French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police 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 rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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