The United Kingdom and France have reached a new three-year agreement aimed at curbing undocumented migrant crossings of the English Channel, a route increasingly used by migrants travelling in small boats.
Under the deal, France has pledged to significantly boost coastal enforcement efforts by expanding its law enforcement presence to about 1,400 officers by 2029. The aim is to disrupt smuggling networks and reduce irregular migration attempts towards the UK.
On its part, the UK government will provide up to €766 million (about $897 million) in funding to support French border control operations. However, nearly a quarter of this funding will be conditional on measurable results in reducing crossings.
The arrangement forms part of the renewed Sandhurst Treaty, first signed in 2018 and later extended in 2023. The treaty is due to expire this year, prompting months of negotiations between both countries over its continuation.
British officials have repeatedly argued that France must do more to stop migrants departing from its northern coastline, where smuggling networks have adapted to tighter surveillance measures. In response, London pushed for stricter conditions on how UK funding is spent.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said joint UK-France operations have already prevented “tens of thousands” of crossings, adding that the new agreement will enhance intelligence sharing, surveillance, and enforcement along the Channel.
A French interior ministry document on the agreement stated that if the new measures fail to achieve sufficient results, funding allocations could be redirected following annual joint assessments.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood are expected to provide further details during a joint visit to Loon-Plage near Dunkirk, where a proposed accommodation centre for deported migrants is planned.
The agreement also includes expanded use of drones, helicopters, and digital surveillance tools by French authorities to intercept boats before they leave the coast. However, under international maritime law, intervention becomes more limited once vessels are already at sea, except in rescue situations.
According to UK government figures, more than 41,000 migrants reached Britain via small boats in 2025, marking one of the highest annual totals since the trend began in 2018. At least 29 deaths were recorded in the Channel during the same year, based on official data from both countries.
French authorities say arrivals in early 2026 have already dropped compared to the previous year, while hundreds of suspected smugglers were arrested in 2025 as part of ongoing enforcement operations.
