France has proposed replacing the existing bilateral "one in, one out" migrant returns agreement with the United Kingdom with a new arrangement involving the entire European Union, according to reports. Under the suggested plan, Britain would accept asylum seekers from across the EU in exchange for migrants who attempt to cross the English Channel being transferred back to continental Europe.
The current agreement, which involves returning one migrant to France for each person the UK accepts from the country, has been in place since August 2025 but has resulted in just around 1,400 migrants being sent back to France—approximately 4 percent of the over 32,000 people who have crossed the Channel since then. The deal is due to expire at the end of this month, and France is reportedly considering withdrawing from renewal talks.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is reportedly behind the proposal for a broader EU scheme, which aims to share responsibility for asylum seekers more evenly across member states. The move comes amid ongoing difficulties in managing Channel crossings and asylum claims. Andy Burnham, England’s Mayor of Greater Manchester, recently discussed the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron during their first bilateral meeting.
The UK Home Office declined to comment on the reported plan, describing it as “speculation” and confirming only that negotiations over renewing the current deal were ongoing. A government spokesperson stated that the agreement with France had been extended through autumn to continue facilitating the removal of migrants arriving via small boats during the summer months.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has expressed support for scaling up the agreement to alleviate the pressure caused by Channel crossings. However, the scheme has faced legal opposition from a group of 16 migrants supported by 23 charities across the UK and France, who argue that the practice is unlawful. Their main contention is that France is an unsafe destination for removals because it purportedly cannot ensure compliance with international protections for trafficking victims.
Eight of these charities receive funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation (PHF), which openly advocates for direct resistance to what it describes as the UK’s “systematic racism” embedded in the immigration system. Among the organisations supported by the PHF are the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, Detention Action, and the Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (Avid). Collectively, these groups have received millions of pounds in grants aimed at advancing migrant rights and opposing policies like detention and forced removals.
The PHF, established in 1987 by the British publisher Paul Hamlyn, has distributed over £500 million in charitable funding and shifted its focus towards pro-refugee and immigration causes since 2015. The foundation declined to make a statement regarding its involvement.
Charities defending their positions stressed their commitment to supporting vulnerable migrants impacted by removal schemes. Detention Action emphasized its opposition to the UK-France agreement based on concerns for those seeking safety, while Avid highlighted its work educating people about their rights under the current removal framework. The JCWI noted it has provided assistance to refugees, including children and survivors of torture, caught up in the "one in, one out" process.