A “landmark” agreement between the UK and the Czech Republic will see the two countries work closer together on small modular reactors (SMRs) and kickstart what London called “the golden age of nuclear”.

The agreement, signed by UK prime minister Keir Starmer and Czech prime minister Petr Fiala at Downing Street, London, will unlock new opportunities for industrial collaboration and the potential for the UK and the Czech Republic to export SMRs to other countries in Europe, a statement said.

The signing follows UK government backing for new nuclear in its recent spending review, including the selection of Rolls-Royce SMR as preferred bidder to build the UK’s first SMRs and a £14.2bn (16.3bn $19bn) investment to build two new large-scale EPR nuclear units at Sizewell C in Suffolk, southeast England.

Last week, during French president Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the UK, French energy giant EDF confirmed it will take a 12.5% stake in Sizewell C, taking the project one step closer to being given the green light.