Instead of Taking Back Boat Migrants, France Tells Britain What It Wants the UK to Do With Asylum Seekers From Now On

France is pushing for Britain to accept asylum seekers from across the European Union under a new plan that could replace the current “one in, one out” migrant agreement between the UK and France.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has told Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood that France does not want the present agreement between the two countries to continue after it expires. Instead, he wants the issue to be handled through a much wider agreement involving Britain and all 27 EU member states.

Under the current arrangement, Britain can send some migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats back to France. In return, the UK accepts a similar number of asylum seekers from France who have legitimate claims and meet the requirements of the scheme.

However, France now wants to move away from an agreement that mainly places responsibility on Paris and London. The French Government believes other European countries should also be involved because migration is an issue affecting the whole of Europe, rather than something France should deal with alone.

Under the proposed EU-wide system, Britain could still be allowed to return some Channel migrants to Europe. But in exchange, the UK could be required to accept eligible asylum seekers from different EU countries, rather than taking people only through the current arrangement with France.

Speaking to a French parliamentary inquiry, Mr Nunez made it clear that he does not believe the existing agreement should become permanent.

He said France wants to move away from its bilateral relationship with Britain on the issue because it should not have to carry the responsibility alone. He argued that it would be better for any future migrant returns agreement to be negotiated between the UK and the European Union as a whole.

Mr Nunez also said he had already informed his British counterpart that the pilot agreement, which was signed in August 2025, was not originally intended to continue beyond October 1, 2026.

However, there is no guarantee that a replacement EU-wide agreement will be ready before the existing scheme comes to an end. Mr Nunez acknowledged that discussions are taking place and there is interest in finding a new solution, but he said it would be unrealistic to promise that a new system would be ready in time to immediately replace the current deal.

France’s position could create fresh disagreement with the British Government because the UK wants the existing arrangement to continue.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wants the deal to become permanent and hopes that more migrants who arrive in Britain after crossing the Channel can be returned to France. The Government believes increasing the number of returns could discourage people from paying smugglers and attempting the dangerous journey across the Channel.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also reportedly raised the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron, encouraging France to continue working with Britain on the arrangement.

So far, around 1,400 Channel migrants have reportedly been returned to France under the agreement. At the same time, a similar number of asylum seekers have been brought legally to Britain in exchange.

If the current system is replaced by an EU-wide agreement, it could significantly change how the process works. Instead of Britain dealing mainly with France, several European countries could become involved in deciding where migrants are returned and which asylum seekers Britain accepts.

Britain was previously part of the European Union’s Dublin system before Brexit. That system contained rules designed to determine which European country was responsible for examining a person’s asylum application.

However, France’s latest proposal is already facing concerns from some EU countries.

Southern European countries such as Italy and Greece receive large numbers of migrants because of their location on the EU’s external borders. There are concerns that these countries could end up taking a larger share of migrants returned from Britain if a new system is introduced.

Because of these disagreements, the European Commission is reportedly unwilling to move ahead with the proposal until EU member states can reach a compromise.

There are also disagreements inside France about whether ending the existing UK-France agreement is the right decision.

Some French officials are reportedly worried about what happens after migrants are returned from Britain. France can face difficulties sending people back to their countries of origin, meaning some returned migrants could remain in France for a long period.

The political situation in France could also influence the debate, particularly with the country due to hold a presidential election next year.

President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly more willing than his Interior Minister to consider extending the existing agreement with Britain, suggesting that France has not yet reached a completely united position on what should happen next.

The disagreement comes at a time when the number of people crossing the English Channel has reportedly fallen significantly. Channel crossings are said to have dropped by more than 40 per cent so far this year, while the average number of migrants arriving during periods of favourable weather has fallen by 38 per cent.

Despite uncertainty over the long-term future of the agreement, the Home Office has confirmed that the current deal with France has been extended until the autumn.

The Government says the extension means Britain will continue to return some migrants who arrive on small boats during the summer while discussions continue over what should replace the existing arrangement in the future.

The biggest question now is whether Britain and France will agree to keep their current “one in, one out” system or whether it will eventually be replaced by a much larger agreement involving the UK and the entire European Union.