France will start stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure

France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.