Germany has introduced a major legal overhaul, imposing prison sentences of up to ten years for people smugglers attempting to bring migrants to the United Kingdom. The legislation, approved on Friday 19 December 2025, is a direct response to criminal gangs using Germany as a logistical base for organising dangerous small boat crossings across the English Channel.
Targeting the Smuggling Supply Chain
The new law is designed to disrupt the operational model of organised crime networks. It specifically targets gangs that store boats and engines within Germany before transporting them to the northern coast of France for launching. The legislation comes into force before the end of 2025, granting enhanced powers to German law enforcement and prosecutors. A key component is the bolstering of real-time information sharing between German and UK authorities.
This legal change follows a bilateral deal struck between the UK and Germany in December of the previous year, which committed both nations to a joint strategy against illegal migration. Part of this strategy includes efforts to remove the online advertising used by smugglers on social media platforms to recruit customers.
UK Government Welcomes "Close Partnership"
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the development, stating it was a result of sustained joint work. "This major change in German law is the result of our close partnership working to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime," she said. "We will continue to ramp up our international co-operation to strengthen our own border security."
The move aligns with recent domestic action from the UK government. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act became law earlier this month, granting UK agencies counter-terror-style powers to pursue and dismantle smuggling operations.
A Broader Push on Border Security and Asylum
Concurrently, the Home Secretary has announced reforms aimed at overhauling the UK's asylum system. The stated goals are to deter illegal migration and streamline the process of removing individuals who have no legal right to remain in the country.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasised the collaborative nature of the challenge: "Together with our German allies, we are cracking down on the criminal gangs operating the illegal migration trade. I thank Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt for Germany's strong co-operation with the UK in tackling this issue." She added that the government's focus was on "restoring order at our borders by scaling up removals and removing the incentives that draw people here illegally."
The legislative action comes as the issue of Channel crossings remains prominent. After a recent period of reduced numbers, nearly 800 migrants arrived on small boats in the past week alone, aided by favourable weather conditions in the Channel.
