🔗 Share this article France will start stopping small boats in Channel following British demands France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK. The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation. French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians. "It is crucial that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel." Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life. Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats. The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government. That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel. Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped. Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response. Related Developments Reasons UK can't just return asylum seekers to French territory French government backing away from commitment to intercept asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security