France and Britain to defuse Calais migrant crisis

The UK Home Secretary, Theresa May and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve signed in Calais on the 20 August 2015 a joint declaration reinforcing UK/French co-operation in tackling ongoing illegal migration in northern France and across Europe.

At Calais the two ministers visited the Eurotunnel site and met voluntary organisations helping migrants.

They signed the new Franco-British agreement strengthening, on the one hand, their shared commitment to the site’s security and the resolute joint battle against criminal people-smuggling, human trafficking and illegal immigration rings.

And on the other hand, the ministers strengthened the humanitarian operation developed on site with voluntary organisations and local elected representatives, particularly to protect the most vulnerable.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, welcomed the joint Franco-British declaration on the situation in Calais and the associated action plan. The European Commission also welcomed the action, which it said would 'help speed up the processing of the asylum seekers and ensure the swift return of the irregular migrants. These measures contribute to achieving the objectives of the European Agenda on Migration put forward by the Commission'.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: 'Marauding' migrants threaten our standard of living, says Philip Hammond http://www.europeansources.info/record/marauding-migrants-threaten-our-standard-of-living-says-philip-hammond/

France: Embassy of France in London: Press Release, 19.08.15: Bernard Cazeneuve and Theresa May to visit Calais http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Bernard-Cazeneuve-and-Theresa-May-to-visit-Calais

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID, STATEMENT/15/5516, 20.08.15: Joint statement by First Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Avramopoulos on Calais and European migration priorities http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-15-5516_en.htm

UNHCR: Press Release, 20.08.15: UNHCR welcomes the joint Franco-British declaration to address the situation in Calais http://www.unhcr.org/55d5c7346.html

GOV.UK: Home Office: Policy Paper, 20.08.15: Joint UK/French ministerial declaration on Calais https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-ukfrench-ministerial-declaration-on-calais

France: Embassy of France in London: Press Release, 20.08.15: Bernard Cazeneuve and Theresa May visit Calais http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Bernard-Cazeneuve-and-Theresa-May-visit-Calais

BBC News, 20.08.15: Calais migrant crisis: Theresa May signs deal with France http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33992952

France24, 20.08.15: France and UK sign Calais cooperation agreement http://www.france24.com/en/20150820-france-britain-deal-tackle-people-smugglers-calais-immigrant-crisis

The Local.fr, 20.08.15: UK to put €10 million into Calais migrant crisis http://www.thelocal.fr/20150820/uk-police-head-to-france-to-counter-migrant-traffickers

Aargauer Zeitung, 21.08.15: Calais needs a European solution (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE168471-Calais-needs-a-European-solution

The Local.fr, 21.08.15: EU ministers to hold migrant talks: France http://www.thelocal.fr/20150821/eu-ministers-to-hold-migrant-crisis-talks-in-october-france

Refugee Action: Press Release, 20.08.15: New Calais deal won't solve Europe's refugee crisis http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/about/media_centre/our_news/1705_new_calais_deal_wont_solve_europes_refugee_crisis

The Conversation, 21.08.15: Fences in Calais protect ministers – not refugees https://theconversation.com/fences-in-calais-protect-ministers-not-refugees-46366

Modern Railways, September 2015, p80-81: Chaos in Calais http://www.modern-railways.com/view_issue.asp?ID=6534

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