English Channel and Sandhurst Treaty

News: France and the UK have renewed the Sandhurst Treaty to curb illegal crossings across the English Channel.

About English Channel

• Location: The English Channel is a narrow body of water that forms a natural border between England (part of the United Kingdom) and France. 
• It is a narrow extension of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the southern coast of England (part of Great Britain) from the northern coast of France. 
• Connecting: The channel connects with the North Sea in the east through the Strait of Dover.
• Area: It has an area of around 75,000 sq. km.
  • It is the smallest of the shallow seas covering the continental shelf of Europe. 
• Length: It is 150 km long and 1.5 to 5 km in width.
• Depth: It is a shallow epicontinental sea with a maximum depth of 174 m in the Hurd Deep. 
• Geography: It is characterized by a huge variety of coastlines, with retreating rocky coasts, sand/gravel beaches,  rias,  and estuaries, sandy beach/dune strandplains and extensive intertidal flats and marshes.
• Basins: It has two distinct basins –
  • Western Basin of  the  English  Channel  (WBEC): In the west, the coast is characterised by hard Palaeozoic rocks (including some Precambrian rocks on the French side), which form eroding cliffs, associated with small, sandy pocket beaches, and relatively small rias and estuaries.
  • Eastern  Basin  of the  English  Channel  (EBEC): There are high chalk cliffs along the English Dover Strait and the French Pays de Caux, which have narrow beaches of sand and gravel (flint/chalk). 
• Along the French coasts, bays such as the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, Bay of Seine, and Bay of Somme have acted as sediment traps throughout the Holocene, filling with marine sand during the last transgression
• Climate: It has a temperate maritime climate characterized by warm summers and cool to cold winters.
• Economic Importance: It is the busiest shipping route in the world, with over 500 ships passing through it each day. 
  • It handles nearly 20% of global maritime trade.
  • The presence of sandy beaches, a favourable climate, and well-developed ferry services has boosted tourism along the English Channel. 

About Sandhurst Treaty

• It is a bilateral treaty signed between France and the UK that has allowed for juxtaposed border controls.
• Aim: It aims to prevent illegal crossings of the English Channel.
• It was signed in 2018, which was extended for the first time in 2023 and expires in 2026.
• After several months of negotiations, France and the United Kingdom have agreed to renew the Sandhurst Treaty for the next three years.
• The agreement emphasises joint responsibility, with both countries cooperating on border management and migration control.
• It allows UK to return some small boat arrivals to France while admitting an equivalent number of migrants from France who have not attempted to cross into the UK.
• Key Highlights of the agreement: 
  •  UK will provide up to €766 million over three years, with €580 million guaranteed and the remaining amount linked to the effectiveness of measures.
  • The agreement will help to increase border surveillance and enhance security infrastructure.
  • The number of personnel monitoring the Channel is set to rise to around 1,400 officers by 2029.
  • A special French Republican Security Corps (CRS) unit is dedicated to tackling illegal crossings.
  • Use of drones, helicopters, and electronic surveillance tools has been expanded.