The key facts

  • About 3,800 migrants in two camps in northern France, according to French partners' estimates — nearly twice the usual ~2,000
  • The number of Channel crossings this year is just under 21,000, a 43% year-on-year decline
  • Migrants make on average 7–8 crossing attempts; Britain intends to make crossing unprofitable

Data on the camps and the composition of migrants

Duncan Capps, commander of the Border Force of the UK Home Office, said (as reported by Gazeta.Ru citing the Daily Mail) that in northern France about four thousand migrants have set up camp awaiting the opportunity to cross to the UK on small boats. According to him, by French estimates there are almost 3,800 people between the two camps, whereas previously there were about 2,000 — figures from French partners are almost twice the usual expectations. Among those waiting, single men from Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan predominate.

Crossing attempts and Britain's position

Capps noted that migrants usually make 'seven or eight' attempts before successfully crossing the English Channel. According to him, Britain intends to bring the situation to the point where crossing the border becomes unprofitable for migrants.

Crossing statistics

According to Capps, this year the number of crossings on small boats was just under 21,000, down 43% compared with the same period last year.

Context in Europe

On October 20, US President Donald Trump stated that Europe could disappear if it does not change its migration policy. On October 19, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt suggested that during the protests in France, left-wing extremists and the migrant milieu are uniting. Earlier, protests in France exacerbated the conflict over migration in the EU.