France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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