France-UK French report claims insufficient cooperation in addressing the influx of migrants via the English channel
As stated in the most recent report from France’s Court of Accounts, the United Kingdom is posing a challenge to France in terms of operational cooperation agreements aimed at reducing the number of migrants who are trying to cross the English Channel in tiny boats, according to AP.
The UK and France are not coordinating enough to solve the problem of migrants crossing the English Channel, according to the audit agency that was in charge of looking into the usage of public monies. The report focuses on a joint intelligence unit that was set up in 2020 with the explicit goal of stopping human smuggling and lowering the number of persons who cross the Channel. This squad assisted in the dismantling of seven networks involved in people smuggling in 2022.
The Court’s conclusions imply that the UK simply offers hazy and unconfirmed preliminary information on small boat departures, rather than actionable information. The analysis also identifies gaps in knowledge on the nationalities and circumstances of migrant arrivals, suggesting an imbalance in intelligence and information sharing between the UK and France.
Authorities in the UK have, however, denied these allegations. In a statement, the UK Home Office claimed that the study misrepresented the cooperative efforts between the UK and France, including intelligence sharing, and that it relied on out-of-date material.
Home Office statistics from August of the previous year showed that over 100,000 people have crossed the English Channel in tiny boats in recent years. Compared to 28,526 in 2021 and 45,755 in 2022, there were just 299 small boat arrivals recorded in 2018, indicating a considerable year-over-year increase, according to the statistics.
In a recent report, the Court of Accounts recommended putting measures in place that would provide financial support as a means of encouraging migrants to willingly return to their native countries. The Court emphasized that France lags behind the UK and Germany in this area and argued that such policies have shown to be highly successful.
Tagged:FrancemigrantsUK
The UK and France are not coordinating enough to solve the problem of migrants crossing the English Channel, according to the audit agency that was in charge of looking into the usage of public monies. The report focuses on a joint intelligence unit that was set up in 2020 with the explicit goal of stopping human smuggling and lowering the number of persons who cross the Channel. This squad assisted in the dismantling of seven networks involved in people smuggling in 2022.
The Court’s conclusions imply that the UK simply offers hazy and unconfirmed preliminary information on small boat departures, rather than actionable information. The analysis also identifies gaps in knowledge on the nationalities and circumstances of migrant arrivals, suggesting an imbalance in intelligence and information sharing between the UK and France.
Authorities in the UK have, however, denied these allegations. In a statement, the UK Home Office claimed that the study misrepresented the cooperative efforts between the UK and France, including intelligence sharing, and that it relied on out-of-date material.
Home Office statistics from August of the previous year showed that over 100,000 people have crossed the English Channel in tiny boats in recent years. Compared to 28,526 in 2021 and 45,755 in 2022, there were just 299 small boat arrivals recorded in 2018, indicating a considerable year-over-year increase, according to the statistics.
In a recent report, the Court of Accounts recommended putting measures in place that would provide financial support as a means of encouraging migrants to willingly return to their native countries. The Court emphasized that France lags behind the UK and Germany in this area and argued that such policies have shown to be highly successful.
