France – United Kingdom: the “one in, one out” migration agreement extended until October 1st

France and the United Kingdom have decided to extend their "one in, one out" migration agreement until October 1st. This agreement, initially implemented in the summer of 2025, aims to better regulate clandestine Channel crossings. This experimental system is based on a simple principle: for every migrant who arrives illegally in the UK by boat, another person present in France can be legally admitted to British territory.

According to the Minister Delegate for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, the agreement has, since its entry into force, facilitated 606 readmissions to France in exchange for 588 legal admissions to the United Kingdom. While these figures remain far from the initial target of 2,500 exchanges set when the agreement was signed, the government believes the mechanism represents a first step towards improved migration cooperation between Paris and London.

A measure contested by associations

French and British authorities defend a system designed to discourage illegal crossings while opening legal pathways for some migrants. Benjamin Haddad acknowledges, however, that smuggling networks are constantly adapting their methods in response to new measures. Since the beginning of the year, more than 1,800 people who left Belgium are believed to have reached the United Kingdom clandestinely.

For their part, several associations regularly denounce the consequences of these control policies. They believe that the strengthening of surveillance measures pushes migrants to take increasingly dangerous routes. In 2025, more than 41,000 people crossed the English Channel clandestinely in small boats, while at least 29 migrants lost their lives during these crossings, according to official French and British data.