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Calais chief wants new migrant border deal with UK Calais chief wants new migrant border deal with UK
(35 minutes later)
Migrants in Calais camps seeking asylum in the UK should be allowed to lodge their claim in France, the president of the region has told the BBC. Migrants in Calais seeking asylum in the UK should be allowed to lodge their claim in France, the president of the region has told the BBC.
Xavier Bertrand said many of the 9,000 migrants wanted to cross the border. Xavier Bertrand said people living in the camp known as the Jungle should be able to apply at a "hotspot" in France rather than waiting to reach Britain.
He said he wanted a new deal in which they could apply for UK asylum at a "hotspot" in France rather than having to wait to reach British soil. UK officials currently check passports in France, stopping many from entering.
The Home Office said "those in need of protection should seek asylum in the first safe country they enter".The Home Office said "those in need of protection should seek asylum in the first safe country they enter".
Mr Bertrand said under his plan anyone rejected would be deported directly to their country of origin. Mr Bertrand said under his plan anyone rejected by the UK would then be deported directly to their country of origin.
Calais has become the focal point of France's refugee crisis. 'Excellent relationship'
The Jungle camp is expanding and almost every night people there try to hide inside vehicles entering the port and the Channel Tunnel to get to Britain. The Jungle camp has become the focal point of France's refugee crisis with up to 9,000 people living there. Almost every night many try to circumvent passport checks by hiding inside vehicles entering the port and the Channel Tunnel to get to Britain.
Mr Bertrand wants changes to the bilateral agreement between France and the UK called the Treaty of Le Touquet. Mr Bertrand hopes that amending the bilateral agreement between France and the UK - called the Treaty of Le Touquet - would help alleviate those problems.
Under the treaty, British immigration officials check passports in Calais before a person arrives on British soil. The treaty allows British immigration officials to check passports in Calais and their French counterparts do the equivalent in Dover, and without it, UK officials would have to wait until people and vehicles arrived on British soil.
The Home Office said it believed in the "established principle, enshrined in the Dublin Regulation, that those in need of protection should seek asylum in the first safe country they enter."The Home Office said it believed in the "established principle, enshrined in the Dublin Regulation, that those in need of protection should seek asylum in the first safe country they enter."
The government said it was committed to working together to protect the shared border in Calais and insisted there was "an excellent relationship with the French government on these issues".The government said it was committed to working together to protect the shared border in Calais and insisted there was "an excellent relationship with the French government on these issues".
Why don't Calais migrants claim asylum in France?Why don't Calais migrants claim asylum in France?
Currently migrants can only claim asylum in the UK when they arrive in the country. They are told to present themselves to the authorities "when you arrive in the UK or as soon as you think it would be unsafe for you to return to your own country".
UK politicians have said the migrants in Calais should claim asylum in France if they need protection.
But many migrants say their life in France is "no good", and they hope for better opportunities in the UK.
Under EU rules, known as the Dublin Regulation, asylum seekers should claim asylum in the first safe country they come to.Under EU rules, known as the Dublin Regulation, asylum seekers should claim asylum in the first safe country they come to.
Electronic fingerprinting means that many who make it further into Europe will end up being sent back to Italy or Greece, where many first entered the EU.Electronic fingerprinting means that many who make it further into Europe will end up being sent back to Italy or Greece, where many first entered the EU.
Mr Bertrand does not have the power to change the treaty but several of the candidates looking to win next year's French presidential election, including former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, support his idea that it be either reformed or annulled. UK politicians say under the Dublin rules, migrants in Calais should claim asylum in France if they need protection.
It is understood Home Secretary Amber Rudd will go to Paris this week to discuss the treaty. But many migrants say their life in France is "no good", and they hope for better opportunities in the UK.
Mr Bertrand does not have the power to change the treaty, but several of the candidates looking to win next year's French presidential election, including former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, support his idea that it be either reformed or annulled.
Former chief inspector of borders John Vine told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Britain would need to be confident that proper checks would be carried out before it handed full control of Calais operations back to France.
"If border controls were removed back to the UK, then of course there would be more reliance on the French authorities in actually checking that people have the right travel documents, checking all the vehicles in northern France in a way that's now done jointly and also done with lots of British money," he said.
Border controlsBorder controls
It is understood Home Secretary Amber Rudd will go to Paris this week to discuss the treaty.
Earlier this month, local councils in the UK said they should be involved in assessing the needs of child migrants in Calais before they arrive in the UK.Earlier this month, local councils in the UK said they should be involved in assessing the needs of child migrants in Calais before they arrive in the UK.
About 4,000 lone children are claiming asylum in the UK, with their care and resettlement down to local authorities.About 4,000 lone children are claiming asylum in the UK, with their care and resettlement down to local authorities.
The Local Government Association said earlier involvement would make it easier for councils to help children settle.The Local Government Association said earlier involvement would make it easier for councils to help children settle.