Britain said on Wednesday it would pay France up to 660 million pounds ($892 million) under a three-year border security deal to curb illegal migrant crossings of the Channel, with part of the funding contingent on results, APA reports citing Reuters.
- Around 41,000 people crossed the Channel to England in small boats in 2025, near the record set in 2022, official data show.
- Some 500 million pounds will be used to boost enforcement on beaches in northern France, including the deployment of nearly 1,100 law enforcement, intelligence and military personnel.
- A further 160 million pounds will be paid if the new tactics are judged to be successful at stopping migrants. If not, funding will stop after one year.
- The deal replaces a previous three-year funding deal, worth around 480 million pounds when agreed in 2023, which expired earlier this year.
- The new deal includes a new 50-strong riot police unit, expanded intelligence and judicial police teams, and additional maritime patrols.
- Surveillance measures include drones, two helicopters and enhanced camera systems. France would also deploy a new vessel and more than 20 additional maritime officers to intercept boats at sea.
- The British government said joint work with France had already halted more than 42,000 attempted crossings since Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party took office in July 2024.
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