Leaders establish US-UK taskforce on transatlantic travel
A US-UK taskforce has been established to review how “safe and sustainable ” transatlantic travel may resume between the two countries.
The agreement was set out by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden under the new Atlantic Charter, on the eve of the G7 Summit, which was held in Cornwall.
The Charter is modelled on a joint agreement devised by Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, which set out their goals after the Second World War.
In a joint statement released by the two world leaders, Johnson and Biden said that they look forward to “normalizing two-way travel ” between the two countries, and the taskforce will share “expertise and provide recommendations to leaders on the return of safe and sustainable international travel ”.
Currently, the US is listed as an 'amber ' destination by the British Foreign Office, whereby travelers arriving from the country must self-isolate for 10 days on their arrival into the UK.
A presidential decree imposed last year mandated that non-US citizens who have travelled or been in the UK in the last 14 days are not permitted to enter the country.
As well as establishing a new travel taskforce, the Charter also committed the countries to working together on defending democracy, furthering bilateral defense and security, strengthening its economic and trading ties, rallying all countries to bolster climate ambitions and reaffirming their commitment to Northern Ireland.
Under the framework of the revitalised Charter, the UK and US have agreed to develop a landmark science and technology partnership.
The partnership will explore a number of areas for cooperation including research, innovation and commercialisation, defence, security, law enforcement and intelligence; and making sure technology is used as a force for good around the world.
Officials from both countries will work to develop the partnership over the course of the next year.
Digital Secretary, Oliver Dowden said: “In the 80 years since the Atlantic Charter was signed, technology has changed the world beyond recognition.
“But the goals that underpin it still bind the US and UK together today - support for democracy, open societies and free markets.
“This announcement marks a new era of cooperation with our closest ally, in which we commit to using technology to create prosperity and guarantee the safety and security of our citizens for years to come. ”
Presidential Science Adviser and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Eric Lander, said: “There are few relationships as consequential as the transatlantic partnership between the United States and United Kingdom in science and technology.
“We share a belief in the power of science and technology to improve health, prosperity and security, and a commitment to the importance of investigator-driven research, freedom of inquiry, and equitable participation in the S&T enterprise.
“Together, we will seek to set a positive example of how countries can work together to solve the critical and transnational challenges of the 21st century, including pandemic preparedness, climate change, and cancer. ”