Nearly 200 individuals who arrived by small boats have been sent back to France as part of a reciprocal arrangement, a government official disclosed. Alex Norris informed members of the House of Lords that the UK aims to forge similar pacts with other European countries to combat the criminal elements orchestrating human trafficking operations.
According to Norris, 193 people have been repatriated to France since October, while 195 have been allowed entry into the UK under the agreement. He also mentioned that the UK government is advocating for access to the Eurodac database, which stores biometric information of new arrivals. Norris emphasized that the existing agreement between the UK and France is functioning effectively, even though it may not fully meet their expectations.
Regarding France’s cooperation, Norris stated that the country has shown a genuine commitment to addressing the issue and is actively engaged in stopping the influx of small boats. He emphasized that European nations are collectively interested in tackling the movement of migrants across the continent to disrupt criminal organizations profiting from illegal activities.
Norris highlighted the negative impact of irregular migration, stressing that it leads to various criminal activities such as human trafficking, violence, drug trafficking, and prostitution. He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among European partners to combat these illicit behaviors.
The minister also mentioned that European nations perceive the UK as lenient and are concerned about pull factors attracting migrants. The government is focused on mitigating these factors and aims to establish similar agreements with other countries to enhance border control measures.
Norris emphasized the cost-effectiveness of the current arrangement and expressed the government’s intention to expand similar agreements with additional parties. He reiterated the UK’s push for access to the Eurodac security database, which contains crucial data on asylum seekers and irregular migrants to improve information sharing and border management.