distribution law asylum seekers with coercion and bonuses

ANPBus departs from Ter Apel registration centre

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 19:01

After political disagreement, the cabinet has made a decision about details of the distribution law. This is about the distribution of asylum seekers across all municipalities.

It has been agreed, among other things, that municipalities must jointly supply a maximum of 40,000 new reception places in the coming years. That is an average of 115 asylum seekers per municipality.

From 1 January 2024, municipalities have three months to submit a plan for their additional reception places. The national government will then check whether this is enough in national terms. If there is a shortage, the provinces will each be instructed to look for those reception places in their own municipalities.

If this has not succeeded after eight months, then Secretary of State Eric van der Burg himself will draw up a plan that he can forcefully impose on provinces and municipalities.

Municipalities can receive an extra reward. This is possible, for example, for reception places that they make available for a long time or for special care for minors.

Bonuses

A municipality that provides fast (within three months) and sustainable shelter (more than a hundred places for more than five years) receives 5000 euros per place.

If a municipality is only fast, the reward is 2500 euros per place. A waiting municipality that takes between three and eight months, but eventually delivers sustainable places, will receive 4000 euros.

And a waiting municipality that has to be forced will eventually receive no more than 1500 euros.

State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Justice and Security) actually wanted the distribution law to take effect this year to prevent a repeat of the chaos in Ter Apel last summer. This was previously postponed to January 1, 2024.

Van der Burg has therefore created an emergency plan for the coming months. Municipalities that continue to refuse certain groups, such as single men, may be forced to accommodate them. Residence permit holders are also housed in hotels to create places in the asylum reception.

The House of Representatives is organizing talks with experts and stakeholders next week in preparation for the parliamentary debate on the law. After that, the law must be discussed by the new Senate, which will be elected next Tuesday.

The Council of State previously criticized the law; it would be unnecessarily complex and difficult to implement.

Source