Netherlands Seeks Opt-Out From EU Asylum Rules
Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber (C), 2024. X/ @IdeallyaNews
September 19, 2024 Hour: 7:33 am
The government aims to reduce the volume of migration in order to fulfill its constitutional duties, Faber said.
On Wednesday, Dutch Minister of Asylum and Migration Marjolein Faber X/ @IdeallyaNews confirmed that the Netherlands has formally requested an opt-out from the European Union (EU)’s asylum rules.
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“I just informed the EU Commission that I want a migration opt-out within Europe for the Netherlands. We need to be in charge of our own asylum policy again!” Faber said in a post on the social media platform X. In a letter addressed to the European Commission, Faber outlined the government’s intention to regain control over national asylum policies.
“This government aims to drastically reduce the volume of migration to the Netherlands, in order to continue to fulfill our constitutional duties — providing for public housing, healthcare and education,” she wrote.
The letter also said that the Dutch government will officially request this opt-out once the EU treaty is amended. However, Faber stressed that until such a provision is in place, the Netherlands will prioritize the swift implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, seeing it as “essential for increasing European control over migration and limiting the influx of migrants to the Netherlands.”
The European Commission has confirmed the receipt of Faber’s letter but downplayed the likelihood of an opt-out in the near future. A spokesperson for the commission has emphasized that current EU asylum rules remain binding for the Netherlands and reiterated that any changes would require treaty amendments, a process that would need unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. “We do not expect the EU treaty to be changed soon,” the spokesperson added.
The Dutch government’s push for an asylum policy reform is part of its broader political agenda, which was presented last week. Under the plan, the government will legally activate an emergency law as soon as possible by declaring an asylum crisis.
This law, if passed, would enable the government to take immediate action to limit influx of asylum seekers without waiting for the approval of the House of Representatives or the Senate, though the legislative bodies would review the law afterwards.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua
