Britain and France have signed a new three-year agreement aimed at halting undocumented migrants from making the dangerous small-boat crossing of the English Channel (the narrow stretch of water separating southern England from northern France). Under the deal, France will increase coastal law enforcement by more than half, reaching 1,400 officers by 2029, while the UK will contribute up to €766 million — with roughly a quarter of that funding conditional on measurable results, and the remainder representing a €40 million increase on the previous treaty's core contribution. The agreement comes under significant political pressure for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose government is seeking to curb irregular arrivals that reached 41,472 people in 2025, the second-highest annual figure since large-scale Channel crossings began in 2018.