- Germany and France say Brexit has been ‘damaging’ to migration policy
France and Germany are pushing for the EU to negotiate a migration deal with Sir Keir Starmer’s government, saying it would be “conducive” to implementing their demands.
Brussels is reportedly seeking to create legal routes for asylum seekers, including through burden-sharing quotas, involving people from Italy and Greece, The Times reports.
The Prime Minister’s ‘reset’ of Britain’s relations with the EU is being seen by France and Germany as an opportunity to extract concessions for their citizens in the UK.
They hope to secure “legal mobility” for European workers and students in Britain in return for a new migration deal aimed at reducing the number of Channel crossings.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin, who has since resigned, sent a joint letter on Friday calling on the European Commission to “swiftly present a draft negotiating mandate” for the talks.
The photo shows an inflatable rowing boat carrying migrants heading towards the English Channel on August 6, 2024
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin, who has since resigned, have called on the European Commission to “quickly present a draft negotiating mandate” for the negotiations
“We believe that Brexit has very damaging consequences for the coherence of our migration policy,” they wrote in the letter, first reported by AFP.
‘The lack of provisions regulating the flow of people between the UK and the Schengen area clearly contributes to the dynamics of irregular flows – and to the danger people face when using this route in the Channel and the North Sea.
‘We believe that the arrival of a new British government that demonstrates its willingness to work constructively with the EU will be conducive to concrete progress in this area.’
The ministers added that they “strongly rely” on the EU to “simultaneously address the issues of legal mobility, in particular family and professional mobility, the fight against illegal immigration and the right to asylum with our British partner.”
The Labour government has indicated it is keen to work with the EU to tackle illegal migration.
However, the country has stressed that the “red lines” have not changed, that there will be no return to freedom of movement and that it will not participate in any quota system.
Any deal between the EU and the UK would need the support of each of the bloc’s 27 member states, which seems unlikely given the thorny issue of migration on the continent.
Yvette Cooper today stressed that Labour is ‘serious’ about reducing net migration
The Interior Minister will meet Ms Faeser, the new French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Piantedosi at a G7 ministerial meeting next week.
Migration will be high on the agenda after a number of recent tragedies, including overloaded migrant boats capsizing in the Channel.
Yvette Cooper today insisted Labour is “serious” about reducing net migration, but warned Britain must “educate young people properly” to replace workers from abroad.
Your browser does not support iframes.
Your browser does not support iframes.
In her speech at the party conference in Liverpool, the Home Secretary said net migration “must come down” after tripling under the Tories.
Meanwhile, France’s new right-wing government, which took office this week, also promises tougher measures against illegal migration.
According to Frontex, the EU’s border agency, some 41,078 migrants from the Schengen area attempted to reach the UK in the first eight months of 2024.
Eight men died earlier this month after a boat carrying 53 migrants crashed into rocks off the coast of Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. Six people were taken to hospital, including a 10-month-old baby.