EU lists Belgium as at risk for migration pressure
The European Commission has classified Belgium as a “risk country” for migration pressure, alongside Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland. The finding comes from the Commission’s European Annual Asylum and Migration Report, published on Tuesday.
Covering the period from July 2024 to June 2025, the report notes a “steady improvement” in migration trends, including a 35 per cent drop in illegal border crossings. However, it highlights ongoing challenges such as irregular arrivals and the reception of refugees from Ukraine.
Countries were ranked according to factors such as the number of migrants and asylum applications, GDP and population size. Belgium is among 12 member states identified as facing a potential risk of migration pressure, where reception systems are strained or migration has been used as a political tool, as seen previously in Poland.
These nations may qualify for financial support through the EU’s “toolbox”, part of the Migration Pact set to take effect in June. Meanwhile, countries experiencing the highest levels of migration pressure - including Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain - will be able to rely on the EU’s solidarity mechanism, under which other member states take in some of their asylum seekers.
Several northern countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and Finland, have said they will only back a new relocation system once the EU’s Dublin rules are more strictly enforced.
© BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
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