🔗 Share this article France will start stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK. This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements. French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and civilians. "It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters." Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives. Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats. The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government. This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat. Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped. Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past. The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment. Related Developments Reasons UK cannot just send back asylum seekers to France France backing away from pledge to intercept migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security