French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.
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