UK and France Strike New Deal to Curb Channel Migrant Crossings

The United Kingdom and France have signed a three-year deal to reduce migrant crossings in the English Channel. France will increase coastal patrols, while the UK will provide up to €766 million in funding, partly tied to results. The agreement comes as crossings reached record levels in 2025, though both countries say joint efforts have already reduced attempts and improved enforcement.

The United Kingdom and France have reached a new three-year agreement aimed at reducing undocumented migrant crossings across the English Channel, reinforcing cooperation between the two countries on migration control.
Under the terms of the deal, France will significantly increase coastal patrols, boosting the number of officers by more than 50 percent to reach 1,400 personnel by 2029. In return, the United Kingdom has committed to providing up to €766 million (approximately $897 million) in funding to support these enhanced enforcement efforts. Notably, nearly a quarter of this funding will be conditional, meaning it will only be released if the measures demonstrate tangible success in curbing crossings.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed in France by UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. It represents a renewal and expansion of the Sandhurst Treaty, as the UK continues to push France to intensify its efforts in preventing what it describes as dangerous and illegal Channel crossings.
The issue has become increasingly pressing, with around 41,000 people making the journey from France to the UK in small boats in 2025. This figure marks the highest level recorded since such crossings began on a large scale in 2018. The surge has drawn criticism from British authorities, who argue that France has not done enough to stop migrants from departing its shores, while smugglers and migrants alike have adopted riskier methods to evade detection.
French officials, however, have pointed to progress in recent months. They report that arrivals in the UK have dropped by half since the beginning of 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year. Additionally, French law enforcement agencies arrested approximately 480 people-smuggling suspects in 2025 as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle trafficking networks.
The British government has also highlighted the impact of joint operations, stating that collaborative work with France has successfully prevented more than 42,000 attempted crossings since July 2024. The renewed agreement is intended to build on these efforts and further reduce the number of migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Channel.