Sir Keir Starmer's "one in, one out" migrant deal with France has sparked backlash from Italy, Spain and three other southern EU countries.
The five nations, including Greece, Malta, and Cyprus, argue that the Franco-British deal will result in the continent having to take back people from the UK.
Under the proposed scheme, Channel migrants would be sent back to France within weeks of their arrival in return for the UK taking asylum seekers from France.
This strategy aims to act as a deterrent and "send a clear message" to others planning to make the journey.
Channel migrants would be sent back to France within weeks of their arrival in return for the UK taking asylum seekers from France under the scheme
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Home Office sources told The Telegraph that the returns scheme was still a "work in progress".
A letter sent to the European Commission last week by opposing members of the bloc strongly opposes the proposals and claims that the "initiative raises serious concerns".
It read: “We take note — with a degree of surprise — of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement.
“If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry.”
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Italy, Spain and three other southern EU countries oppose the scheme
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The five signatories, which are often the locations for migrants beginning the perilous journey to Europe from Africa, are concerned that the initiative would mean France would, using EU rules, return asylum seekers to the first country of entry, where their asylum claim should be processed.
They wrote: “We believe it is essential to clarify whether the agreement may produce any direct or indirect consequences for other member states."
A British official told the FT that “the final hurdles are taking longer than expected” as some EU countries “are more onboard than others”.
There had been a deadlock between London and Paris, as French officials argued that any new agreement would have to be EU-wide.
An initial deal would be limited to the UK taking asylum seekers from France with family connections in Britain in return for a corresponding number of Channel migrants being returned to France
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French officials have also agreed to start intercepting migrant "taxi boats" at sea for the first time after previously refusing to do so for fear of breaching maritime safety laws.
An initial deal would be limited to the UK taking asylum seekers from France with family connections in Britain in return for a corresponding number of Channel migrants being returned to France.
Director of the Centre For Migration, Steven Woolfe, slammed the idea, saying it was "nonsensical" and would fail to deter people looking to cross the Channel.
Woolfe told GB News: "The idea of a one in, one out system is nonsensical. The theory is that if someone is denied asylum through an official hub in Paris or Lille and still chooses to cross on a boat, they’ll be returned.
Last September, Keir Starmer held meetings with the Italian Government, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, to discuss various plans to address illegal migration
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He added: "But in reality, they’ll keep trying until they get in. We’re already seeing this with people hiding in lorries, around 5,000 a year arrive this way. These routes existed before Brexit, under the old Dublin II system, and they continue now.
"Under Dublin II, we were supposed to be able to return people to France if they failed asylum tests. But in practice, we took in four times as many people from France as we sent back."
In a bid to work on “practical and innovative approaches” to immigration across the channel, Starmer was accused of bringing Britian closer to the continent after signing an EU "reset" agreement in May.
However, a broader agreement on migration with mainland Europe remains unseen.
GB News has reported that over 18,000 migrants have crossed the channel illegally since the start of the year, with the number expected to continue rising
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A spokesman for the European Commission confirmed it had received the letter opposing the Franco-British deal.
They said: “We are in contact with the French and the UK authorities to ensure the necessary clarifications are made. We are working with France and the UK as well as other EU member states to support solutions compatible with the spirit and letter of EU law.”
The Commission added that the increase in people smuggling across the Channel was “alarming” and merited “a robust response to deter dangerous journeys”.
GB News has reported that over 18,000 migrants have crossed the channel illegally since the start of the year, with the number expected to continue rising.
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