French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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