🔗 Share this article

French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.

French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

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

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

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

Connected Updates

• Reasons UK can't just return migrants to France
• France withdrawing from pledge to intercept asylum boats