• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Set For Life
      • Thunderball
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

EU slams door on UK’s bid to revive Dublin Agreement

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sees a returns deal as part of a wider effort to prevent dangerous migrant Channel crossings.

Patrick Daly by Patrick Daly
2023-08-15 06:43
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

The European Union has told the UK it is not willing to negotiate a returns agreement for migrants arriving via unauthorised routes, according to reports.

If correct, it would mean Britain is unlikely to be able to return refugees arriving via small boats across the Channel back to France in the near future.

Rishi Sunak has pushed for a bilateral returns agreement with Paris but French President Emmanuel Macron, a close ally of the Prime Minister, has said any deal must be at an EU level.

Mr Macron, during the UK-France Summit in March, said any returns mechanism would not be “an agreement between the UK and France, but an agreement between the UK and the EU”.

Not being entertained

According to reports in The Times and the Daily Mail, a leaked memo has suggested that such a pact is not being entertained by Brussels, which is dealing with its own internal rows over migration and refugee returns reforms.

The UK Government said it “remains open” to working towards a UK-EU returns accord, with Brexit having taken London out of the Dublin Agreement that currently allows for member states to return refugees.

Mr Sunak wants a deal to allow the UK to return foreign nationals who have been found to be in violation of immigration law.

It could potentially allow ministers to send back asylum seekers arriving from France via small boats, with Mr Sunak having made tackling the migrant crisis one of his top priorities ahead of the next election.

Fresh terms

The Times suggested any Brussels deal would likely come with the condition that Britain share in Europe’s effort to resettle hundreds of thousands of migrants entering the EU through irregular means, including migrants arriving by boat to Italy or Greece.

RelatedPosts

Lib Dems report BBC to OFCOM for ‘giving disproportionate coverage’ to Reform

‘He’s just a keyboard warrior, sat in his bedroom’: Darren Grimes ridiculed at Durham Miners Gala

White House ridiculed after posting ’embarrassing’ Superman Trump pic

Keir Starmer takes savage swipe at Farage as migrant return deal reached with France

But, citing Cabinet Office notes, the newspaper said a senior aide to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had rejected negotiations on fresh terms following a push by Mr Sunak during talks at the Council of Europe in Iceland in May.

German politician Bjoern Siebert, Ms von der Leyen’s head of cabinet, is said to have told Sir Tim Barrow, the UK’s national security adviser and a former ambassador to the EU, that the “commission is not open to a UK-EU readmissions agreement”.

The commission is said to dispute the recording of events. It has been contacted for comment.

Deaths in The Channel

The reports come after at least six people died and dozens were rescued after a boat got into difficulty off the coast of Sangatte, northern France, on Saturday.

A UK Government spokeswoman said: “We remain open to working with the EU to take forward negotiations on a UK-EU returns deal, as part of our international efforts to tackle illegal migration and to crack down on these exploitative gangs.

“We are in regular conversations with our European counterparts on a range of issues relating to migration and asylum.

“We agreed with members of the Calais Group of Northern European nations to work towards an EU-UK cooperation agreement on migration in a joint statement at the group’s December 8 2022 meeting.”

Related: The Tories have a cunning plan to ensure they never miss cancer targets again

Tags: Rishi Sunak

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

← Author Jacqueline Wilson ‘very against’ editing classic books ← Boss of water company behind major beach sewage leak handed 65% bonus boost
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

-->