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UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a new pilot agreement with France aimed at curbing illegal crossings of migrants across the English Channel. The so-called “one in, one out” scheme would see migrants who arrive on British shores in small boats returned and a limited number of asylum seekers with family ties to Britain allowed to enter legally.
The announcement was made during a press conference in north London, where Starmer appeared alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, as part of the latter's three-day state visit, the first by an EU leader since Brexit in 2020.
What does the agreement include?
Under the deal, migrants who cross the English Channel illegally in small boats will be stopped and quickly returned to France. In return, an equal number of asylum seekers who have family ties in the UK will be allowed to enter via safe and legally controlled routes, after strict security checks.
Starmer stressed that this program will come into force within “a few weeks” and aims to disrupt the business model of criminal people trafficking networks.
Reports suggest the pilot scheme will initially be limited to returning around 50 migrants a week to France, although the prime minister did not confirm any specific figures during the conference. Macron himself called the agreement “genuine” and a step forward after nine years of stagnation in cooperation on migration.
"We must adapt and leave nothing untried ," he added.
Challenges of the agreement?
The deal comes at a time when illegal crossings of the English Channel have reached record levels. According to British government data, from January to May 2025, around 14,800 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats, the highest number ever recorded for this period, with a 14% increase compared to 2024. Since the start of 2025, more than 43,000 migrants have arrived in Britain via this route, a 47% increase compared to the same period last year.
Previous efforts to curb these crossings have had limited success. Since 2018, the UK has paid France around €780m to step up patrols and the use of drones along the French coast. However, France has often been accused by British officials of not doing enough to stop the ships from leaving. A legal loophole in France prevents authorities from intervening when ships stray more than 300 metres from the coast, except in the case of rescue operations.
To address these challenges, France has adopted new tactics, including stabbing dinghies before they set off from shore, a strategy recently launched to thwart organized smuggling. This changed after a new law gave French police more powers to operate in shallow waters.
Despite the optimism expressed by Starmer and Macron, the deal faces several challenges. British Defense Secretary John Healey told the BBC that the agreement has not yet been fully finalized and that details, including the exact start date, are still under discussion.
Moreover, there have been previous tensions between Britain and the EU over the issue of migration. In August 2023, the EU blocked a similar deal between Britain and France on the return of migrants, setting a worrying precedent for the current negotiations. Some Mediterranean EU countries may oppose the deal, fearing that it could increase pressure on their borders.
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