The United Kingdom and France have signed a new three-year agreement aimed at curbing undocumented migrant crossings across the English Channel, in a move designed to strengthen border enforcement and disrupt smuggling networks responsible for risky sea journeys.
The deal was announced by both governments on Thursday, marking a renewed extension of the Sandhurst Treaty, first signed in 2018 and previously extended in 2023.
Funding, enforcement and new conditions
Under the agreement, France will increase coastal enforcement capacity by more than 50 percent, deploying up to 1,400 officers by 2029 to prevent illegal departures from its northern shores.
The United Kingdom, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will provide up to €766 million ($897 million) in funding to support French border operations, with nearly a quarter of the funding made conditional on measurable results.
A French interior ministry document stated that if the measures fail to deliver “sufficient results based on a joint annual assessment, the funding will be redirected to new actions,” signalling a performance-based enforcement model.
Even with conditional deductions, the UK’s core contribution of €580 million still represents a significant increase compared to previous arrangements.
Political messaging and border strategy
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the agreement builds on earlier cooperation that has already reduced crossings.
“Anglo-French work has already stopped tens of thousands of crossings,” Starmer said, adding that the new deal would “ramp up intelligence, surveillance and boots on the ground to protect Britain’s borders.”
On the French side, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood are expected to provide further operational details during a joint visit to Loon-Plage near Dunkirk, where a migrant accommodation and deportation processing site is planned.
Mahmood defended the agreement, stating:
“This landmark deal will stop illegal migrants making the perilous journey and put people smugglers behind bars.”
Rising crossings and deadly consequences
The agreement comes amid persistent political tension in Britain over migration levels and border control.
Official UK figures show that 41,472 people arrived irregularly via small boats in 2025, the second-highest annual figure since crossings began rising in 2018.
At least 29 migrants also died in Channel crossings in 2025, according to combined British and French official data, underscoring the deadly risks involved in the journeys.
French authorities say enforcement efforts have already begun to show results, claiming arrivals in early 2026 have dropped by nearly half compared to the same period in 2025. Around 480 suspected smugglers were arrested in 2025 alone.
Legal limits and operational constraints
Despite intensified patrols, authorities remain constrained by maritime law, which allows intervention only once boats are in distress at sea.
This legal limitation has pushed both governments to focus increasingly on pre-departure disruption, intelligence sharing, surveillance technology, and dismantling smuggling networks operating along the French coastline.
New elements of the deal include expanded use of drones, helicopters, and digital tracking systems to monitor coastal activity and intercept potential crossings before launch.
Domestic political pressure in the UK
The agreement also comes at a politically sensitive moment for Prime Minister Starmer, who is facing mounting pressure over immigration policy and internal party stability.
His administration is also contending with political controversy surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, a development that has added further scrutiny to his leadership.
With local elections approaching and Labour polling under pressure, analysts say migration control has become a defining issue in the government’s political survival strategy.
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