UK, France Agree 3-Year Deal to Stop Migrant Crossings, UK Funds up to €766M
The UK and France have signed a three-year deal to curb English Channel migrant crossings. France will deploy 1,400 officers by 2029, while the UK will provide up to €766 million in funding, partly conditional on results. This agreement aims to reduce irregular migration and addresses political pressures in the UK.
Britain and France have agreed to a new three-year deal to stop undocumented migrants from crossing the English Channel, according to a French interior ministry roadmap seen by AFP on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, France will increase coastal law enforcement by over half, reaching 1,400 officers by 2029. The UK will provide up to 766 million euros ($897 million) in funding, with nearly a quarter conditional on the effectiveness of French measures. The core UK contribution of 580 million euros is a 40-million-euro increase from the previous treaty.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and UK counterpart Shabana Mahmood are expected to detail the plan on Thursday. The deal’s renewal comes as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces political pressure to curb immigration. In 2025, 41,472 people reached the UK irregularly in small boats, and at least 29 migrants died at sea in the Channel.