London and Berlin sign the Kensington Treaty: cooperation against human trafficking

The post-Brexit bilateral Friendship Treaty signed today in London between the United Kingdom and Germany by Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz also includes a chapter dedicated to strengthening the fight against illegal immigration . It is the first formal treaty since the post-war period , nicknamed the Kensington Agreement because it was signed at the Victoria and Albert Museum before the Downing Street meeting. Among other things, the pact established a framework for enhanced cooperation between the two countries, especially on the issue of human trafficking.

The text includes a commitment to intensify investigative cooperation to "discourage" the flow of illegal immigrants and accelerate repatriation efforts. The German Chancellor also promised, in the margins of the document, to introduce a legislative reform by the end of 2025 that would criminalize any form of aiding and abetting illegal immigration to the United Kingdom via the English Channel. This is something that has not been provided for in German law following Brexit, and which, according to London, has recently led some smuggling organizations to hide boats in Germany, which are then used to tranship migrants from French to English coasts.

Furthermore, in the Kensington Treaty, Article 9 of Germany and the United Kingdom commit to join forces to counter all forms of threats , whether state or non-state, paying particular attention to the protection of critical infrastructure . Berlin and London will provide political, legal, operational, diplomatic, and technological tools, ensuring that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have adequate resources and capabilities. This cooperation will take place both bilaterally and through international organizations, with Interpol , Europol , and Eurojust playing a leading role in strengthening the joint response to organized crime, terrorism, and hybrid threats, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.

On the customs front, the Treaty highlights the shared interest in preventing and combating transnational crime, with a particular focus on money laundering , terrorist financing , and drug trafficking networks. To ensure constant monitoring, an annual "High-Level Internal Conference" has been introduced, which will bring together experts and senior figures from the German and UK Interior Ministries to assess policies and actions on organized crime, border security, and migrant smuggling.