![]() The infamous 'Calais Jungle' was shut down earlier this year.įor Decoster, "the situation is completely different now than when the treaty was signed, so it's completely normal to review the question of border management within this new context." However, many migrants looking to reach Britain end up being held back in Calais, and local authorities are struggling to cope. This agreement let countries set up its immigration controls in each other's Channel ports, meaning the French border is in Kent and the French border is in Calais. He points out that when the Touquet agreement was signed in 2003, the situation was very different. "There has been a lack of consideration for the reciprocal positions of France and Britain." Saint-Omer is just 40km from Calais, which Decoster says is now seen as a symbol of "the failure of migration policy, due to a lack of response from authorities above local level."Ī key element of this failure is border management between France and the UK at Calais. I don't want to commit my constituency further, because our capacities are limited, but if every local authority did the same, we could take a different approach to tackling the issue,” says Decoster. "We explained to them why there were new co-citizens. Saint-Omer is located in a region where the far-right, anti-immigration Front National has traditionally enjoyed considerable support, so how has the local population reacted to the city welcoming refugees? Others who wish to stay in the city receive assistance to sign up for school or traineeships. Saint-Omer welcomes around 1500 minors each year for five days, while administrative work is carried out to locate their families. "The speed of the migratory flux has a direct impact on local authorities, as they deal with the day-to-day lives of citizens." Local communities are the ones who really work with people."įrançois Decoster, Mayor of Saint-Omer in northern France, has seen first-hand the pressures being place on local authorities to deal with the migration crisis. We should not forget, however, that our own member states need to continue to support us. ![]() He also noted that "looking at a regional context is fundamental, but it also depends on the willingness of the third countries. Gabrici stressed the need to establish a partnership framework with countries of origin and transit, without focusing exclusively on "migrants who need to be sent back home."
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