Britain has agreed to cover the cost of transporting asylum seekers under a new bilateral arrangement with France, in which the UK will accept one refugee from France for every asylum seeker it returns across the Channel.
The “one in, one out” agreement, aimed at reducing the number of dangerous small boat crossings in the English Channel, was finalised this week following high-level talks in Paris. Under the deal, France has agreed to take back a limited number of migrants who entered the UK illegally, while the UK will accept an equal number of pre-screened refugees from French camps. British taxpayers, however, will foot the bill for all transportation costs, including chartered flights and security logistics.
A shift in asylum cooperation
The move marks a significant development in Anglo-French cooperation on migration, coming after years of tension and failed returns policies post-Brexit. It also represents the first formal agreement since the UK exited the EU’s Dublin Regulation framework, which had previously enabled cross-border returns within the bloc.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the arrangement on Tuesday, stating: “This is a balanced and humane approach that ensures safe pathways while deterring illegal crossings. The United Kingdom will be responsible for all associated transport costs as part of the operational framework.”
French concessions and UK responsibilities
France had been reluctant to resume any returns arrangement without guarantees on cost-sharing and legal oversight. In this compromise, British funding will support not only transport but also a portion of the administrative processing in France.
Officials say the UK will absorb transport costs of up to £12,000 per person returned or admitted under the scheme. That includes charter flights, coaches, security personnel and medical staff. The Home Office has declined to publish the full cost breakdown but described it as “proportionate to the cost of unregulated migration.”
Numbers are limited and process-controlled
The scheme is expected to cover up to 500 individuals per year on each side, a small fraction of total asylum numbers. Refugees accepted by the UK will be selected through a joint panel and must already be registered with French authorities and deemed vulnerable under international criteria.
Those returned to France will be subject to a fast-track process and cannot reapply for asylum in the UK once removed. This aims to prevent repeat crossings, though critics argue that enforcement could prove challenging.
Mixed political reactions
The agreement has drawn a range of responses in Westminster. Immigration Minister Tom Pursglove praised the deal as “a practical, rules-based solution that reinforces safe and legal routes.” However, Labour’s Yvette Cooper questioned the limited scope and rising taxpayer burden, saying: “British families are now paying to send people back and bring others in, without any increase in net capacity or faster processing.”
Human rights groups, meanwhile, cautiously welcomed the focus on safer migration but warned that the plan fails to address the growing backlog of claims or improve conditions in UK asylum accommodation.
Implications for future cooperation
While the deal is being framed as a diplomatic success, its long-term sustainability remains uncertain. France has insisted the arrangement be reviewed annually, and broader questions remain over how it fits into the UK’s wider asylum and immigration strategy.
Nonetheless, it represents a notable thaw in cross-Channel cooperation and could serve as a template for future bilateral migration management deals.
REFH – Newshub, 6 August 2025
Recent Comments