UK and Germany Sign Pact to Combat People-Smuggling Networks

The agreement introduces stricter German laws and enhanced cross-border collaboration to tackle dangerous migrant-smuggling operations across the Channel.

Germany will amend its laws to explicitly criminalize facilitating migrant smuggling to the UK, addressing a legal gap that previously hindered prosecutions.
The joint action plan focuses on disrupting smuggling networks by targeting their finances, logistics, and social media recruitment strategies.
Over 70 people have died attempting Channel crossings in 2024, making it the deadliest year since the surge in such crossings began in 2018.
The agreement includes intelligence-sharing, joint operations, and cooperation with Europol to dismantle smuggling syndicates operating across Europe.
The UK-Germany pact is part of broader efforts by the Calais Group, which includes France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, to address the growing migration crisis.