Berlin and London to cooperate on rare earths
Despite Brexit, the UK sees itself as a steadfast partner of the EU. Another strategic agreement has now been reached with Germany.
Berlin (dpa) - Germany and the United Kingdom plan to work together to secure the supply of rare earths and build reserves. German Economics Minister Katherina Reiche and her UK counterpart Peter Kyle intend to sign a strategic agreement to this end at the Germany-UK Business-Government Forum in Berlin. It contains concrete pledges with respect to exploration and lays down steps to secure supplies for both countries.
“In times of growing geopolitical tensions, we are strengthening our cooperation in targeted ways – in the areas of economic security, critical raw materials and the development of resilient supply chains,” said Reiche. “Rare earths underpin much of the economic security that we need,” added Kyle.
The Germany-UK Business-Government Forum is building on the Kensington Treaty signed by both states in July 2025, which established a framework for deepening cooperation on defence, security, the economy, health and culture. The two countries also want to cooperate more closely on artificial intelligence. The UK is for example joining the EU AI Champions Initiative, which brings together major corporations and tech start-ups.
Rare earths are to be found in devices such as smartphones, laptops and televisions. They are also needed for electric car batteries, AI and modern weapons systems.
