LONDON: Britain and its former partners in the European Union have struck a deal to cooperate more on tackling illegal migration, in the latest sign of a thawing in relations between the two sides following Brexit.The British government said in a statement Friday that UK border agencies and Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency, will be able to access each other’s intelligence to secure borders and tackle organized immigration crime. There will also be joint training, deployments of staff from one side to the other, and collaboration on research and development on new technologies.The agreement, which will be signed later in London, doesn’t include any bilateral returns agreement, which means neither side will be obliged to to take any asylum-seekers under burden-sharing arrangements agreed on between the EU’s 27 member states.“Organized immigration crime and people smuggling are global challenges that require shared solutions and ambitions,” UK Home Secretary James Cleverly said.“Our landmark working arrangement between the UK and Frontex is another crucial step in tackling illegal migration, securing our borders and stopping the boats,” he added.Relations between the two sides on an array of issues has been improving in the past few months, having been severely tested during the drawn-out divorce negotiations that followed Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU.
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