🔗 Share this article

France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect 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 gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

Related Updates

• Reasons UK cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
• France withdrawing from pledge to intercept asylum boats