People smuggling

France and Italy agree to unify border forces to combat people smuggling

France and Italy have agreed to work even closer together along their shared border to tackle the networks of people smugglers operating there.

Both countries' guards and officials will operate under one command to make them more effective. The location for the command's headquarters has yet to be announced.

One major - and often deadly - route for many refugees and economic migrants is across the Mediterranean by usually overcrowded and unseaworthy boats from north Africa and onto Italy's coastline.

Many aim to then head to more prosperous northern European countries, particularly Germany and the UK.