As Britain prepares to leave the EU, French President Emmanuel Macron will insist the UK must contribute millions for the improvement of border controls in northern France. Denying the request could see the collapse of the Le Touquet treaty, which allows the two states to manage border posts in each other’s territory.
Macron wants new customs posts, which the UK will be expected to fund.
However, pro-Brexit MPs have been left furious by the expected demands, and it seems Theresa May and Brexit secretary David Davis are set for trouble whichever way they turn.
The Channel is one of Europe’s busiest trade routes and will be a vital link after Brexit. If an arrangement is not in place soon, businesses will suffer on both sides from Britain crashing out of the single market free trade area.
May and Macron will meet for an Anglo-French summit next month, where the border issue is likely to be raised, the Telegraph reports. France is not likely to back down on demands, as politicians and officials in northern France pile the pressure on the French government.
There is a growing humanitarian crisis on the border with families living in bushes after fleeing Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and parts of Africa. French police have been tearing down their tents to make them leave the area, and the migrants are often left in freezing temperatures, many needing medical attention.
Despite this, leaders on both sides are mainly concerned with the trade route, ensuring business can continue on the continent and the British Isles.