đź”— Share this article French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel following UK pressure France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK. This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel. French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements. French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians. "It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters." Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives. Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats. The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office. This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel. Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented. Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances. UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment. Related Developments Reasons UK cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory France backing away from commitment to stop asylum boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security