France will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, 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.
Currently French officials will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
