Sommet franco-britannique de Londres ( page 16/19 )

UK-FRENCH SUMMIT, 24 NOVEMBER

The United Kingdom and France today advanced their work on border security. They noted that in the past year they have achieved an unprecedented level of co-operation and success in tackling illegal immigration to the UK and France. The closure of Sangatte, through which 67,000 people passed in three years, was a major achievement and showed that Northern France could no longer be used as a staging post for illegal immigration to the UK. The UK has made a number of changes in its asylum and immigration policies and practices, aimed at reducing the attractiveness of the UK to illegal immigrants. The two countries have organised the deployment of UK New Detection Technology in Calais, which now gives the Calais Chamber of Commerce and Industry the capability to scan 100% of freight vehicles travelling through the port for clandestines. These steps contributed to the stopping of more than 6300 people crossing illegally from France to the UK in the first nine months of 2003.

The two countries today signed an Administrative Agreement on the deployment of New Detection Technology. The costs of the equipment, its maintenance, and operator training will be borne by the United Kingdom. Operating costs will be borne by France. The signing of the Agreement paves the way for the extension of these arrangements to other French ports, beyond Calais. The UK and France gave a commitment that deployment of New Detection Technology beyond Calais would begin by the end of the year and that the roll-out to seven ports would be completed during the first six months of the Entente Cordiale anniversary year 2004. There is no evidence of significant numbers of illegal entrants entering the UK through other ports. However, following the successful deployment of New Detection Technology at Calais there has been some evidence of unsuccessful attempts to reach the UK through other ports. The two countries agreed to continue working closely together to ensure that any displacement from Calais is dealt with effectively.

The UK and France looked forward to the implementation of the Juxtaposed controls Treaty, which will allow UKIS officers to exercise a full range of legal powers in Calais and Dunkerque, and allow French Police aux Frontières reciprocal arrangements at Dover. They confirmed that full accommodation for UKIS passenger controls in Calais and for the French police in Dover will be available by March 2004.

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to working together even more closely in the fight against organised crime, both in the field of illegal immigration and elsewhere. They congratulated the operational services of both countries on their recent joint success in smashing an illegal immigration ring, resulting in 43 arrests, on both sides of the Channel. The criminal organisation concerned is thought to have brought more than 700 illegal entrants to the UK via France since late 2001.

The two countries also underlined the importance of work taking place in the EU to develop biometrics to enhance the security of EU travel documents. They agreed that this was an important element in combating illegal immigration, organised crime and terrorism. They noted the importance of retaining the flexibility to include future biometrics, such as iris recognition, at a later stage.

French and UK law enforcement agencies are forging ever closer links to improve their combined effectiveness against cocaine and heroin trafficking. In association with their Spanish counterparts they have recently agreed a strategy which is intended to increase seizures of cocaine destined for the European market, and disrupt a greater number of criminal groups. The UK will post an additional liaison officer to Paris to work against organised crime with the French authorities.