Keir Starmer indicators new migration agreements in enhance to European cooperation | EUROtoday

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Sir Keir Starmer has ramped up the UK’s cooperation with Europe on migration, signing three new agreements to crack down on smuggling gangs.

Saying a “major upgrade” on worldwide co-operation is required, the prime minister introduced plans to signal three new agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

The offers will improve intelligence sharing, experience and co-operation with a purpose to intercept legal smuggling gangs, the federal government mentioned.

It comes forward of the following assembly of the European Political Community, which is able to see the prime minister chair a gathering on migration on Thursday.

The PM will meet with European leaders to induce “concerted action to reduce the number of deaths in the Channel as a result of dangerous and illegal small boats crossings”.

He can be anticipated to say that every one European nations bear a accountability to “end the devastation caused by people smugglers and that lawful, international co-operation will be key to these efforts.”

Almost 100,000 migrants transited by the Western Balkans final yr, making it a key route.

The European Political Community (EPC) is a discussion board which brings collectively 47 European nations to co-ordinate responses to shared challenges.

The intervention follows Sir Keir’s speech to the Interpol Conference in Glasgow this week, the place he referred to as for organised immigration crime to be handled like terrorism.

On Monday, the prime minister introduced a £150m bundle of measures to sort out the small boat disaster, arguing that addressing the difficulty can be a “victory for humanity” that may assist to avoid wasting “countless lives”.

International cooperation to sort out folks smuggling networks might be a central function of Thursday’s EPC assembly, Sir Keir mentioned, warning that the UK can’t make progress on the difficulty by itself.

“There is a criminal empire operating on our continent, exacting a horrendous human toll and undermining our national security.

“Backed by our new Border Security Command, the UK will be at the heart of the efforts to end the scourge of organised immigration crime – but we cannot do it in isolation”, he mentioned.

“We need to go further and faster, alongside our international partners, and take the fight directly to the heart of these vile people smuggling networks. I will be making this the central feature of my discussions at the European Political Community meeting today.”

Home secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned cooperation with nations within the Western Balkans is “absolutely key to dismantling the criminal networks that orchestrate the exploitation of vulnerable people for financial gain”.

She added: “Working more closely with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, we will share information and intelligence, and work across borders to map out what is happening and where, to break the business models of these unscrupulous gangs at source.

“Through our intensified work, criminals will soon realise they have nowhere to hide.”