🔗 Share this article France will start intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK. The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel. French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements. French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals. "It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters." Now, a French maritime police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives. Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels. This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government. That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel. Currently French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented. Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past. UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response. Related Developments Reasons Britain cannot just send back migrants to France French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security