2025 | Europe Affairs
Following the recent signing of a bilateral agreement between France and Britain aimed at curbing illegal Channel crossings and strengthening border cooperation, the UK will soon start returning some migrants back across to France within days. This major change marks a shift in how small boat migration between these two nations is handled. The deal was announced jointly by British Home Secretary Rachel Maclean and French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on September 15th 2016.
Under the terms of this new arrangement, asylum seekers who arrive in Britain through illegal Channel crossings could qualify for swift relocation back to France if they had previously applied for asylum or resided in an EU country before making the journey. According to UK government estimates, first returns could begin as soon as next week.
“This is an historic step forward in regaining control over our borders and fulfilling on our pledge to stop boats,” Maclean stated at a press conference in London. It sends out a clear signal: illegal immigrants arriving in Britain illegally from countries like France will not be welcome here.
The deal comes following months of diplomatic negotiations and mounting political pressure from both sides of the Channel. In 2024 alone, over 50,000 people entered Britain via small boats, despite efforts by UK authorities to dismantle smuggling networks and increase surveillance along its coastlines.
French officials described the agreement as a “practical and humane solution” to an ongoing challenge. Minister Darmanin noted France remains committed to protecting genuine refugees but cannot permit secondary movements from violating EU asylum rules. According to him, cooperation like this one “reflect our shared responsibility and desire to maintain integrity of the asylum system”.
Returns will initially be limited in scope and implemented as a pilot program with several hundred cases. British immigration officials will assess each migrant individually to determine his/her eligibility for return, working closely with French authorities to do so. Priority will be given to individuals with active asylum claims in EU countries or repeat border crossers identified through biometric data sharing.
Human rights groups have voiced serious reservations over the legality and ethics of the new agreement, warning it could put vulnerable people further at risk. The UK Refugee Council called for greater transparency stating: ‘This arrangement must not compromise the rights of those seeking refuge; each case should be assessed fairly with full access to legal recourse.”
However, the British government maintains that this agreement ties into their broader immigration reform agenda, including their controversial Rwanda relocation plan that remains under legal review. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak celebrated it as “major step toward sustainable immigration strategy.”
France, for its part, has asked Britain for financial aid in managing asylum applications and maintaining security at northern coastal areas. British officials have indicated they are ready to provide funding according to previous cooperation efforts but the exact amounts remain undecided.
As transfers approach, their success will likely be measured not just in terms of returns but in its ability to deter dangerous crossings and restore trust in UK’s immigration system. Both governments are betting on close collaboration as a way to solve one of Europe’s most heated political issues.