The United Kingdom and France have agreed on a new three-year deal to curb undocumented migrant crossings in the English Channel. Under the agreement, France will step up patrols along its coast, increasing the number of officers by more than 50% to 1,400 by 2029, while the UK will provide up to €766 million ($897 million) in funding.
The deal aims to strengthen border security through the deployment of law enforcement, intelligence and military personnel on beaches in northern France, as well as enhanced surveillance systems.
According to official statistics, around 41,000 people crossed the Channel from France to the UK in small boats in 2025, prompting criticism from the UK that France was doing too little to prevent undocumented migrants from setting off from French shores.
French officials say arrivals in the UK have fallen by half since the start of 2026 compared with the same period last year, and that about 480 smugglers were arrested in 2025. The British government said joint work with France had already halted more than 42,000 attempted crossings since July 2024.
The agreement renews the Sandhurst Treaty, as London presses Paris to do more to stop the dangerous crossings.