🔗 Share this article French authorities will start intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK. This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative 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 only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements. French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel." Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives. Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the boats. This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from government. This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat. Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented. Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances. The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment. Connected Updates Reasons UK cannot just send back migrants to France French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security