Human Rights at Sea welcomes the European Commission’s action plan to counter illegal migration across the English Channel which was published on 16 June. 

Illegal migration along the Channel route causes loss of life at sea and generates significant demands on border control, public order and reception capacities in the most directly affected Member States. It fuels unauthorised movements across the EU and Schengen area and entrenches organised criminal networks facilitating migrant smuggling.

The EU has already stepped-up action to manage migration more effectively, leading to an overall decline of illegal border crossings at the EU's external borders (-55% since 2024). Illegal border crossings on exit along the Channel route also declined (-44% so far in 2026), although they remain high, with nearly 64,000 attempted crossings in the Channel in 2025. 

The action plan focuses on three main priority areas to be tackled with support from EU agencies and in cooperation with the UK: reinforcing migration diplomacy along the route, disrupting smuggling networks and their criminal infrastructure and strengthening border management.

This whole-of-route approach includes coordinating and promoting EU and UK information campaigns for migrants in origin and transit countries as well as stepping up cooperation on returns and re-admission to prevent people from undertaking dangerous journeys.

Building on the ongoing cooperation in the context of the Global Alliance to counter migrant smuggling, the action plan calls for enhanced joint operational cooperation in the framework of the EU's European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) and for strengthened cooperation between Member States, Europol, Frontex, Eurojust and international partners.

Member States will also work on a mapping of smuggling networks along the Channel, with support from Europol's Centre Against Migrant Smuggling.

Additional measures will be considered to disrupt logistical supply chains for small boats and to tackle the online dimension of migrant smuggling together with the EU Internet Forum and online service providers.

The action plan will strengthen operational capacity at the borders between the UK and the most exposed Member States, in order to improve situational awareness, information sharing and operational cooperation. This includes reinforcing Europol's European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling and the UK-French Joint Intelligence Cell in Calais, as well as the deployment of Frontex staff and equipment (such as surveillance assets) along the Channel and North Sea borders.

“I am pleased to see the Commission focus on education, management and cooperation as preventative measures. Along with the dismantling of the criminal enterprises that are putting vulnerable people at risk, we hope to see a long-term reduction in the loss of life at sea,” says David Hammond, Founder of Human Rights at Sea.

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/eu-action-plan-channel-migratory-route_en

ENDS.

Source: Human Rights at Sea 2026. Wendy Laursen.

Photo credit: Shutterstock. Nicolas Economou 

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