International accord enacted in London and Paris, focusing on curbing unauthorized immigration takes effect
The UK and France have implemented a new agreement to address irregular migration, with a focus on creating a 'one-in, one-out' pilot scheme to manage the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel illegally.
According to the agreement, any adult migrant arriving in the UK on a small boat and crossing the Channel illegally can be detained immediately and returned to France. In exchange, France will refer an equal number of asylum seekers to the UK via a new legal and safe route, subject to security, eligibility, and suitability checks.
Key aspects of the treaty include the return of migrants and the creation of a controlled legal route for asylum seekers. The UK can detain and return migrants arriving illegally by small boat to France, aiming to deter dangerous sea crossings and criminal smuggling networks. Concurrently, an equal number of asylum seekers will be admitted to the UK from France through this controlled legal route, excluding individuals posing security risks, previously removed persons, and unaccompanied minors.
The agreement between the UK and France will initially run until June 2026. It is noteworthy that the UK has been making payments to France since the 2018 Sandhurst agreement to reduce the number of crossings, but with little success.
Refugee organizations have criticized the UK-France agreement and urged the UK government to establish safer and legal migration routes. The European Commission has cleared the way for this innovative approach, acknowledging its potential to address the issue of irregular migration.
The French Interior Ministry has stated that the agreement will come into effect tomorrow, and the UK is prepared to start deploying and making arrests of migrants in the coming days. However, it is important to note that once a boat is on the water, security forces can only intervene if it is in distress under international maritime law.
This agreement aims to reduce the volume of dangerous crossings in the Channel, manage migration flows more transparently and safely, and disrupt criminal smuggling operations. Its effectiveness depends on operational cooperation and whether France, the UK, and other EU partners sustain and expand on the approach.
The community policy and employment policy within the UK government are likely to be influenced by the new agreement with France, as it focuses on addressing irregular migration and implementing a 'one-in, one-out' scheme. This agreement also falls under the general-news and crime-and-justice categories in politics, as it involves the return of migrants and the creation of a controlled legal route for asylum seekers.
