French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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