France to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official statements.
French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great 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."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways 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.
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