🔗 Share this article

France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.

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 implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.

Connected Developments

• Reasons UK cannot just send back asylum seekers to France
• French government backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats