Vanaf 1 juli 2024 zullen volwassen asielzoekers die in een opvangcentrum verblijven en een werkinkomen hebben, moeten bijdragen aan deze opvang. Wie geen bijdrage wil leveren, kan overwegen om buiten het opvangcentrum te verblijven.

In order to structurally shorten the duration of reception in Belgium, an amendment was made to the Reception Act. Anyone who receives a final negative asylum decision must leave the reception place within a period of 30 days.

Doctors Without Borders, Doctors of the World, CIRÉ, Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, BelRefugees, Caritas International, and the Humanitarian Hub underline the permanent lack of reception, protection and access to medical services for applicants for international protection without a reception place. They want to challenge policy-makers and raise public awareness about people left left on the street.

In its 2023 annual report, the Federal Institute for Human Rights draws attention, among other things, to the failure of the authorities to enforce the rulings of the Belgian and European courts and tribunals, in particular in the context of the reception crisis. The lack of resources for the judiciary, threats to human rights defenders and weaknesses in the right to information are also underlined.

On 22 May 2024, a joint conference hosted by Fedasil and the EUAA highlighted innovative collaboration models designed to strengthen migration systems. The event brought together diverse participants from various EU Member States, including government bodies, international organisations, civil society groups, and private entities. It focused on strategies to improve the reception, information provision, and pre-integration of international protection applicants.

The Expert Conference, that is jointly hosted by Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), in cooperation with the Migration Policy Institute Europe (MPI Europe), aims to explore multi-stakeholder strategies in three specific areas: reception, information provision, and pre-integration.

According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 5.297 persons obtained Belgian nationality in February 2024. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in February are Morocco, Romania, Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey.

On Friday 3 May 2024, the Council of Ministers approved a draft royal decree appointing Pieter Spinnewijn as Director General of the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil). His mandate will begin on 1 July 2024 for a period of six years.

According to the provisional monthly results of the statistics on changes of nationality, 3.885 persons obtained the Belgian nationality in December 2023. This raises the total figure for 2023 to 54.813 persons who obtained the Belgian nationality. 

Gezien de grote druk op het Belgische opvangsysteem, creëerde Fedasil meer dan 3.000 plaatsen in 2023. Ondanks deze inspanningen, kwam Fedasil vorig jaar plaatsen tekort om alle aanvragers van internationale bescherming op te vangen. 

Volgens Statbel, het Belgische bureau voor de statistiek, verkregen 4.489 personen de Belgische nationaliteit in november 2023. De belangrijkste landen van herkomst van personen die in november de Belgische nationaliteit verwierven zijn Marokko, Syrië, Roemenië, Afghanistan en Turkije. 

Op voorstel van de Staatssecretaris voor Asiel en Migratie heeft de Ministerraad vandaag ingestemd met de sluiting van een huurovereenkomst voor het gebruik van een terrein in Lodelinsart (Charleroi). Fedasil zal de locatie beschikbaar stellen aan het Rode Kruis om containers te plaatsen om zo de opvangcapaciteit voor aanvragers van internationale bescherming te vergroten.

A new reception centre that can accommodate a maximum of 135 applicants for international protection has opened in Ghent. This is the second reception centre managed by Fedasil in the city. Since 2020, the Agency has been organizing the reception of 250 people on a pontoon in the port of Ghent.

According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 4.927 persons obtained Belgian nationality in October 2023. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in October are Morocco, Syria, Romania, Afghanistan and Poland.

Volgens Statbel, het Belgische statistische bureau, verwierven 4.260 personen de Belgisch nationaliteit in September 2023. De belangrijkste landen van herkomst waren in die maand Marokko, Syrië, Roemenië, Afghanistan en Italië.

The first 15 asylum seekers have arrived today at the new Fedasil reception centre in Grimbergen. The new reception centre, which will accommodate up to 100 people, is specifically intended for people with medical problems, as well as their families.

On the proposal of the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor, the Council of Ministers agreed today on the extension of support measures for the reception and support of asylum seekers in the Brussels-Capital Region. A total of 2000 places are now available for asylum seekers who cannot immediately get a place in the Fedasil reception network.

The federal government has reached an agreement today on the 2024 budget. While 1.2 billion euros will improve the budget balance, 500 million euros will cover additional needs, including in the asylum and migration field.