1. Process UK asylum applications in France 

Some politicians would like migrants who wish to travel to the UK to be able to make their applications from France. This would reduce the incentive to make dangerous crossings and put smuggling gangs out of business. The challenge for the French authorities would be how to deal with those the UK rejected. Also, such a system would incentivize migrants to try to reach France and could act as a magnet. 

2. Process UK asylum applications in a third country 

Some members of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party would like to follow Australia's example and assess asylum applications in a third country. This, they say, would remove the incentive for people to come to the UK in the hope that even should their applications be rejected, they could manage to stay in the country. However, finding a country willing to house an assessment center has proved difficult and the logistics and legal situation pose challenges. 

3. UK pays France for stronger measures 

The UK has promised large sums of money to help pay for additional measures. However, amid recriminations about the effectiveness of French efforts, there have been arguments about when the cash will be delivered. In any case, the French say the cost of what they see as defending the British border is far higher. 

4. UK and France to conduct joint patrols 

Johnson and his key ministers have frequently suggested the UK and France should carry out joint patrols. This would be a very difficult policy to implement on both sides. Ahead of elections next year, President Emmanuel Macron would face fierce attacks if he allowed foreign security forces to patrol French territory. And the lack of any legal authority for British officials in France could leave them effectively unable to operate.

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5. Target smugglers and their businesses 

One thing on which all sides agree is the need to disrupt and dismantle the criminal organizations driving the people-smuggling. Since the start of 2021, 1,552 smugglers have been arrested in northern France and 44 smuggling networks dismantled but the problem endures. The French interior minister says five people have been arrested so far in connection with the tragic crossing attempt on Wednesday in which 27 people died. Gerald Darmanin says one of the detained had "German registration" and the boat used for the fatal trip was believed to have been bought in Germany. Attempts to cut the supply of boats only seems to have led to more fragile and improvised craft coming to sea. 

6. Prevent migrants getting to the French coast 

Over the past two decades, numerous attempts have been made to shut down camps near the French coast, but people keep returning no matter how challenging the conditions. The European Union's open borders make it almost impossible to stop migrants moving from country to country and after a voyage of many thousands of kilometers, the incentive to make the final leg of the route to the UK is high. 

7. Make the UK less attractive 

France claims the ease of finding unregistered work is a strong lure for many people from poor countries. The UK is trying to introduce laws to criminalize people who arrive through illegal routes and has demanded employers make greater efforts to check their staff. But the country has historically been reluctant to introduce compulsory identification cards such as those used in France and other European countries. Efforts to return those refused permission to stay in the UK have floundered in many instances amid legal challenges,

8. Turn back boats

In theory, UK border guards do have the right to turn around boats and send them back towards France. However, this would be highly likely to endanger the lives of those on board and so has never been done. France has spoken out strongly against the practice.

9. Offer legal routes to the UK

The UK government says that allowing migrants in France to legally cross to the UK would simply encourage more and more people to come.