France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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