French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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