The UK Government is about to agree a new border-control agreement with the European Union, according to British media outlets.
Whitehall sources say the deal will significantly increase information exchange between the UK’s Border Force and its Brussels equivalent, Frontex.
Although the deal is yet to be finalised, it will likely focus on intelligence-sharing as well as the open communication of information regarding mass-migration trends.
It is not expected to solve Britain’s English Channel migrant crisis, which has seen tens of thousands of would-be asylum seekers travel from France to Dover on small boats.
Speaking of the agreement, representatives of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to divulge any particular details but did express hope that a reasonable deal would soon be signed.
“Obviously, we hope to achieve a deal that works for us and our European neighbours,” a spokesman for Sunak said.
The share of searches for UK employment conducted by foreign workers has rocketed by 146 per cent since the implementation of the points-based immigration system. https://t.co/0tDKejO467
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) August 23, 2023
Others appear to be less bullish on an agreement.
Speaking to Brussels Signal, Alp Mehmet of the UK think-tank Migration Watch said that while the deal might help the UK manage its current influx of illegal immigration, it would probably not solve anything long term.
“This is pretty thin gruel; it touches the problem at the edges and will have little impact on boats in the Channel,” he said.
“The only positive is if it signals better cooperation, that would be in both UK and EU interests.”
Such a deal also comes amid increasing public dissatisfaction towards the UK ruling Conservative Party over its handling of immigration into Britain.
An Ipsos survey published on September 12 found that 66 per cent of the British public say they are not happy with the government’s handling of the issue.
This rises to 82 per cent when only Tory party supporters are polled.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces an end-of-September deadline on whether to rejoin the €95bn Horizon Europe programme.