🔗 Share this article French authorities to begin intercepting migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK. The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage. French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation. French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel." Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life. Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats. The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel. Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped. Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response. Connected Updates Reasons UK cannot just send back asylum seekers to French territory France backing away from pledge to intercept asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security