations.<\/p>\n