🔗 Share this article

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

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

French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

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

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

Connected Developments

• Why Britain can't just return migrants to French territory
• France withdrawing from pledge to stop migrant boats