The Federal Institute for the Protection of Human Rights (FIRM) and the migration centre Myria have accused Belgium’s Federal Government of deliberately undermining the rights of asylum seekers. The organisations warn of a deepening humanitarian crisis. In a report published on Thursday they said that Belgium has failed to improve its reception system for asylum seekers since their last critical report a year ago. On the contrary they say that new policies brought in by the current Federal Government threaten to further erode fundamental rights.
Human rights and migration watchdogs accuse Federal Government of undermining asylum seekers’ rights
Published:
The report point to thousands of court orders that have remained unexecuted. These include 2,300 European and 15,000 Belgian the authorities to provide shelter to asylum seekers. At the start of the month unpaid fines stemming from the rulings had reached 10.7 million euro. The organisations say that the authorities are “knowingly accepting an inhuman and degrading situation, unworthy of a state governed by the rule of law”.
On 8 September 2025, more than 1,900 asylum seekers waiting for & a place at an asylum reception centre. Although they are legally entitled to accommodation from the day that they apply for asylum, asylum seekers in Belgium face an average wait of between 3 and 4 months before they are given one. Many are forced to rely on friends, homeless shelters, squats or end up on the streets.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government agency that take care of asylum seekers Fedasil will have its budget cut 83% by 2029. Capacity at reception centres will be reduced as will financial support to pay for alternative accommodation. Further cases involving disputes over the reception of asylum seekers will no longer be heard in the labour courts, but rather by the Council for Alien Law Litigation . Critics say that this could undermine the guarantee of a fair trial.
In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Belgium for failing to execute a domestic ruling to house an asylum seeker, describing a “systemic failure” to respect court decisions.