🔗 Share this article French authorities to begin intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom. This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel. French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements. French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters." Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives. Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the boats. This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government. That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel. Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented. Strong winds are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past. The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment. Connected Updates Why Britain cannot just send back asylum seekers to France French government withdrawing from pledge to stop asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security