British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will discuss border security with Friedrich Merz during the German Chancellor's visit to Britain next week. Starmer announced this in an article published in the "Sunday Express" newspaper, PA Media/DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The British Prime Minister defines illegal migration as a "global problem" that can only be solved "by working with our allies and influencing our neighbors". During Merz's visit, the two will also discuss joint action against criminal networks and people trafficking to the UK.
"The networks of these criminal gangs extend into countless countries, with no respect for our borders", the British Prime Minister said.
"We will take more decisive action to tackle this common problem together", he stressed.
According to the British Home Office, 353 people crossed the English Channel in a small boat on Friday, just a day after Starmer signed an agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron aimed at deterring migrants from making the dangerous journey.
More migrants crossed on Saturday, but the exact number has not yet been released.
Under the terms of the agreement negotiated by Starmer and Macron, the UK will now be able to send migrants back in France in exchange for asylum seekers with links to Britain.
The pilot scheme, called "person for person", is due to start within weeks but needs final legal approval at EU level.
"Downing Street" said ministers expected the EU to back the deal amid concerns among some European governments that migrants who have travelled to Britain could end up back on their territory.
No details were given on how many people would be covered by the pilot scheme, but French officials have said the number could initially be limited to around 50 people a week. An average of 782 people have crossed the Channel each week since the start of the year.
"This is what serious, practical solutions to global problems look like", Starmer stressed in his publication.
"We will do our duty as a compassionate country by accepting genuine asylum seekers who respect our rules and our way of life," he added.
He said people who try to cross the border illegally "will soon be back where they started. That is a real deterrent".
Since January, at least 21,000 people have already made the journey, meaning 2025 will be a record year for crossings.
The UK has deported more than 30,000 people. "This is the highest number for almost a decade", the British prime minister said, adding that arrests of those working illegally in the country had increased by 50 percent.