Downing Street has stated it is open to exploring a new migrant agreement with European Union member states, potentially involving Britain taking migrants from various EU countries in exchange for returning others. This comes as French interior minister Laurent Nunez has warned UK counterparts that France wishes to end the existing bilateral scheme.
The current agreement, established in August 2025 between French President Emmanuel Macron and former UK premier Sir Keir Starmer, allows for small boat Channel arrivals to be returned to France. Negotiations are currently underway regarding the renewal of this deal, which is set to expire on October 1.
A spokesperson for Downing Street commented on Nunez's remarks, stating, "We will be open to discussions on any scheme that leads to a drop in these dangerous crossings." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood reportedly wants to make the current arrangement permanent and increase the number of returned migrants as a deterrent.
However, critics have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the existing deal. Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the returns under the current scheme as amounting to under 5 percent of arrivals, arguing that this minimal rate does not act as a deterrent. He further criticized the government's handling of the issue, stating, "First the government laughably claimed they would 'smash the gangs'. Now their one in one out deal has failed and France is about to cancel it."
Philp added, "France has become a launchpad for thousands of illegal Channel crossings, yet its Government seems more interested in washing its hands of the problem than stopping the boats on its own beaches - despite Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood handing them £660 million of our money."
It is understood that Prime Minister Andy Burnham appealed directly to President Macron to extend the existing scheme during their first bilateral meeting last week.
More than 17,000 small boat Channel arrivals have entered Britain so far this year. While Channel crossings are reportedly down more than 40 percent compared to 2025, the crossings have continued, with people smugglers reportedly switching tactics to using larger "mega-dinghies" capable of carrying over 100 migrants.
Minister Nunez, in comments made in June, indicated France's desire to move away from the bilateral relationship. "For our part, we want to move away from this bilateral relationship with the UK," he stated. "We consider that France should not have to carry it alone, and that it would be better to integrate it into an agreement between the EU and UK." He also informed his counterpart that the pilot agreement was not intended for renewal beyond October 1, 2026.
Nunez acknowledged that while there is an action plan and interest in an EU-wide replacement, it would be "naive" to guarantee a bridging mechanism would be in place by the deadline. Such a deal could involve Britain returning migrants to various European countries and accepting those with a genuine claim to asylum in the UK. It is considered unlikely that UK ministers would agree to a deal where Britain takes in more migrants than it sends back. However, EU leaders, particularly from southern member states, may be reluctant to agree to proposals favored by Paris.
An EU-wide returns deal, known as the Dublin agreement, existed prior to Britain's departure from the EU, but attempts to continue it post-Brexit have been resisted by bloc leaders.
A Home Office spokesman confirmed that the government's agreement with France has been extended until the end of September to continue removing migrants arriving on small boats over the summer period.