French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.
Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions 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 the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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