Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has urged the UK to join the European Union's new Migration and Asylum Pact as a strategy to address small boat crossings in the Channel. The agreement, which became effective in June, is designed to expedite the asylum process, increase the return of irregular migrants, and distribute responsibility for asylum seekers among EU nations.
Sir Ed contends that UK participation in the pact would enable the return of asylum seekers to the initial EU country they entered, which he states would "destroy the business model" of criminal gangs facilitating the crossings. The Liberal Democrats also suggest that while the UK would need to accept some asylum seekers from the EU, the numbers would be lower than current small boat arrivals and these individuals would be screened.
The party estimates the annual cost of joining the pact at approximately £100m, which they claim is a fraction of the £5bn currently spent on what they describe as a "failing asylum system." Labour has acknowledged that government efforts with European countries are "bearing fruit," citing over 47,000 prevented crossings and 70,000 removals in two years, adding that further progress requires collaboration with the EU.
More than 14,000 people have arrived in the UK by small boat this year, representing a 43% decrease compared to the previous year. The EU pact, developed over nearly a decade, includes mandatory screening and an updated database for tracking arrivals. Under its rules, EU nations must either accept migrants from states with high arrival numbers or provide additional funding or resources, with an option to pay €20,000 (£17,000) per person not taken.
Joining the pact would necessitate unanimous approval from all EU states and require the UK government to pass new laws and potentially standardise its procedures with the EU bloc. The UK government has previously expressed interest in regaining access to the Eurodac database, which stores biometric data for those aged six and above, a capability lost after Brexit.