Agreement to tackle irregular migration between UK and France takes effect

An agreement between France and the United Kingdom aimed at combating irregular migration has come into effect on Tuesday, according to British authorities. The British authorities are ready to act, and arrests of migrants are expected to begin in the coming days, the UK Home Office said. "We are sending a clear message today," said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Anyone who arrives "illegally" in small boats to the UK will be sent back to France.

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The French Interior Ministry stated on Tuesday that "the agreement has been signed but will come into force tomorrow." The two governments signed the agreement last week. Subsequently, the EU Commission approved the "innovative approach," as the UK Home Office explained on Monday.

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London and Paris agreed last month on a joint agreement, initially valid until June 2026. According to the deal, the UK will send back migrants who arrive in small boats across the English Channel and whose asylum applications are deemed inadmissible, returning them to France. In return, the UK will allow legal entry for one migrant for every person sent back. Priority will be given to people with connections to the UK and migrants from countries most affected by human traffickers.

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Refugee organizations criticized the agreement and called on the UK government to create safer and legal routes for migrants instead. Many migrants want to move from France to the UK because they speak English, there is no ID requirement there, and they can try a second time if their asylum application is rejected. The crossing business is controlled by internationally organized smuggling gangs who sell places in overcrowded inflatable boats for several thousand euros.

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Previous UK funding to France under the 2018 Sandhurst Agreement aimed at reducing crossings has had limited success, largely due to international maritime laws restricting intervention once vessels are at sea unless in distress. Since the beginning of the year, more than 25,000 immigrants have illegally crossed the English Channel to Great Britain, a record high for this period. According to the French Interior Ministry, at least 18 people have died during the crossings this year.

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