Outgoing State Secretary Ankie Broekers-Knol (Asylum) will take further measures to arrange at least two thousand reception places for asylum seekers in December. Otherwise, a situation will arise in which asylum seekers can no longer be accommodated. And that is unacceptable, she writes in a letter to the House of Representatives
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In collaboration with the authorities, approximately 8,500 extra places have recently been arranged as emergency shelters, including in event halls, hotels and defense sites. The caretaker cabinet had called for this. But it is not enough to deal with the acute problems in the short term, according to the State Secretary in her letter.
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Broekers-Knol concludes ‘that the method followed so far is no longer sufficient. That means that measures must be taken that guarantee extra reception places.’ She does not state what those further measures exactly entail, but will announce them in the short term. Earlier this week, the State Secretary spoke with the House of Representatives about ‘the acute emergency’ that has arisen around the reception of asylum seekers.
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Municipalities may be required
A spokesperson for the state secretary could not say whether municipalities will now be obliged to create shelters. Earlier, Broekers-Knol called this “very undesirable”. Until now, she has repeatedly appealed to municipalities for additional asylum reception, but they could choose for themselves whether they wanted to comply. Broekers points out that under EU law and international treaties, the Netherlands is obliged to receive asylum seekers. “It is a joint responsibility of all Dutch governments to meet this obligation.” Broekers-Knol concludes that the method followed so far is no longer sufficient.
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Housing shortage
The COA currently offers shelter to approximately 35,000 people, partly at temporary locations. The demand for shelter places will only increase further next year. In 2022, 42,000 reception places are needed. A major problem is the transfer of status holders to a home, due to the large housing shortage in the Netherlands. In recent months it was often too busy in the night shelter of the application center in Ter Apel. Earlier this week The cabinet announced through outgoing minister Ollongren (Internal Affairs) that thirteen municipalities will receive money to arrange housing for beneficiaries.
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