In a recent report, France’s Court of Accounts expressed dissatisfaction with the level of cooperation from the United Kingdom concerning immigration policies, particularly in efforts to curb irregular crossings in the English Channel. The report, published on Thursday, highlighted perceived shortcomings in the collaboration between the two nations despite existing agreements.
Despite bilateral agreements in place, the report emphasized what it deemed as “disappointing” coordination with the UK. It specifically pointed out that the UK fails to share “usable intelligence” regarding small boat crossings, providing only “very general” information that lacks verification. The court concluded that the information and intelligence exchange between France and the UK is “unbalanced.”
The report referenced joint measures established under the Touquet Agreement of 2003, a follow-up to the Protocol of Sangatte from 1991, allowing authorities from both countries to conduct immigration controls on each other’s soil. However, the challenges posed by Brexit and a surge in migration, with a reported 58 percent increase from 2021 to 2022 according to the UK Ministry of Defense, have complicated these arrangements.
To address the rising influx, the Agreement of Sandhurst was established in 2018, with France committing to implementing preventive measures in exchange for financial aid from the UK. Under this agreement, France received €222 million between 2018 and 2022, with an additional €541 million earmarked for the next three years.
Both France and the UK have experienced a growing number of undocumented migrants in recent years, prompting controversial legislative responses. In December 2023, France passed a new immigration law after an initial version was rejected by the National Assembly earlier that month. The bill raised concerns from Human Rights Watch and the Defender of Rights, who warned of potential grave human rights breaches.
Simultaneously, the UK enacted its Illegal Migration Act in July 2023, drawing vehement criticism from the United Nations and other human rights groups for alleged violations of international human rights standards. The ongoing challenges in managing cross-Channel migrations underscore the complexity and strained cooperation between the two nations in addressing this pressing issue.
