France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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