France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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