Anneleen Van Bossuyt reports a further decrease in the number of applicants for international protection awaiting reception
On 21 October 2026, Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt provided an update on the number of applicants for international protection awaiting a place in the reception network and on the reception places still financed by the federal authorities under the Brussels Deal.
According to Minister Van Bossuyt, 265 single men were still on the waiting list, as of 19 October 2026. She specified that these men were mainly of Palestinian, Afghan and Eritrean origin. The Minister stated that the number had been decreasing week by week, from more than 1.000 in June 2026. She expects the waiting list to be cleared by the end of the year, so that all applicants for international protection entitled to reception can once again be assigned a place immediately in Fedasil’s regular reception network.
Regarding the Brussels Deal, the Minister stated that the federal authorities currently finance 1.000 reception places under the agreement, compared with 2.000 initially. The agreement provides for 10% of these places to be reserved for minors and is intended to accommodate applicants for international protection who are entitled to reception. The Minister indicated that the current Brussels Deal would be gradually scaled back as these applicants are once again accommodated immediately in Fedasil’s regular reception network. However, MPs questioned whether people on the waiting list were effectively accommodated in these facilities and sought further information on the profiles of those occupying the 1.000 places, including in relation to a previously announced register of residents. The Minister explained that some people on the waiting list had found accommodation independently, while a significant proportion of the places were occupied by other groups. She referred MPs to the Brussels-Capital Region for detailed information on occupancy and residents’ profiles.
The Minister also indicated that the federal authorities had taken the initiative to negotiate a Brussels Deal 2.0 with the Brussels-Capital Region. The aim is to strengthen cooperation in response to current needs, including, but not limited to, cooperation concerning irregularly staying persons.
For further details, please refer to the minutes of the Chamber of Representatives’ Committee on Interior meeting of 21 October 2026, attached below.
