Current and proposed Dutch asylum policy
Many countries are tightening the screws on their migration policies to make them less attractive to asylum seekers. Mark Klaassen, university lecturer in immigration law, calls European asylum policy ‘a race to the bottom’ in Dutch newspaper ‘de Volkskrant’.
While the distribution of asylum seekers across Europe is likely to remain more or less the same, Klaassen foresees drastic changes in the reception conditions.
The article in de Volkskrant provides an analysis of Dutch practice compared to other countries, including close neighbours Germany, France and the United Kingdom, and the three largest countries in northern, eastern and southern Europe, Sweden, Poland and Italy. The comparison of legislation shows what room remains to adjust asylum policy and also how the Netherlands is approaching the European lower limit.
The analysis compares the following ten areas:
- Border controls;
- One-status or two-status system;
- Validity of residence permit for refugees;
- Permanent residence permit for refugees;
- Family reunification of partners;
- Family reunification of adult children;
- Resettlement;
- Reception places (adult) asylum seekers;
- Housing of status holders; and
- Return of Syrian refugees.
More information?
Read the full article (in Dutch) in de Volkskrant
Analysis part 1
Analysis part 2
Photo: Paul Hendry on Unsplash