Belgium Ends Shelter Access for Asylum Seekers Protected in Other EU Countries

Brussels, The Gulf Observer: Belgium has officially enforced a new policy that denies shelter to asylum seekers who have already been granted protection in another European Union (EU) member state. The measure, which came into effect on Monday, is part of a broader package of reforms introduced by Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt under the Easter Agreement.

The policy shift follows the recent approval by the federal parliament of a series of legislative measures aimed at alleviating pressure on the country’s asylum reception network, which has been under strain. Van Bossuyt referred to the reforms as “crisis measures” and emphasized the need to prevent abuse of the system.

“Asylum is about protection. Those who have that elsewhere in Europe should no longer have access to our shelters. The era of asylum shopping must come to an end,” Van Bossuyt stated.

Under the new regulations, asylum seekers who have been granted protection or have an active asylum application in another EU country will be deemed ineligible for accommodation in Belgium. Their cases will be fast-tracked by the General Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons and classified as inadmissible.

According to official statistics, in 2024, around 15,000 out of approximately 40,000 asylum applications in Belgium were submitted by individuals who had already received protection or had an ongoing application in another EU state.

Another provision coming into force on Monday targets repeat applications. Asylum seekers who file a new application using a minor child without presenting any new grounds for protection—following a previous rejection—will lose the right to shelter. Van Bossuyt stressed that this is intended to halt the use of children as a means to prolong legal procedures and maintain access to reception facilities.

The government maintains that the new measures are essential for restoring order to the reception system and ensuring that protection is provided to those who genuinely need it under international and European asylum frameworks.