🔗 Share this article French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom. This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel. French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation. French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals. "It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel." Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life. Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels. This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government. That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel. Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped. Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past. UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment. Related Updates Reasons UK cannot just send back migrants to France France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security