Overview

• France will draw up by summer new guidelines to intercept migrant ‘taxi boats’ within 300 metres of its beaches for the first time.
• Paris is expanding its navy with six patrol boats capable of both rescue missions and boat interceptions under the bilateral agreement.
• Home Office figures show 14,812 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far in 2025, including a single-day record of 1,195 arrivals.
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has urged France to start sea interceptions swiftly after beach-based efforts failed to stem the tide of crossings.
• Officials say more favourable ‘red day’ weather has coincided with the surge, but analysts point to larger dinghy loads and evolving smuggling tactics as key drivers of the increase.