French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid 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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