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 international co-operation is needed, the prime minister announced plans to sign three new agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo.
The deals will increase intelligence sharing, expertise and co-operation in order to intercept criminal smuggling gangs, the government said.
It comes ahead of the next meeting of the European Political Community, which will see the prime minister chair a meeting on migration on Thursday.
The PM will meet with European leaders to urge “concerted action to reduce the number of deaths in the Channel as a result of dangerous and illegal small boats crossings”.
He is also expected to say that all European countries bear a responsibility 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 through the Western Balkans last year, making it a key route.
The European Political Community (EPC) is a forum which brings together 47 European countries to co-ordinate responses to shared challenges.
The intervention follows Sir Keir’s speech to the Interpol Conference in Glasgow this week, where he called for organised immigration crime to be treated like terrorism.
On Monday, the prime minister announced a £150m package of measures to tackle the small boat crisis, arguing that addressing the issue would be a “victory for humanity” that would help to save “countless lives”.
International cooperation to tackle people smuggling networks will be a central feature of Thursday’s EPC meeting, Sir Keir said, warning that the UK cannot make progress on the issue on its own.
“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 said.
“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 said cooperation with nations in 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.”