The Commission is stepping up its efforts to manage migration along the Channel route

The Commission is presenting an EU action plan for the Channel migration route, which sets out a comprehensive European response to the challenges posed by irregular migration along this route.

The action plan proposes operational measures that begin in countries of origin and transit and extend along the entire route. These include dismantling networks involved in the smuggling and trafficking of migrants, strengthening the protection of external borders and stepping up returns. Irregular migration along the Channel route poses a clear challenge, resulting in the loss of human lives at sea and placing significant demands on border control, public order and reception capacities in the Member States most directly affected. It fuels unauthorised movements within the EU and the Schengen area and strengthens the organised crime networks that facilitate the smuggling of migrants.

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

To address these challenges, the action plan focuses on three main priority areas, which must be tackled with the support of EU agencies and in cooperation with the United Kingdom: strengthening migration diplomacy along the route, disrupting smuggling networks and their criminal infrastructure, and strengthening border management.

TheUKis a key partner in realising the full potential of this action plan. Given the shared nature of the challenge and building on the measures already taken by the UK, further action by the UK across all chapters of the action plan will be essential to strengthen border security, combat the smuggling of migrants and reduce the incentives for irregular migration.

Strengthening migration diplomacy along the route

Curbing illegal crossings requires a sustained and coordinated effort along the routes used by migrants seeking to cross the Channel. To this end, the EU will step up its migration diplomacy, strengthening cooperation with countries of origin and transit, as well as with international organisations.

This includes stepping up efforts as part of a ‘whole route’ approach, coordinating and promoting EU and UK information campaignsfor migrants in countries of origin and transit, as well as stepping up cooperation on returns and readmission to prevent people from undertaking dangerous journeys and to maintain the reduction in illegal arrivals.

Dismantling smuggling networks and their criminal infrastructure

Building on ongoing cooperation within the Global Alliance against the Smuggling of Migrants, the action plan calls for greater joint operational cooperation within the framework of the EU’s European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) and enhanced cooperation between Member States, Europol, Frontex, Eurojust and international partners.

Member States will also work on mapping smuggling networks across the English Channel, with the support of Europol’s Centre against the Smuggling of Migrants.

Further measures will be explored to disrupt the supply chains for small boats and to tackle the online dimension of migrant smuggling, in collaboration with the EU Internet Forum and online service providers.

Strengthening border management

The action plan will strengthen operational capacity at the borders between the UK and the Member States most at risk, with a view to improving situation alawareness, information sharing and operational cooperation.

This includes strengthening Europol’s European Centre against the Smuggling of Migrants and the UK-France Joint Intelligence Cell in Calais, as well as the deployment of Frontex personnel and equipment (such as surveillance assets) along the Channel and North Sea borders.

Background

This action plan builds on the European Strategy on Asylum and Migration Management, which called for stronger migration diplomacy and enhanced cooperation with partner countries as part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to migration management. It also supports the ongoing joint efforts within the framework of the Global Alliance against the Smuggling of Migrants.

More information: European Commission.