BBET initiative with the French National Assembly

This is a joint initiative with Vincent Caure, the Deputy to the French National Assembly Deputy representing French nationals of the the “Third Constituency for Citizens Abroad” which includes the UK (read more about this under background below).

In February 2025, BBET wrote to M le Député Caure to express our concern over the loss of station stops in Ashford and Ebbsfleet, on behalf of French residents and business leaders who moved to Kent because of its rail links with France.

“Over two years, my business has lost £1m in revenue with all the missed opportunities, and another £1m in lost investment.”

Ashford French resident JC Cothias, CEO of MailExpertise

M Cothias’s experience, described in further detail in our webinar of March 2023, is typical of the reaction among French nationals whose chose to locate their businesses in Kent because of the access to Eurostar from Ashford and Ebbsfleet. All French residents of the south east of England are similarly impacted by the loss of the station stops.

Action by M le Député Caure: writing to Eurostar

Following some discussion between us and M Caure, his office drafted a letter to Eurostar detailing our concerns. To these they added Calais-Fréthun which lost its Eurostar service at the same time as the Kent stations, greatly affecting northern France.

The letter was addressed to Eurostar Director General Gwendoline Cazenave, signed by M Caure and co-signed by:

• Sojan Joseph MP, for Ashford
• Noel Ovenden, council leader of Ashford Borough Council
• Olivier Cadic, Senator representing French citizens abroad
• Natacha Bouchard, Maire of Calais, President of Grand Calais Terres & Mers, Councillor at the Hauts-de-France region
• Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France region
• Stephanie Boucher for BBET

Read the English version (translated by M Caure’s office):

The letter was sent on 4th June 2025.

Eurostar responds

In late June, an answer came from Mme Cazenave – here is the French version:

We have translated it:

Note: the Eurostar logo and signature graphics are taken from the original.

BBET’s own response to Eurostar

We will respond to Monsieur Caure in the hope that he pushes back on some of Mme Cazenave’s excuses.

Our position is that the 50 trains she mentions are to be shared across the whole Eurostar network, which now encompasses the former Thalys routes that do not cross the Channel. In the view of some experts, most of these new trains will replace existing rolling stock that is wearing out. The number of additional trains amounts to only 16, of which the Channel Tunnel route is likely to see only 8.

This argument has been used to block the use of the Temple Mills depot to competitors, although Mme Cazenave does not refer directly to this in her letter. The figure of ’50 new trains’ is disingenuous, because few of them will end up at Temple Mills. Eurostar of course has the use of similar depots in Paris and Brussels.

The cost of border force staff to run the stations is low compared with the overall costs of the network.

We plan to ask M Caure to take up Mme Cazenave on her offer of further discussions.

Background: French electoral representation for citizens abroad

French citizens living outside France are represented at the country’s National Assembly by directly elected members who cover specific numbered geographical areas. The UK finds itself in the Third Constituency.

Known in French as La troisième circonscription des Français établis hors de France, this area also covers Ireland, the Baltic States (Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia) and the Nordic States (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland).

In terms of numbers, French citizens living in the UK outweigh by a factor of 4:1 those resident in the rest of the Third Constituency put together. French citizens who are registered to vote elect the deputy through their consulate.

French citizens outside France also have representation in the Senate chamber, currently through Senator Olivier Cadic who lives in London.

The UK does not have any equivalent elected representation for its worldwide citizens.

Last updated on September 26th, 2025