Policy paper

Joint ministerial statement from the Calais Group

Published 4 March 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Joint statement of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Belgium, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands on efforts and policies on the fight against irregular migration and migrant smuggling.

March 4, 2024

At the invitation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Belgium, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter ‘the participants’) gathered today in Brussels to discuss efforts and policies on the fight against irregular migration and migrant smuggling, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Europol and Frontex.

The participants commended the considerable joint progress in tackling irregular migration, migrant smuggling and the organised crime groups profiting from it, since the Calais Group last met in December 2022. They affirmed their commitment to tackling this shared European challenge as near neighbours.

All participants stressed that the smuggling of migrants into, across and out of Europe remains a major issue, noting that since the 2022 ministerial meeting there have tragically been further deaths on all migration routes, including at Europe’s borders, at sea and related to small boat crossings in the English Channel, despite the significant resources devoted to rescue at sea by the concerned States. The participants agreed it is unacceptable that criminal groups continue to profit from the smuggling of migrants. They discussed the developing and increasingly dangerous tactics deployed by smugglers, putting more lives at risk, and resulting in violence towards law enforcement officers. They also affirmed their willingness to continue to share information within the Joint Intelligence Cell to dismantle the networks of smugglers.

They agreed that tackling migrant smuggling is a Europe-wide problem which requires effective co-operation among the participants. All participants voiced their continued commitment to work together as near neighbours to tackle migrant smuggling – and the networks of organised crime groups profiting from it. The participants welcomed the EU’s new Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling and agreed to actively participate in any future expert and political level engagements.

The group discussed progress since the previous 2022 ministerial meeting and they were pleased to announce new commitments to tackle migrant smuggling and ensure organised crime groups have no safe space to operate.

The participants agreed to continue meeting regularly, convening at senior official level to monitor progress ahead of the next ministerial meeting.

Progress on the 2022 meeting commitments

The participants noted the exceptional work by national law enforcement agencies, as well as joint operations through Europol, Frontex and Eurojust in tackling organised crime groups involved in migrant smuggling. This was particularly well illustrated by the large-scale operation on 21 February under Europol’s operational task force Wave, involving authorities from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom which led to the dismantling of one of the most active networks in the smuggling of migrants across the English Channel. Recognising that the fight against smugglers is exceptionally complex, and that networks of criminal groups and their supply chains span national borders, all participants reaffirmed their commitment to disrupt criminal activity, such as supply chain activity, including of unseaworthy vessels and engines into, across and out of Europe.

Discussing how social media is widely used to organise the facilitation of migrant smuggling and how social media companies are playing a huge part in tackling this problem, the participants agreed to work collaboratively to increase global efforts to remove content advertised by migrant smugglers online, making use of existing structures and frameworks. They agreed to explore ways to increase co-operation in this area, in each case subject to applicable EU legislation, in particular the Digital Services Act, and national legislation, ahead of the next ministerial meeting.

The group also welcomed the UK-Frontex working arrangement and noted it will support all partners in tackling organised crime groups involved in migrant smuggling. They would welcome a swift operationalisation of the arrangement in accordance with the future co-operation and operational plans.

Recognising the important role of the whole-route approach to tackling irregular migration, the participants discussed focusing efforts to cooperate on migratory routes directly leading to border crossings of those present.

The participants specifically noted the importance of advancing operational co-operation upstream, when it affects their joint interests. They noted that this could be achieved through increased information and criminal intelligence sharing (subject to applicable legislative frameworks) through existing channels in source and transit countries – and the use of strategic communications campaigns to prevent dangerous migratory journeys.

New commitments to tackle people smuggling

Recognising the need to further deepen co-operation, the participants were pleased to announce their commitment to further disrupting the criminal supply chain and smuggling of migrants through operational and legislative measures, where deemed necessary by competent bodies.

The UK and France established the UK/France Partnership for Custom Issues on 1 February. Participants were briefed on the partnership and were invited to discuss this initiative, and the potential for expansion, at a meeting of customs agencies in April. This partnership is aimed at improving information sharing between respective agencies, providing a framework for international partners to increase disruptions of the small boat supply chain, demonstrating the continuing commitment of all participants to break the model of the organised crime groups that facilitate these life-threatening journeys.

The United Kingdom recognises the work within the EU on these matters, such as the Pact on Migration and Asylum and new legislative proposals on the facilitation of migrant smuggling. All participants agreed on the importance for international partners to work together to lead on the issue of irregular migration. The participants reflected that the organised crime groups responsible for migrant smuggling are constantly evolving to try to evade justice and thus the need for legislative frameworks, where deemed necessary by competent bodies, and operational responses to keep pace with the evolving business model of migrant smugglers, through addressing the range of destinations and transit routes being used and the breadth of criminal activity they are involved in.