Overview

• UK and French leaders agreed to trial the ‘one in, one out’ returns scheme in the coming weeks with roughly 50 small-boat migrants sent back to France each week and no fixed cap.
• The pilot’s implementation remains subject to legal approval by the European Commission under EU law before any returns can take place.
• More than 21,000 migrants have crossed the Channel on small boats so far this year, maintaining historic highs that drove the urgency for the deal.
• Opposition politicians, refugee charities and legal experts have criticised the scheme as too limited to break smuggling networks and warned of expected human rights challenges.
• The agreement is paired with UK plans for a nationwide crackdown on illegal working and expanded French shallow-water interdictions to tackle pull factors.