French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for 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 approached for comment.
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