🔗 Share this article French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK. This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel. French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements. French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters." Currently, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives. Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats. This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat. Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented. Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response. Connected Updates Reasons Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory French government withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security