The UK and Germany announced a new agreement on Tuesday to dismantle people-smuggling operations facilitating Channel crossings. Both nations aim to strengthen intelligence sharing and disrupt criminal networks.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser signed a joint action plan in London. Germany committed to criminalizing smuggling activities linked to the UK, including the storage of dinghies often used in these crossings.
Strengthening Cross-Border Coordination
“These criminal gangs, exploiting small boats and endangering lives, require a unified international response,” Cooper said. She emphasized the importance of coordinated law enforcement across borders to combat these threats.
Faeser outlined Germany’s role in the partnership, stating, “We will maintain investigative pressure, share intelligence seamlessly, and trace financial transactions to dismantle these criminal operations.”
The agreement also targets smuggling advertisements on social media, aiming to remove content that promotes illegal crossings. By attacking the operations’ financial and logistical support, the nations aim to weaken smuggling networks.
Rebuilding Post-Brexit Law Enforcement Ties
The agreement coincided with a meeting of the “Calais Group,” which includes the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Europol, and Frontex. This collaboration strengthens post-Brexit law enforcement connections between the UK and EU member states.
Although the UK and France have made joint efforts, the Channel remains a significant migration route. Migrants often choose the UK for its language, family links, or perceptions of better asylum opportunities.
This year has seen over 31,000 migrants crossing the Channel, exceeding 2023’s figures. With more than 70 deaths recorded, 2024 has become the deadliest year for these crossings since their rise in 2018.