On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and in accordance with the announcement by the German and Australian Foreign Ministers in Berlin on 25 January 2012, Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany declare their desire to pursue a "Strategic Partnership" aimed at strengthening and deepening Australian-German bilateral cooperation and their multilateral partnerships.

Australia and Germany are committed to an active foreign policy, which reflects their shared values and many common interests, and intend to strengthen cooperation in the priority areas defined in, but not limited by, the Berlin-Canberra Declaration.

Australia and Germany will realise jointly approved projects and identify further projects, particularly in the areas of (I.) strategic policy dialogue, security and defence cooperation, (II.) economic relations, trade and investment, (III.) energy and resources, climate change and clean technology, (IV.) international development cooperation, (V.) education, vocational training, science, innovation and research, (VI.) culture, media and people-to-people links, and (VII.) social and labour policy.

I. Strategic policy dialogue, security and defence cooperation

1. Australia and Germany see great value in enhancing strategic dialogue on global political, security and defence issues. They will continue to intensify bilateral contact at senior political levels. Foreign ministers will aim to meet at least annually in respective capitals or in the margins of international meetings. Australia and Germany will seek to strengthen government-to-government institutional linkages and encourage regular consultations between senior officials from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the German Federal Foreign Office, other government agencies and senior office holders.

2. In order to give strategic direction to and coordinate action in the Berlin-Canberra Declaration, Australia and Germany will establish a "Strategic Steering Committee (SSC)" under the joint chairmanship of high ranking senior officials of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the German Federal Foreign Office. The SSC will aim to meet at least annually. Representatives and experts from other government agencies may be involved in the work of the SSC as required.

3. The German Federal Foreign Office and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in consultation with other government agencies, will determine specific bilateral and multilateral partnership activities, which will be outlined in an "Annex" (hereafter the Annex) attached to the Berlin-Canberra Declaration. The Annex will be reviewed annually by the SSC, without prejudice to existing dialogues and established instruments of line-ministries on either side.

4. Australia and Germany underline the importance of close bilateral cooperation and dialogue on key regional issues, including in the Asia-Pacific region, Middle East, North Africa, Europe and its neighbourhood, and will pay particular attention to these regions in their strategic dialogues.

5. As long-standing and active members of the United Nations with strong credentials in peacekeeping and other forms of multilateral engagement, Australia and Germany will continue to work together to advance the objectives of the United Nations and reform the United Nations system. They will strengthen their coordination and cooperation on UN and global issues in capitals and in key UN forums.

6. Australia and Germany will continue to support partnership between NATO and Australia, based on shared values as well as on similar objectives and strategies of NATO's 2010 Strategic Concept and Australia's current Defence White Paper.

7. In furtherance of their long and distinguished record of promoting global arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, Australia and Germany will strengthen their efforts to combat the threat of nuclear proliferation, through established global forums, as well as initiatives such as the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI). Both countries will continue to actively advocate the universal adoption and implementation of major disarmament and non-proliferation treaties, including those prohibiting weapons of mass destruction and inhumane conventional weapons. Both countries will continue to promote arms control and confidence-building measures, humanitarian arms control and initiatives to combat illicit small arms/light weapons activities.

8. Australia and Germany remain committed to supporting a secure and stable Afghanistan at the centre of a secure and thriving region; an Afghanistan in which international terrorism does not again find sanctuary and that can assume its rightful place among sovereign nations. In that spirit, both countries will continue to work together and with the Afghan government in a partnership based on firm mutual commitments to support effective and sustainable Afghan National Security Forces, and to reinforce and coordinate their efforts in Afghanistan during the Transformation Decade from 2015 to 2024.

9. Australia and Germany will work to deepen their defence dialogue and cooperation through maintaining a program of regular consultations and visits at the political, civilian and military levels.

10. Australia and Germany will continue to support international counter-terrorism efforts, including through the relevant UN bodies and agencies as well as the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF), and will encourage exchange of further information on their threat assessments and counter-terrorism activities. Australia and Germany will continue to work together in joint cooperative activities in South-East Asia and South Asia.

11. Australia and Germany underline the importance of the Internet's security, its freedom and its potential for development, and share the view that there should be an appropriate balance between cyber security and access to information, freedom of expression and the protection of privacy. With a view to developing norms of state behaviour and confidence and security building measures for cyberspace, they will work closely together in international forums, particularly in the UN Group of Governmental Experts.

12. Australia and Germany will continue to encourage bilateral parliamentary exchanges and links between non-government political foundations and foreign and security policy think tanks and institutions.

13. Australia and Germany will work towards a successful conclusion of an Australia-EU Framework Agreement to give further impetus to the broad-ranging cooperation between Australia and the EU on global challenges.

14. Recognising the commitment of both countries to ensuring the integrity of their borders and well-managed migration and visa programs, both countries intend to share information with each other in respect of operations and persons that are (or where there are reasonable grounds to believe could be) in violation of the respective immigration laws of either country. Whether information can be released will be subject to the respective laws and international obligations of the country which has received the request.

II. Economic relations, trade, investment

15. Australia and Germany share open and liberal economies, which are closely linked to the global economy. Australia and Germany acknowledge the role of trade in increasing national prosperity, and the importance of trade liberalisation of all sectors. Both countries will continue to promote a rules-based international trading system, which provides the foundation for a healthy and growing global economy. They are committed to deepening bilateral trade and investment linkages and creating the best possible environment for business to flourish.

16. Australia and Germany will enhance their cooperation and consultation within the G20, as the world's pre-eminent forum for global economic cooperation and decision-making. Both countries see great value in working through the G20 to advance issues of fundamental importance, including the health of the global economy, financial regulation, promoting the positive links between economic growth, trade, jobs and development; and resisting trade and investment protectionism.

17. Both countries support strongly the World Trade Organisation's role in promoting trade liberalisation and anti-protectionism.

18. Both countries will look to hold more regular economic, trade and investment consultations at the senior officials-level.

III. Energy and resources, climate change and clean technology

19. Both Australia and Germany play an active role in international climate change negotiations, particularly through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Cartagena Dialogue towards a global agreement containing binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They share the view that the mandate to negotiate a new international climate change agreement decided in Durban in 2011 has given these efforts renewed momentum, purpose and direction.

20. Both countries have committed to significant emission reductions at the national level, including through carbon pricing, and share the vision of a transformation towards a low carbon future that goes hand in hand with building an environmentally sustainable, innovative and highly competitive economy, in an international environment marked by cooperation, transparency and open markets.

21. In the field of climate, energy and resources policy, Australia and Germany will continue to facilitate connections between German business and Australian business, particularly in low-carbon technology and carbon markets, raw materials and energy sectors, as well as between research and other institutions involved in clean technology development and raw materials recycling and substitution, as set out in their "Joint Declaration on Energy and Resources Cooperation" signed in Canberra on 1 June 2011.

22. Australia and Germany will work cooperatively to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation activities in their regions and exchange information on their respective strategies and plans to adapt to climate change, taking into account activities in different sectors.

IV. International development cooperation

23. The Australian-German development partnership is underpinned by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Berlin on 9 February 2007 between the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Australia and Germany reaffirm their commitment to strengthen their development partnership, including through regular engagement at ministerial, senior official and working levels and annual reviews by AusAID and BMZ of their "Progressive Workplan" on development cooperation. Australia and Germany will continue to work towards maximising the advantages of donor cooperation and influencing the international donor community's approach to shared development priorities.

24. Australia and Germany will continue to build on their strong program of collaboration and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

V. Education, science, research and innovation

25. Both countries commend and remain firmly committed to cooperation within the framework of the "Schools: Partners for the Future", PASCH initiative, which promotes, inter alia, study of the German language in Australia. Australia and Germany both recognise the German International School Sydney and the German School Melbourne, as important places of educational and cultural encounter between Australians, Germans and students of other nationalities.

26. Both countries will continue to encourage the study of each others' language and literature, including through exchange programs with the Educational Exchange Service (Pädagogischer Austauschdienst of the Kultusministerkonferenz, PAD), the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) and the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation (AvH).

27. Australia and Germany will continue to promote the objectives of the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, done at Canberra on 24 August 1976, including by enhancing collaboration and linkages for innovation between business, science and research, particularly in marine sciences, manufacturing, climate change and renewable energies.

28. Australia and Germany acknowledge the importance of the link between business and science and wish to further strengthen those connections.

29. Australia and Germany will continue to encourage collaboration on renewable energy research and technology, taking into account existing bilateral MOUs.

30. Australia and Germany will continue to exchange ideas and promote best practice with respect to each other's national science, innovation and research strategies and university systems.


31. Australia and Germany will work to increase the visibility of their bilateral scientific excellence and cooperation, including through embassy-hosted "Science Circles".

VI. Culture, media and people-to-people links

32. Australia and Germany will continue to promote the unique cultural heritage and artistic excellence of each other, within the framework of the Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of Australia on Cultural Cooperation, done at Dresden on 7 November 1977. Both countries will encourage collaboration and exchange between their respective cultural institutions.

33. Both countries welcome initiatives which support greater engagement under the German-Australian Films Co-production Agreement, done at Canberra on 17 January 2001 ("Films Co-production Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany").

34. Australia and Germany strongly support work of their respective cultural institutes and programs, including the Goethe Institutes in Australia and Australian Studies programs at German universities. Both countries will engage as necessary on issues related to the operations of these institutes.

35. Both countries will continue to promote contact and dialogue between representatives of the German and Australian media, including through DFAT's International Media Visitors (IMV) program and German government initiatives.

36. Australia and Germany will consider ways to further encourage the use of work and holiday and student visa programs by young people via awareness raising through their respective websites and other means.

37. Australia and Germany will continue to collaborate on the repatriation of Australian Indigenous human remains held by institutions in Germany.

VII. Social and labour policy

38. Australia and Germany face many similar social, demographic and economic challenges. The German and Australian governments will, as appropriate, look to share their experiences and best practice in social and labour policy.

Signed at Berlin on 28 January 2013 in duplicate, each copy in the English and German languages.