- Labour's flagship "one in, one out" migrant returns deal with France, a pilot scheme launched last August, is reportedly set to end in October and will not be extended, according to French newspaper Le Monde.
- Under the scheme, which was extended by three months from its original expiry date, over 900 small boat migrants have been returned to France, while the UK has accepted nearly 900 asylum seekers from France in exchange.
- France's Ministry of the Interior indicated a desire to "Europeanise" the management of Channel migration, seeking a joint European-wide strategy rather than focusing solely on bilateral UK-France agreements.
- This aligns with a recent European Commission action plan for a "whole-of-route approach" and new EU policy changes allowing for "return hubs" in other countries, mirroring the UK's Rwanda deal, provided human rights are upheld.
- In April, home secretary Shabana Mahmood agreed to pay France £662 million over three years to reduce Channel crossings, with £160 million of this funding conditional on the success of French operations in stopping boats and arresting people smugglers.
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