French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
Related Updates
- Why UK can't just return migrants to French territory
- France withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security