French police officers on the beach at the northern French town of Gravelines, on March 4, 2026. SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP
Is the France-United Kingdom border at risk of being left unprotected? That question has come to the fore as the current British funding for France's coastal surveillance system is due to reach its end date on March 31, with no new agreement between Paris and London for another funding cycle. "The negotiations have failed; everything has gone up to the ministerial level," said a French interior ministry source who spoke to Le Monde. The talks concern a €750 million package for a three-year period, under the terms of the bilateral agreement known as the "Sandhurst Treaty."
Between 2023 and 2026, the UK sent €541 million to France as a border security contribution. During that period, the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small inflatable boats has continued to rise. More than 41,000 people reached England in so-called "small boats," compared to about 29,000 in 2023.
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Channel crossings by migrants in small boats are on the rise
