Doctors Without Borders, Médecins du Monde, Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, CIRÉ, BelRefugees, Caritas International, and the Humanitarian Hub have published the fourth edition of their "State of Affairs" report on "the policy of non-reception and its negative impacts on asylum seekers in Belgium".

The report highlights that in 2024, the number of people on the waiting list for reception fluctuated between 2.000 and 4.000 each month, with many single men, due to the lack of available solutions, ending up on the streets or in squats. The organisations emphasise that living on the streets has severe negative effects on individuals' physical and mental health, and also significantly hampers their ability to integrate into society. They warn that the risk of individuals disappearing off the radar and falling into extreme precarity is high, and stress that these circumstances generate substantial hidden costs for society as a whole.

The report also argues that the new government's objective of limiting the flow of asylum seekers and "gradually" and "sensibly" reducing the number of reception places is counterproductive and costly in the long term. The organisations note that the number of international protection applications fluctuates over time and emphasise the importance of maintaining sufficient reception capacity, including full buffer capacity during periods of lower demand. They also highlight that emergency reception places are typically more expensive and of lower quality than structural reception places.

The organisations conclude that if the government strives to reduce reception capacity "sensibly," a permanent crisis in reception is inevitable. They assert that the only appropriate response is to provide sufficient reception places or, alternatively, to offer a form of support that truly upholds human dignity.

For further information, please read the report (in French) attached below. You can also read (in English) this press release in the Brussels Times.