EU ministers meet in Calais over Channel crisis but without UK
Source: The Guardian
EU ministers meet in Calais over Channel crisis but without UK
France seeks greater European co-operation, but talks exclude Priti Patel after diplomatic row
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels
Sun 28 Nov 2021 11.34 GMT
EU ministers are meeting in Calais on Sunday to discuss how to stop people crossing the Channel in small boats, but without the UK home secretary, Priti Patel, whose invitation was rescinded following a diplomatic row with France.
France has invited representatives from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the European Commission to the meeting, which was called last week after 27 people hoping to claim asylum in the UK died making the perilous crossing.
Following that event, the biggest loss of life in the Channel since the Channel route emerged, the French government is seeking greater European co-operation to clamp down on people smugglers.
The French government has said five suspected people smugglers arrested near the Belgian border last week had bought unspecified materials in Germany. People seeking to reach the UK often come to France via Belgium to find the shortest crossing point.
Patel had been due to attend the meeting but was disinvited after Boris Johnson published his proposals to tackle the issue in a letter to Emmanuel Macron that was released on Twitter before the French president had received it.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/28/calais-eu-ministers-meeting-channel-priti-patel