France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.
That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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