According to French state auditors, the UK and France are not adequately collaborating to decrease the amount of individuals crossing the Channel in small boats, nor are they sharing enough specific information.
The Cour des Comptes, a French organization that reviews the use of government funds, has released a report on the effectiveness of French policies regarding illegal immigration. The report stated that France is facing challenges in establishing effective collaborations with neighboring countries, including the UK.
The document specifically mentions a collaborative intelligence team between the UK and France that was established in 2020 to address human trafficking and decrease the number of individuals risking their safety to cross the Channel. In 2022, this team successfully disbanded seven illicit migration networks.
However, despite assurances from French and UK officials in 2022 to enhance collaboration in combating criminal networks, the auditors discovered that “the British do not supply useful data on the departures of small boats and only provide vague, preliminary information that has not been verified.”
According to the report, there is limited information regarding individuals arriving by small boats, including specific details such as boat and motor references or serial numbers, and the nationalities of those onboard. This information is reported to be inconsistent and incomplete.
It stated: “The exchange of information and intelligence between France and the UK is imbalanced.”
For years, the issue of individuals drowning or endangering themselves by attempting to cross the Channel from Calais in northern France to the Kent coast in the UK on makeshift boats has strained the relationship between France and Britain.
A report released in November by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, a division of the Department for Transport, revealed that the rescue efforts for the 27 individuals who perished in the most fatal Channel tragedy in over four decades were hindered by disarray, inadequate provisions, and inadequate communication between the UK and France.
France has increased efforts to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel, including through more police, equipment and facilities. The UK provided €222m (£190m) from 2018 to 2022 as part of a bilateral agreement to increase policing and security. Last March, at a Franco-British summit, the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who has vowed to “stop the boats”, promised €541m for the 2023–2026 period and France also said it would step up its funding.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, there has been a 58% increase in small boat crossings in the Channel between 2021 and 2022. This resulted in over 45,000 arrests on British soil. The French state audit report stated that 56% of attempted crossings were stopped, which is the same as the previous year.
This week, the British government stated that the amount of migrants entering the country decreased by over 33% in 2023, with only approximately 26,000 individuals making the crossing. The UK Home Office also reported that their collaboration with France helped to prevent an additional 26,000 illegal and risky attempts at crossing in 2023.
Bypass the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
According to the British Border Force officials’ union, the amount of individuals entering Britain via small boats is likely to increase this year following a decrease due to adverse weather conditions. Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union stated that the recent slowdown was most likely caused by severe weather conditions in recent months.
On December 15, a refugee boat encountered difficulties while trying to cross the Channel to Britain, resulting in one death. On December 16, the last crossing of the year occurred with 55 individuals arriving from France on a single boat. Due to inclement weather including heavy rain and strong winds, no additional crossings were documented for the remainder of the year, resulting in the longest stretch of time without any arrivals.
The French audit report examined additional concerns regarding overall French migration policies, highlighting a shortage of personnel for handling cases and the necessity for increased staffing for thorough inspections and data management at border crossings. The report also raised concerns about the constantly changing regulations in France, with 133 modifications to the law in the past decade, and the tendency of the French interior ministry to make sudden policy changes based on current events.
According to the report, France had the highest number of deportations within the EU for individuals on its land. However, the country faced challenges in executing orders for people to depart. The report recommended that France take additional steps to improve its voluntary repatriation programs.
The French parliament recently passed a stringent immigration law, which has caused disagreements within President Macron’s centrist party and led to the resignation of a government minister. The country’s constitutional council will determine if certain provisions, such as migration quotas, restrictions on social benefits, or access to citizenship, violate the constitution.
Source: theguardian.com
