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Macron-Starmer meeting: France, UK to announce plans to block migrant boats in English Channel
A British police officer stands guard on the beach of Dungeness, on the southeast coast of England, on 15 June, 2022, as Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) members of staff help migrants to disembark. (Photo: AFP file)
Britain and France are set to announce plans to deploy French Police to block the entry of small migrant boats crossing the Channel as leaders from both countries are expected to meet in London on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron will begin his state visit to the UK on July 8, where he will meet the royal family and hold a string of meetings with government officials, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during the Anglo-French summit.
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Although details are still limited and French officials are reportedly finalising possible actions regarding boats already in shallow waters, an announcement related to the immigrant issue is expected on Wednesday.
What do the plans include?
According to a report by The Guardian, France will likely announce plans to authorise its police force to stop the small boats from leaving in shallow waters up to 300 metres from shore.
It will also halt 'taxi boats' from setting out on their journeys to cross the Channel. Taxi boats are used to pick up migrants from the water instead of launching from the beach. However, if France decides to do so, changes to the existing protocol, which bars any intervention at sea that is not an actual rescue, to be made.
Starmer and the French president might announce a 'one in, one out' plan for asylum seekers, though UK officials say it's unlikely. The idea is that people arriving in small boats could be sent back to France, while the UK would take in someone from France who has a clearer right to come to Britain, such as a family link.
Macron to visit UK
French-speaking King Charles III, who is hosting President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit starting on Tuesday, professes a long-standing love of France, describing it as 'an essential part' of his life.
The visit, at the invitation of the monarch, is a rare privilege full of spectacular pomp and circumstance and an opportunity to strengthen a bilateral relationship which the king called 'indispensable' during his visit to France in September 2023.
Macron will also address the British Parliament and co-chair a meeting on Ukraine as London seeks to strengthen its ties with Europe after Brexit.
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Talks will focus on aid to Ukraine, joint efforts to halt illegal migration crossing the Channel, and strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
'This is the first state visit to the United Kingdom by a European Union head of state since Brexit,' the Elysee Palace said on Friday, referring to the UK's 2016 vote to leave the bloc.
With inputs from agencies
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