France will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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