The agreement concluded in Paris by Sunak, and French President Emmanuel Macron provides that the funds transferred by Great Britain for the detention of illegal immigrants will increase in the coming years – in the financial year 2023-24, it will be €141 million, in 2024-25 – €191 million, and in 2025-26 – €209 million. Together, this adds up to €541m, which is £479m.
The money will go towards an extra 500 officers and a new detention centre in France, which will be fully operational until the end of 2026. In addition, „a new, highly trained, permanent French anti-small boat police mobile unit” will be created, as well as equipment for this purpose, such as drones or night vision devices. There will also be a new 24-hour 'zonal coordination centre’ with UK personnel embedded in it.
France assured that it would also step up its funding of enforcement but has not said yet by how much.
https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1634203281227411457?s=20
Since 2015, the UK has given France more than £250m to prevent illegal Channel crossings.
Last year, 45,755 people entered the UK illegally across the English Channel. The British government pointed out that people crossing the English Channel are usually not those who need help most, but economic migrants who can afford to pay smugglers several thousand euros.
At a press conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron said the French teams had prevented 30,000 small boat crossings and made 500 arrests in the past year.
„By working together, the UK and France will ensure that no one can use our systems with impunity.” – Sunak said after meeting with Macron.
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However, the agreement does not say that France would take back those illegal immigrants who make it to the UK. Macron highlighted that this is not an agreement between the UK and France but between the UK and the European Union, and terms for returning illegal immigrants must be negotiated with the EU.
Mr Sunak expressed his hope that in the future, the UK may still be able to sign a returns agreement with France, saying: „Going forward, there will be more that we can do”.
Author: Patrycja Bodzek-Kurzyńska
Photo: Twitter @RishiSunak
