French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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