French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying 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 authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
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