On 17 April 2023, the inaugural session of the reactivated UK-Germany Cultural Commission met at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. The UK-Germany Cultural Commission was set up in 1958 to agree priorities for bilateral cultural Cooperation. It last met in 1993. The decision to reinstate the Cultural Commission in 2023 was announced by Foreign Secretary Cleverly and Foreign Minister Baerbock at the UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue in January 2023.

The inaugural meeting of the reinstated UK-Germany Cultural Commission, co-chaired by State Minister Katja Keul and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Leo Docherty, was a concrete step towards our shared goal of helping our bilateral cooperation flourish through closer people-to-people ties. The goal was to set out the intended scope of the annual Cultural Commission in its newly reinstated form, and to discuss priority areas for cultural collaboration over the next 12 months.

At the meeting of the Cultural Commission, State Minister Keul and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Docherty signed the following Joint Statement:

UK-Germany Cultural Commission Joint Statement

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany are close and like-minded partners committed to enhancing our bilateral Cooperation in full respect of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We consider mutual understanding between our civil societies as a foundation for this, formed and nourished by developing people-to-people initiatives, encourage mobility, culture, and exchanges, within the relationship between the EU and the UK.

The UK-Germany Cultural Commission was set up in 1958 to agree priorities for bilateral cultural cooperation. It last met in 1993. The decision to reinstate the Cultural Commission in 2023 was announced by Foreign Secretary Cleverly and Foreign Minister Baerbock at the UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue in January 2023.

Today’s inaugural meeting of the reinstated UK-Germany Cultural Commission, cochaired by State Minister Katja Keul and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Leo Docherty, was a concrete step towards our shared goal of helping our bilateral cooperation flourish through closer people-to-people ties. The goal was to set out the intended scope of the annual Cultural Commission in its newly reinstated form, and to discuss priority areas for cultural collaboration over the next 12 months.

Participating in the inaugural meeting were officials from the organisations listed below. The participants discussed:

Role and formal of the reinstated UK-Germany Cultural Commission

The 1958 Cultural Commission States the goal of bringing our societies closer together, and to provide a platform for discussing priorities for UK-Germany cultural Cooperation. The format is an in-person annual meeting co-chaired by UK and German ministers, for key stakeholders to come together for expert discussions. A 6-month stocktake at official level will be conducted between meetings to support implementation of agreed initiatives.

Initiatives Discussed

I. Mobility

We shared information on mobility and status-related challenges after the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, including, but not limited to students, academics, scientists, school children, vocational students and trainees, youth exchange and au-pairs. We recognized the importance of cultural mediators, political foundations, civil-society charities, staff/trainees seconded from institutions of vocational training (e.g. schools, companies), and volunteers (e.g. with church-affiliated organisations). We acknowledged the importance of adequate framework conditions in ensuring their continued contribution to UK-German cultural cooperation.

We also discussed the importance of mobility for young people from Germany and the UK, and the need to expand cooperation. For example, policy exchanges on school education, virtual partnerships between British and German schools, facilitation of school trips and exchanges, including in the field of vocational education, and opportunities for language learning.

UK-German Connection (UKGC) is a key bilateral initiative facilitating bilateral youth and school exchanges. The group received an update on progress following signing of the UKGC Arrangement in December 2022 that spearheads the organisation opening a second presence in Bonn, in addition to the existing office in London. We discussed the importance of improving school travel between our countries.

II. Education and German language in UK

We discussed ways to boost the number of German learners and speakers in the UK and vice versa. UK and German Departments for Education, with input from the Goethe Institute, British Council and the British-German Association will work towards the establishment of a joint annual Language-Champion-Prize for UK schools offering German as a foreign language and German schools offering English and which will include a component of a bilateral exchange.

III. Opportunities for culture & creative partnerships

We explored bolstering bilateral networks to foster creative and cultural partnership, similar to the existing „Cultural Bridge project“ involving the „Fonds Soziokultur“, Goethe-Institute, British Council and other cultural institutions, or the regular exchange between the German Filmförderanstalt and British Film Institute.

IV. Regional and local cooperation and partnership

We considered existing partnerships and collaboration between German Bundesländer and British devolved governments or combined authorities. These have the potential to enable both a rich policy dialogue but facilitate people-to-people and cultural connections. We discussed ideas for expanding or deepening these links between British and German regional authorities.

We encourage and support the dialogue between German and UK local authorities, including through partnerships, twinning and through meetings between representatives of the “umbrella” associations of local authorities. We recognise the pivotal role played by civil society (in particular, by voluntary town twinning associations) in fostering people-to-people links between Germany and the UK at local level.

We outlined options for deepening and encouraging inter-parliamentary exchanges.

V. Cooperation in the field of science/universities/research

We discussed reinforcing networks and dialogue formats of relevant stakeholders to increase incentives for university and research cooperation. Our priority is a close cooperation in the fields of Science, Research, Technology and Innovation within a European context.

VI. Skills dialogue

We exchanged views on the challenges in the field of vocational training and explored possibilities for further exchanges in the future in the field of education and training.

Forward Look

Today’s meeting has restored the Cultural Commission according to the previous principles and purpose, with revised emphases and constitution. The Ministers agreed to hold the next annual meeting of the Cultural Commission in London in 2024. UK and German governments and partner organisations will take forward their respective lines of work over the coming year.

List of organisations attending:

German side:

• Federal Foreign Office

• Federal Ministry of the Interior

• Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

• Federal Ministry of Education and Research

• Standing conference of ministers of education

• Minister of State for Culture and the Media

• German Academic Exchange Service

• Goethe Institute

• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

• Association of German Cities

British side:

• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

• Home Office

• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

• Department for Education

• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

• British Council

• Local German Association

• Devolved Governments

• The British-German Association