State Secretary for Asylum and Migration launches prevention campaign to prevent secondary migration of asylum seekers from other Member States
State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, is putting in place prevention campaigns to prevent asylum seekers under the responsibility of other European countries, from starting an asylum procedure in our country. This secondary migration from other EU Member States creates additional pressure on Belgium's asylum system and reception network.
Last year, 47% of asylum seekers in Belgium were already registered in another EU Member State. According to the European rules (Dublin Regulation), these other EU countries are responsible for handling their asylum claims. The fact that these asylum seekers also initiate a procedure in Belgium undermines the European asylum system and puts additional pressure on the Belgian asylum and reception network.
In order to speed up the transfer of asylum seekers to the responsible Member States, Secretary of State De Moor set up a Dublin centre last year. An accelerated procedure is being applied there. This resulted in 113 transfers in November, where it was previously about an average of 70 transfers per month.
In combination with the Dublin Centre, the State Secretary is setting up prevention campaigns in other European countries to make asylum seekers aware that there is no point in starting another additional procedure in our country. The campaigns run through social media and target highly represented nationalities in secondary migration (Afghans, Burundians and Eritreans).
For further information on the prevention campaigns, please visit this page (in Dutch)