France and U.K. sign agreement to curb Channel crossings

The interior ministers of France and Britain have signed a joint agreement in Paris to try to curb migration across the English Channel — a regular source of friction between the two countries

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Monday signed a joint agreement to try to curb migration across the English channel — a regular source of friction between the two countries.

The British government has agreed to pay up some 72.2 million euros to France in 2022-2023 in exchange for France increasing its security presence by 40% across sea access points on the coast.

This represents 350 more gendarmes and police guarding beaches in Calais and Dunkirk.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and British Home Secretary Suella Braverman signed the agreement in Paris.

The pact contains proposals to fight crime across the regular migration routes, with the two ministers agreeing that their countries would harvest information from intercepted migrants to help tackle smuggling networks.

“Technological and human resources” including drones could be used on the French coast to better intercept boats, the agreement adds.

No specific target for boat interceptions was included in the agreement.

Britain has said that over 40,000 migrants have landed on English beaches this year alone.