🔗 Share this article France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK. This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel. French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements. French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals. "It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters." Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life. Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats. This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government. This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel. Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped. Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past. UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response. Related Updates Reasons UK can't just send back migrants to French territory France withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security