French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.
French authorities have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
The decision to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.
A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital innovation across Europe.
