Germany may not meet its promise to tighten migration laws this year to make it easier to prosecute small-boat smugglers, raising doubts over its commitment to help the UK tackle illegal Channel crossings. A BBC report revealed that Germany’s Interior Ministry now only plans to introduce a bill to parliament by the end of 2025, without confirming when it will be fully approved.
Currently, facilitating people-smuggling to a non-EU country, like the UK after Brexit, is not technically illegal in Germany. This loophole has allowed smugglers to use the country as a hub to store boats and engines used for Channel crossings. Following a BBC investigation last year exposing this practice, Berlin pledged to change the law, but progress appears to have slowed.
A spokesperson for the German Interior Ministry said the government has no control over how quickly parliament processes the bill once it is submitted. Some UK officials are concerned that there may not be enough time left in the Bundestag’s calendar this year to finalize the proposal. A staff member at the Bundestag confirmed there might still be a small window of opportunity but admitted that the issue does not appear to be a top government priority.
The situation comes as France also seems to be backing away from earlier promises to intercept migrant boats more aggressively in the English Channel. These developments pose challenges for the UK Labour government, which is relying on stronger international cooperation to curb illegal migration through small-boat crossings.
Last year, after the BBC’s undercover investigation exposed how smugglers traded “death trap” boats in German cities, Berlin’s commitment to close the legal loophole was hailed by the UK as proof that its diplomatic approach was effective. However, any delay could now frustrate British officials who have long urged Germany to act faster.
A legal draft expanding “criminal liability for cross-border human smuggling to the United Kingdom” has been prepared, but it has not yet been approved by the German Cabinet—a vital step before parliamentary review. Inside Germany, the debate over this law remains low-profile, as the public discourse largely focuses on domestic immigration concerns.
While the UK government remains optimistic, saying it “welcomes Germany’s commitment,” critics in Berlin question whether this law change will truly help Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer achieve his goal of “smashing the gangs” behind the dangerous Channel crossings. Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier stated that he believed the change could be enacted quickly after the summer break, but with little visible progress, the timeline now seems uncertain.
If passed, the new law would give German prosecutors stronger tools to tackle the storage and supply of small boats used for illegal migration. For now, investigators must rely on other charges, like money laundering or violence, to act against smugglers. As both countries push for stronger cooperation, Germany’s next steps will determine how much real impact this joint effort will have on stopping illegal Channel crossings.