Belgium stops sheltering asylum seekers protected by other EU countries

3 August 2025

From Monday, asylum seekers who have already been granted protection in another EU member state will no longer be eligible for shelter in Belgium.

The policy change was introduced by the country's minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, as part of the Easter Agreement.

Last month, the federal parliament approved a series of measures aimed at limiting access to the Belgian reception network. Van Bossuyt described them as "crisis measures".

The first set of measures will be implemented on Monday. Individuals who have received protection elsewhere in the EU will no longer be admitted to the Belgian reception system.

Inadmissible applications

"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," said Van Bossuyt.

The General Commissioner for Refugees and Stateless Persons will now process the dossiers more quickly, along with the applications of asylum seekers who were previously rejected in another EU member state. For these groups, their applications will be deemed inadmissible.

Last year, approximately 15,000 out of nearly 40,000 asylum applications in Belgium were from individuals who had already received protection or had an ongoing application in another EU member state.

Family reunification

Additionally, from Monday, the right to shelter will be removed for asylum seekers who submit a new application without new elements via a minor child after an initial rejection. Van Bossuyt claimed that this aims to stop "the use of children to prolong procedures and shelter".

Finally, not having shelter will no longer entitle people to subsistence income. Van Bossuyt, who repeatedly emphasised her intent to implement "the strictest asylum and migration policy" ever, also announced tougher family reunification rules set to take effect in mid-August.

^{A building in Brussels occupied by around 70 asylum seekers in 2023 © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE}

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