🔗 Share this article French authorities will start intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK. The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements. French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters." Currently, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action 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 method to disable the propellers of the boats. This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office. That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel. Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped. Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response. Related Developments Why Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory French government withdrawing from commitment to stop migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security