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French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, 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 danger to both personnel and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.

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