French authorities will start intercepting migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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