🔗 Share this article

French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

Connected Developments

• Reasons Britain can't just send back asylum seekers to French territory
• French government backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats