French authorities will start stopping small boats in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the boats.
This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons Britain can't just send back migrants to French territory
- France withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
