Following a sudden influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the discussion on unauthorised migration to Europe is again heightened. In the UK this means a focus on small boat crossings and the policy surrounding them, particularly following 752 arrivals on July 29 \u2013 the highest number for one day so far this year, with four deaths recorded. The UK prime minster, Andy Burnham, has announced he will be \u201crelentless\u201d in addressing the issue, but is this the right approach? Our experts explain the statistics and language around small boat crossings into the UK, as well as what needs to change for immigration policies to succeed.<\/p>\n
Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics & International Studies, The Open University<\/strong><\/p>\n In his comments about the influx of migrants in Ceuta at the end of July, Andy Burnham\u00a0spoke of the need for<\/a>\u00a0\u201cregular dialogue with the EU\u201d. This was interesting for several reasons.<\/p>\n Despite Ceuta\u2019s distance from the UK and its very particular relationship to the rest of the Schengen area of free movement, Burnham recognised that this has taken on a Europe-wide dimension. In a\u00a0letter<\/a>\u00a0following the border crossing incident, 22 European leaders sharply criticised the Spanish government, and prompted broader discussion about \u201cillegal border movements\u201d. This will bring Channel crossings back up the European agenda, which might offer opportunities for Burnham to gather more support for action from the EU.<\/p>\n Simultaneously, Burnham\u2019s stance is a reflection of the very limited role that the EU currently plays in managing small boat crossings in the Channel. Competence for border controls and policing of people smuggling remains very much a matter for national governments, as seen in the recent\u00a0ramping up<\/a>\u00a0of UK-French cooperation.<\/p>\n Since the UK left the EU, it no longer has access to the\u00a0Dublin regulation arrangements<\/a>\u00a0that allowed it to return asylum seekers to other EU member states without considering their claims. Talking with the EU might sound good, but in practice it will be work with those countries on the edge of the Channel that delivers most results.<\/p>\n Finally, this is one of Burnham\u2019s very first mentions of work with the EU since starting his path to Number 10. Yet, it\u2019s an issue that isn\u2019t an obvious priority for either side, and since the UK has little to offer the EU, we are likely to see limited progress. How this feeds into the more pressing elements of UK-EU relations \u2013\u00a0negotiations<\/a>\u00a0on food standards, youth mobility and the rest \u2013 will only become clear in the coming months.<\/p>\n