The UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to increase collaboration between UK and EU agencies on immigration, as per Downing Street. The two leaders highlighted that they share an interest in countering cross-border crime and human trafficking during their bilateral discussions in Iceland on Tuesday. They agreed to enhance migration cooperation between Frontex, the EU border force, and UK agencies by creating a new working arrangement. The teams will discuss the specifics and operation of this arrangement to work towards critical operational and strategic challenges, including the scenario in the channel. The two-day summit in Reykjavik centres mostly around enforcing accountability over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with European leaders expected to agree to a Register of Damages. During the summit, Sunak stressed to European leaders the requirement to be prepared to confront threats to society before they become too big to deal with, including illegal immigration. The prime minister emphasised that illegal migration exploits the most vulnerable, and it risks crowding out individuals with a valid case for asylum. According to Home Office data, 45,755 illegal immigrants crossed the English Channel on small boats to enter the UK in 2022. Sunak made halting the boats one of his priorities and plans to complete his pledge. The government proposed an Illegal Migration Bill, which will prohibit those who have entered the UK illicitly from seeking asylum. If passed, illegal entrants will be swiftly sent back to their home country or a secure third country like Rwanda and will be banned from re-entering. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), an international court based in Strasbourg, has obstructed previous attempts by the UK to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda. In Reykjavik, Sunak and ECHR President Siofra O’Leary discussed a review of Rule 39, the order that blocked last year’s inaugural UK deportation flight to Rwanda.