Demand from France: Frontex should also go to the English Channel

Due to the increasing number of migrants trying to come to Britain via the English Channel, France is seeking an expansion of the Frontex. EU border guards will also have to be active on the northern borders.

French Interior Minister Gerald Dormanin is demanding that the EU’s border protection agency Frontex should also be active on the EU’s northern borders. Dormanin said in the port city of Calais that he himself had contacted Frontex, adding that it also took care of northern Europe, particularly the strait between France and Great Britain.

In recent years, many refugees and migrants have tried to sail across the English Channel to England in boats. Due to the high volume of traffic in the strait, fast currents and cold temperatures, the crossing is associated with several risks. Nevertheless, expatriates from France frequently make dangerous crossings. They often come from refugee camps, and many use the services of smugglers.

France and Great Britain want to work together

Darmann welcomed last week’s agreement between Great Britain and France, according to which London wants to support Paris with around 63 million euros in curbing illegal migration. France had promised to deploy more security forces along the coast.

Last year, according to French officials, more than 9,500 people tried to cross the English Channel, more than four times compared to 2019. Six people died and three were reported missing.

British officials expect further increase

The number of people who managed to cross the strait in small boats from the continent to England this year is already higher than last year. By this week at least 8,452 migrants had reached the English coast, according to data from the British Home Office. Last Monday alone, within 24 hours, 430 people illegally crossed the English Channel towards Great Britain.

According to a media report, the British government is expecting several thousand migrants to arrive this year. According to the Times newspaper, that number could rise to around 22,000 during the year. Quoting sources from border officials, it has been said that the calculations are in line with the expectations of the officials.

Patel plans stricter asylum law

British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that in the long run, asylum seekers entering the country through illegal routes will be given less rights than others. Looking at other countries, the number of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom is comparatively low: Germany had more than 100,000 asylum applications for the first time in 2020, with about 32,000 people in the United Kingdom in the twelve months to March. Had applied for asylum within 2021.