The Federal Parliament has approved a bill tabled by the Federal Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (Flemish nationalist) that provides for the imposition of life-long ban on entring Belgium for terrorists and those of the threat analysis coordination unit OCAM’s list of people deemed to be “radicalised”. Previously only a temporary ban could be imposed.
MPs pass bill that will make it possible to ban terrorists and hate-preachers from Belgium for life
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The legislation will enable the Immigration Office to impose an ‘indefinite’ entry ban on individuals without a valid residence permit that are listed on the terrorism, extremism and radicalisation (T.E.R.) database. This includes foreign terrorist fighters and those that spread hate.
When a person is subject to an entry ban, their details will be recorded in the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the National Police Database. They will no longer be permitted to enter Belgium or the rest of the Schengen Zone. The Immigration Office may refuse their applications for a visa or residence permit.
The bill was passed by MPs from the coalition parties and from the opposition by by the far-right party Vlaams Belang party and the Flemish liberal party Anders. The Francophone socialists, the far-left PTB-PVDA, the Flemish and Francophone greens and the 1 MP from Francophone federalist party DéFI voted against the bill.