Written November 13, 2022 10:17 p.m
In the case of illegal crossings in the English Channel, at the heart of tensions between France and Britain for several years, the two countries have finally reached an agreement. According to the Financial Times, it was to be published on Monday. The issue of renewing the agreement between the two countries to deal with the migration crisis had been under negotiation for months, while the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat is constantly increasing.
According to the British Ministry of Defence, more than 40,000 people have crossed the Channel since the beginning of the year, compared to 28,526 in 2021. Among them many Albanians, but also Afghans, Iranians and Iraqis. The British government is under pressure from Tory MPs to slow the flow of migrants, amid criticism linked to smugglers and security concerns. He is all the more exposed since with Brexit he had promised to regain control of the borders.
“Good progress”
According to a British government source quoted by the “FT”, the agreement reached with France provides an increase in what London would pay to Paris, as well as a closer relationship between the border police of the two countries. The compromise reached is “a good step forward”, says the same source, who nevertheless calls for a deeper and broader agreement in the future.
French diplomats also indicate that the agreement will be published on Monday, the amount that Britain pays to France should reach 72 million euros for the year 2022-2023 against 67.7 million in 2021-2022. Since 2018, Britain has paid a total of 200 million euros to France to monitor the two countries. France, for its part, indicates that it spends 250 million euros a year on this issue of the border with the United Kingdom.
More police officers
Under the deal, which has been reviewed and reassessed, the number of police officers is to rise from 200 to 300 by next year, and the extra cost will be covered by the increased UK contribution. Officials familiar with the agreement also ensure that a British representative will be based in France as an observer, and vice versa, for better sharing of information between the two governments.
More than half of the attempts to cross the English Channel have been prevented since the beginning of the year, that is, 982 out of about 1,900, indicate French sources cited by “FT”. The British daily also quotes Olivier Véran as saying that there was a “need for Franco-British cooperation on this issue”. “If everyone is on their side, it will not be able to work, according to the spokesman of the French government. We must work together resolutely and decisively, and that is what we will do. »
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