The Belgian Council of State has suspended the decision of the Minister of Asylum and Migration to limit material reception conditions for applicants for international protection who have already obtained protection in another EU Member State. In its judgment No. 267.364 of 8 July 2026, the Council of State suspended the measure following an urgent appeal introduced by several organisations active in the field of asylum and migration. The decision concerns a measure adopted following the entry into application of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum on 12 June 2026.

EMN Belgium and EMN Sweden, together with the Swedish Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) and the Swedish Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi), are organising the EU launch seminar of the anthology "Linking Migration and Development: European Experiences and Policy Lessons for Sweden".

On 4 June 2026, EMN Belgium and EMN Sweden, together with the Swedish Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) and the Swedish Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi), organised the EU launch seminar “Linking Migration and Development Cooperation: European Experiences and Policy Reflections” at the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU in Brussels.

On 9 April 2026, the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in M.V. and Others v. Belgium and held that Belgium had violated several provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to the reception conditions of four applicants for international protection.

The Fedasil Pondrôme reception centre will host a photo exhibition featuring the work of unaccompanied and accompanied minors. The images were created over an eighteen-month project led by CIDJ Rochefort–Beauraing. The exhibition provides insight into the daily lives, experiences, and identities of the young participants. The event is free, open to all, and offers an opportunity to meet the creators.

The Belgian Council of State has suspended a ministerial instruction that systematically limited material assistance to international protection applicants who had already obtained protection in another EU Member State. The court ruled that the instruction exposed these individuals to the risk of severe hardship and potential homelessness. It also noted that, due to its regulatory character, the instruction should have been submitted for review by the Council of State’s Legislation Section.

Belgium plans to progressively return several defence sites used for the reception of applicants for international protection to military use as part of a broader plan to expand defence infrastructure towards 2040. The measure concerns around 4.000 reception places located on military premises across the country. Authorities state that the reduction in capacity can be absorbed within the existing reception network. The transition will take place gradually, with closures scheduled at different times depending on the site.

The Netherlands has decided to resume Dublin transfers of single, non-vulnerable male asylum seekers to Belgium, following a period in which such transfers were suspended after a Dutch court ruling. In April 2025, the District Court of The Hague, sitting in Groningen, found that single male asylum seekers risked being deprived of adequate reception conditions in Belgium, which could expose them to inhumane or degrading treatment. The ruling led to a halt in transfers under the EU Dublin system.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre, has advised against a draft law proposing to remove the legal possibility of activating a mandatory distribution plan for reception places in times of crisis. The plan allows the federal government to require municipalities to provide local reception initiatives according to objective allocation criteria. Myria stresses that this mechanism is important to safeguard human dignity and the right to reception, particularly during periods of structural shortages. 

CIRÉ, together with partner organisations, has lodged an urgent appeal at the Council of State challenging a ministerial instruction that continues to exclude asylum seekers who have already been granted protection in another EU member state from reception facilities. The move follows a recent temporary suspension of the measure by the Constitutional Court. CIRÉ argues the instruction undermines judicial authority and the rule of law.

The Belgian Constitutional Court has temporarily suspended legislative measures introduced in 2025 that tightened rules on material reception conditions for asylum seekers and family reunification for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. The suspensions concern two separate laws, and the Court has referred several preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to clarify their compatibility with EU law.

Fedasil has released its management plan for 2025–2030. Approved in December 2025 and submitted by Director General Pieter Spinnewijn to the Minister for Asylum and Migration, the plan sets out the Agency’s priorities, including restoring the core functioning of the reception system, strengthening its capacity to respond to fluctuations in the number of applicants to be accommodated, and improving the quality, resilience, and effectiveness of services.

In a judgment delivered in Case C-184/24 (Sidi Bouzid), the Court of Justice of the European Union has clarified the limits of sanctions that may be imposed on applicants for international protection who refuse to be transferred to another accommodation centre. The Court found that such a refusal cannot justify the withdrawal of all material reception conditions. While Member States may impose sanctions for serious breaches of reception rules, these must remain proportionate and respect the applicant’s dignity. 

On 15 and 16 December 2025, EMN Belgium organised a conference in Brussels bringing together stakeholders from Belgium, EMN Member and Observer Countries, as well as European and international organisations. The event provided a forum to examine reception and support for applicants for international protection other than in-kind from legal, policy, and operational perspectives, exploring how these forms of support are organised, implemented, and linked to broader reception systems.

On 20 November 2025, EMN Belgium attended the launch of the annual report "Rechten op de drempel" by the Flemish Children’s Rights Commissioner, on the occasion of International Children’s Rights Day. The report highlights persistent challenges affecting foreign children and young people in reception centres, including disparities in living conditions, safety, hygiene, and access to basic needs.

On 13 November 2025, several civil society organisations held a silent protest outside the Palais de Justice in Brussels to draw attention to the shortage of reception places for third-country nationals. Participants, including advocates, volunteers, and citizens, brought sleeping bags to symbolise people forced to sleep outdoors. The demonstration called for urgent measures to ensure that all individuals entitled to accommodation can access it.

The EMN Austria Conference is dedicated to exploring how to build orderly migration systems through international cooperation and innovation. Participants will examine effective partnership models, innovative solutions, and the importance of dialogue and exchange between the EU, its Member States, third countries, and other key actors such as international organisations in shaping regular migration.

On 30 September 2025, seven organisations, including humanitarian groups, published the fifth edition of their Belgian report on the country’s non-reception policy and its effects on asylum seekers. The report provides data on reduced access to accommodation and essential services during the first half of 2025, following policy changes introduced by the coalition government formed in January. It documents impacts on housing, healthcare, mental health, and legal support for people seeking international protection.