Ben Pawlowski
THE UK and France have put pen-to-paper on a controversial ‘one-in, one-out’ migrant deal, despite widespread opposition from EU countries including Spain.
French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the agreement on Thursday following the most significant bilateral summit between the two nations since Brexit.
Described as a ‘breakthrough moment’ by Starmer, the return scheme will allow the UK to return some small boat migrants to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with a genuine claim to resettlement, such as family already residing in Britain.
The move forms part of Starmer’s attempt to thwart the small boats crisis in the English Channel and ‘break the model’ of smuggling gangs – according to the UK government, over 43,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour came to power in July last year, an average of 843 a week.
However, Macron stressed the deal had only been agreed in principle, and would need the ‘legal verification’ of France, the UK and the European Union.
Officials from some southern EU member states, including Spain, have already raised concerns over the deal, which they believe could leave them having to take back people returned from the UK to the continent.
READ MORE: Outrage in Spain over French plans to sign a deal with the UK to ‘take back migrants’
In a letter seen by the Financial Times last week, Spain, along with fellow southern EU countries Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, criticised the terms of the migrant returns agreement.
Officials have raised concerns that France could use EU rules to return asylum seekers to their first country of entry, where their asylum claim would then be processed.
Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, owing to their geographical position on the southern tip of the continent, are often the first stop for migrants who make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Africa.
“We take note – with a degree of surprise – of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission agreement,” the letter said. “If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry.”
“We believe it is essential to clarify whether the agreement may produce any direct or indirect consequences for other member states,” the letter added.
Unless these concerns are addressed, the Anglo-French pact could be scuppered in the European Parliament.
The UK’s Home Office also fear legal challenges similar to those that ultimately undermined the previous Conservative government’s attempts to send migrants to Rwanda.
A spokesperson for the European Commission told the Financial Times: “We are in contact with the French and the UK authorities to ensure the necessary clarifications are made.
“We are working with France and the UK as well as other EU member states to support solutions compatible with the spirit and letter of EU law.”
Announcing the deal at a joint press conference earlier this week, Starmer said: “There is no silver bullet here. But with a united effort, new tactics and a new level of intent, we can finally turn the tables. So I am pleased to announce our agreement today on a groundbreaking returns pilot.
READ MORE: Spain’s far-right party openly plans to deport ‘recently arrived’ immigrants
“For the very first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France in short order. This will show others trying to make the same journey that it will be in vain, and the jobs they have been promised in the UK will no longer exist because of the nationwide crackdown we’re delivering on illegal working, which is on a completely unprecedented scale. The president and I have agreed that this pilot will be implemented in the coming weeks.”
Macron took the opportunity to hit out at Brexit, saying that Brits had been ‘sold a lie’ when told that leaving the EU would help to counter illegal immigration.
“Many people in your country explained that Brexit would make it possible to fight more effectively against illegal immigration,” he said.
“But it’s a fact since Brexit, the UK has no migratory agreement with the EU. It creates an incentive to make the crossing, the precise opposite of what Brexit had promised.”
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