France will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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