France will start intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after 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 back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as 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."
Now, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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