Overview
- The UK agreed a multi‑year package in April that guarantees about £500 million for French beach patrols with up to £160 million more tied to results, and those conditional funds are now in place.
- Two specialist French units — the Compagnie de Marche and a new CRS riot unit totalling about 125 officers — have been deployed to northern beaches to break up launch attempts and seize smuggling equipment.
- Officials say joint operations in May stopped roughly 40% to 50% of attempted crossings from northern France, but a single‑day surge on Monday produced about 710 arrivals, the largest daily total so far this year.
- People‑smuggling gangs are adapting by using 'taxi boats' and shifting launch points into Belgium and farther down the French coast, which is increasing pressure on neighbouring states and complicating patrol planning.
- Rescue and humanitarian work continues as legal limits restrict French intervention at sea for boats over 20 people, while year‑to‑date arrivals are down about 40% on 2025 and EU partners offer extra surveillance and cross‑border measures.