UK Pays France £16M for Temporary Channel Patrol Deal
UK and France reach stopgap agreement to continue Channel beach patrols, as existing deal expires without permanent replacement.
The UK government has agreed to pay France an additional £16.2 million to maintain police patrols along Channel beaches for the next two months. This temporary arrangement comes after negotiations failed to secure a permanent deal before the existing agreement expired at midnight.
The stopgap measure is aimed at preventing a potential surge in small-boat crossings of the English Channel by asylum seekers. French negotiators refused to concede to UK demands for further interventions and patrols to stop migrants from reaching the UK via this dangerous maritime route.
This short-term deal highlights the ongoing challenges faced by both countries in addressing the complex issue of irregular Channel crossings. With no permanent solution in place, the UK and France will continue these temporary measures to try and manage the situation in the coming weeks.
Fonte: The Guardian
