Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, traveled to Paris to discuss measures to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel with President Emmanuel Macron. However, reports suggest that Macron is likely to reject any proposals to take back refugees who make the crossing.
Sunak is expected to offer France an additional £200 million to help stop the flow of migrants, but returns agreements are unlikely to be discussed during their meeting.
President Macron has already stated that France will not agree to a bilateral treaty with the UK on the return of cross-Channel migrants, and instead, any agreement would have to be EU-wide.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has confirmed that more money will be given to France for joint efforts to prevent small boats from crossing the Channel.
Britain hopes to secure Macron’s active support for a long-term deal to return illegal immigrants who cross the English Channel, similar to the EU’s existing ‘Dublin’ rules. However, European diplomats claim the request will be rejected as other EU members, such as Italy, are not following European rules.
This summit follows a difficult period in Anglo-French relations, with clashes over post-Brexit fishing rights and other issues. Sunak hopes to restore the entente cordiale, which his two predecessors strained with jibes at the alliance last year.
The Chancellor will be accompanied by six Cabinet ministers, including the secretaries of state for foreign affairs, home affairs, and defense, indicating the importance of the summit.
Priti Patel, the former Home Secretary, urged Sunak to push for a deal to let Britain return Channel migrants to EU countries during his meeting with Macron.
She believes this is crucial to end the small boats crisis and clear a huge backlog of asylum cases.
Before Brexit, Britain could send asylum seekers back to countries such as Greece and Italy without considering their case if they lodged a claim there when arriving in the EU. However, UK ministers have not negotiated a replacement for the scheme, known as the Dublin III Regulation.
Other topics to be discussed include collaboration on nuclear energy and the defense industry. Among goodwill gestures set to be agreed is a deal to make school trips easier.
Sunak stressed the importance of the relationship between the UK and France and their shared global outlook. The UK hopes to secure a returns agreement with the EU, and France will be an important component of that.
»Rishi Sunak traveles to Paris to discuss Channels measures«
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