France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested 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 shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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