France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.
Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.
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