France to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left office.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.
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