Britain and France have announced a new three-year deal designed to halt the dangerous crossings of the English Channel by undocumented migrants in small boats. This agreement includes a commitment from France to bolster its coastal law enforcement presence by over half, aiming for 1,400 officers by 2029.
The United Kingdom will provide financial support amounting to up to 766 million euros ($897 million). However, nearly a quarter of this funding is contingent on specific outcomes.
The two nations have been in protracted negotiations to renew the Sandhurst treaty, which outlines the UK's financial contribution to French efforts to prevent migrants from attempting the perilous sea journey to Britain. London had insisted on imposing conditions on how its funds are utilized by the French government.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted that collaborative efforts have already prevented tens of thousands of crossings. He stated that this new agreement will further enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and on-the-ground operations to secure Britain’s borders.
According to a French interior ministry document, if the new measures do not yield “sufficient results” based on a joint annual assessment, the funding will be redirected to alternative actions. Even if the conditional funding is not disbursed, the UK's core contribution of 580 million euros represents a 40-million-euro increase compared to the previous treaty.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and his UK counterpart Shabana Mahmood are scheduled to provide further details of the plan. They will visit the site of a proposed accommodation centre for individuals to be deported from France at Loon-Plage, near Dunkirk.
Mahmood stated that this “landmark deal will stop illegal migrants making the perilous journey and put people smugglers behind bars.”
The renewal of the deal comes at a critical time for Starmer, who is facing political pressure to reduce immigration. Official British figures indicate that 41,472 people arrived in the UK illegally in small boats in 2025, the second-highest number since large-scale crossings began in 2018. Tragically, at least 29 migrants died at sea in the Channel in 2025, according to an AFP tally.
France has noted that arrivals in the United Kingdom have halved since the beginning of 2026 compared to the same period last year. Approximately 480 smugglers were arrested in 2025, according to the French interior ministry.
France plans to deploy drones, helicopters, and digital resources to prevent crossings, as outlined in the roadmap. International maritime law dictates that authorities can only intervene to save lives once a boat has departed from shore.
