15/04/2004

Immigration controls extended to include Belgian Eurostar

An agreement with Belgian authorities to extend full powers to British immigration officials operating at the Belgian Eurostar terminal was expected to be finalised today.

Home Secretary David Blunkett will finalise the deal with the Belgian Interior Minister Patrick Dewael as part of government efforts to prevent illegal immigrants entering the UK.

The tightened immigration arrangements will help prevent persons with false or inadequate documentation boarding at the Brussels-Midi Eurostar terminal.

Similar immigration arrangements operating at the French Eurostar terminals agreed in 2001 have helped to decrease asylum applications at the Eurostar terminus in London Waterloo by up to 90%.

Immigration officials said that more than 9,000 people had been prevented from travelling to Britain from the three Eurostar terminals in France in the last year.

(SP)

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