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The prime ministers of the UK and Italy have united to demand tougher action across Europe on irregular migration, after finalising a pact with like-minded nations to deepen co-operation on the issue.
Rishi Sunak and Giorgia Meloni hosted talks on the margins of a European Political Community summit, which was attended by 47 European leaders, in Granada, Spain, on Thursday.
The pair were joined by the leaders of the European Commission, France, the Netherlands and Albania for an hour-long roundtable, in which they hashed out an eight-point plan.
In a joint statement, the six participants said they would “tackle migrant smuggling along the routes and at external borders”, support partner countries to “strengthen border protection” as well as search and rescue capabilities, plus deepen co-operation on visa policy.
The agreement is likely to be seen as a victory for Sunak, who forced the issue on to the agenda at the summit despite the move stoking tensions with Spain, which had opposed migration being an official topic of discussion.
British government insiders believe that sentiment on clandestine migration is hardening across Europe, with other leaders’ thinking increasingly aligning with the UK on the need for a more robust approach.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats across the English Channel is down about a fifth compared to last year, which Sunak has claimed is proof that his strategy on tackling “illegal migration” is working.
Sunak said at the summit that Britain was making progress in its attempt to land an agreement with Frontex, the EU’s border agency, to gain access to the bloc’s intelligence on migration.
Asked about media reports that the substance of a deal has been finalised by officials, Sunak said talks were “ongoing”.
Later on Thursday Sunak and Meloni said in a co-authored article: “We are working together to stop the boats and we are calling on others to act with the same sense of urgency.”
Writing in The Times, the pair described Italy and the UK as “leading on this together”, adding that they were “two of the closest friends in Europe today”.
The remark is likely to raise eyebrows among centrist Conservative MPs in Britain given Meloni’s reputation as a rightwing firebrand.
Italy is contending with a surge of migrants that is approaching levels last seen during the European crisis of 2015 and 2016.
So far this year, more than 135,000 people have reached Italian shores from across the Mediterranean, up from about 72,600 in the same period in 2022.
The increase is a political headache for Meloni, who came to power last year after promising to curb inflows of irregular migrants.
The European Political Community is the brainchild of France’s president Emmanuel Macron, intended to boost security co-operation in Europe, and involving EU member states plus other nations including Ukraine, Turkey and western Balkan countries.
Tensions between the UK and Spain over whether to put migration on the official agenda at the event in Granada worsened when Sunak refused to take part in a summit press conference, forcing it to be pulled.
Some officials, including the Spanish organisers, expressed irritation at the British prime minister’s decision, saying the cancellation of the press conference eroded the prestige of the event.
The previous two European Political Community summits have included final press conferences featuring the leaders of the past, present and future hosts of the event.
A UK official said Sunak could not fit a press conference into his packed schedule and wanted to prioritise meetings with other leaders on tackling illegal immigration.
The move may, in some quarters, damp goodwill towards the UK when it hosts the next European Political Community summit in six months’ time.
