🔗 Share this article French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands France has agreed to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom. This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation. French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel." Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives. Notably, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the vessels. The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel. Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented. Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past. The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment. Connected Updates Reasons UK can't just send back migrants to French territory French government backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security