Britain and France have agreed in principle on a major new border security pact aimed at stopping illegal migrant crossings across the English Channel.
To finalise the details of this new agreement, the interior ministers of both countries, Laurent Nuñez and Shabana Mahmood, are meeting today near the French city of Dunkirk, visiting the construction site of a new administrative detention centre in Loon-Plage.
The Sandhurst Treaty was originally signed in 2018 and named after an English town. The treaty was designed to jointly manage the shared border between the UK and France and crack down on illegal immigration.
The Sandhurst agreement established the core principle that the UK would help finance major border security projects in France. After months of negotiations, the two nations yesterday agreed to renew it for another three years.
The UK has agreed to give up to £660 million (€766 million) to help France strengthen border control. Around £160 million (€184 million) of this amount depends on results. If the new measures do not reduce the number of crossings, the UK can stop part of this funding after one year.
The remaining £500 million (€577 million) is guaranteed and will be used to improve security on beaches in northern France. The plan includes increasing the number of officers monitoring the Channel to about 1,400 by 2029.
It will also fund a new specialist police unit, more patrols at sea and better surveillance tools such as drones, helicopters, and upgraded cameras.
This new effort comes after a continued rise in crossings, with more than 41,000 people making the dangerous journey in small boats in 2025 alone. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said co-operation between the UK and France has already stopped many crossings but both countries agree that more action is needed.
This Thurday’s meeting near Dunkirk is an important step in fighting people-smuggling gangs and bringing better control to the border.
