UK Hopes New German Law Will Cut Migrant Small Boats
On 19 December 2025, Germany passed new measures criminalising the facilitation of migrant smuggling toward the UK. The law aims to stop criminal gangs from storing small boats or engines in Germany prior to Channel crossings and is set to come into force by the end of 2025.
These changes are designed to strengthen law-enforcement cooperation and information sharing between the UK and Germany. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that this partnership will help crack down on criminal gangs and restore border order. The measures are part of the UK government's broader border-control approach, which includes increasing removals of migrants.
In 2025, the first ten months saw record numbers of small-boat crossings; however, total arrivals later fell below the 2022 peak. There was a 28-day pause in crossings before hundreds crossed again last weekend. Adrian Matthews of the National Crime Agency welcomed the new law, saying it will boost efforts against small boats and reinforce cooperation with German partners. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that cross-border cooperation is essential to disrupt criminal smuggling networks.
