An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants makes its way towards England in the English Channel, Britain, July 17, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

Under the new "one in, one out" pilot scheme, France will accept the return of undocumented people arriving in Britain by small boats, in exchange for Britain agreeing to accept an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers, “who apply legally with appropriate documentation and meet eligibility criteria and stringent security checks.” 

The deal was signed between the two countries during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the UK in early July. It is considered a breakthrough in the UK and France’s effort to curb illegal Channel crossings, which have risen sharply in recent years.  

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference on July 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo: Leon Neal/REUTERS)

UK government sources previously said the agreement would involve about 50 returns a week, or 2,600 a year, a fraction of the more than 35,000 arrivals reported last year.  More than 25,000 people have come to Britain on small boats so far in 2025. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "The initial step will involve detaining individuals, as they will remain in custody (detained) until they are transferred to France. And we expect those detentions to start in a matter of days. So clearly, this is a pilot program. It will start with the numbers being lower, and we will build it up but I think this is really important. The groundbreaking principle here is that people can be returned to France if they arrive in these dangerous and illegal small boats. In return, we will take people who have applied legally through a legal process, been through security checks but we should be returning people who have made these illegal crossings."

The treaty will be reviewed on June 11, 2026, and can be ended by either side at a month's notice. The UK will pay the costs of transporting asylum seekers to and from France.