There has been significant disruption at the port and Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais in France, both from migrants seeking to penetrate security in order to reach the United Kingdom, and from ferry workers protesting against redundancies. The episode has highlighted the vulnerability of one of the main conduits for trade between the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. Beyond the crisis at Calais, the EU's reliance on its ports to sustain trade faces a number of challenges.
If migrants cannot access UK transport links at Calais, they may redirect their efforts to other ports in northern France and Belgium.
Some firms are redirecting to other ports and to air to avoid Calais, but no other location offers cross-Channel links as frequent or fast.
Either or both governments could face legal or compensation claims: Eurotunnel has requested 9.7 million euros (10.6 million dollars).
Migrants at Calais are a tiny share of the total influx to the EU, and London has opted out of the bloc's migrant burden-sharing scheme.
UK calls for more help and action on the migrant crisis will thus aggravate its partners, while stoking UK anti-EU feeling.
