🔗 Share this article French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after UK pressure France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK. The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements. French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals. "It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel." Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives. Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the boats. The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government. This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel. Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain 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 methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment. Connected Updates Reasons Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to France French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security