In a significant development post-Brexit, Britain and the European Union have forged a deal facilitating the exchange of intelligence concerning criminal organizations

involved in trafficking migrants. The agreement, brokered with the EU's border protection agency, Frontex, signifies a deepening of cooperation between the two entities.

According to the British government, this arrangement will streamline the sharing of crucial information and strategies, enable joint training initiatives, and foster collaboration on innovative technologies aimed at combating illegal migration.

The formal signing of the agreement is scheduled to take place in London on Friday, bringing together officials from both British and EU administrations. British Home Secretary James Cleverly emphasized the global nature of organized immigration crime and people smuggling, stressing the need for collective efforts and aspirations in addressing these challenges.

For British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, curbing the influx of asylum seekers arriving via small boats from France ranks among his top five priorities. He hopes that a reduction in arrivals might bolster the electoral prospects of his Conservative Party, which currently trails in opinion polls, as a general election looms later this year.

While Britain has pursued bilateral agreements, including a recent pact with Albania to disrupt people-smuggling networks and tackle illegal migration, it no longer enjoys returns agreements with the EU following its departure from the bloc in 2020.

A spokesperson for the Home Office clarified that Britain will not provide financial compensation to the EU as part of this arrangement, and the deal does not encompass any returns agreement.

This initiative represents the latest endeavor by Sunak to enhance relations between Britain and the EU. Last year, Britain announced its intention to rejoin the European Union's flagship Horizon science research program, resolving a two-year post-Brexit impasse over science funding. Additionally, both sides reached a deal on Northern Ireland's trading arrangements, further cementing their ongoing cooperation. Photo by Henryy st, Wikimedia commons.