Legal Summary of Policy on Accommodation for Rejected Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands:
Effective January 1, 2025, the Dutch government will cease its financial contributions for the accommodation of rejected asylum seekers, as announced by the Minister of Asylum and Migration, Marjolein Faber. This decision, reached after consultation with key municipalities, signifies the government’s intent to focus on the return of these individuals rather than subsidizing their continued accommodation.
The cessation of funding will apply to the National Aliens Facility (LVV), commonly referred to as the “bed-bath-bread” scheme, which has provided emergency shelter in the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, and Groningen. While the state will no longer fund these efforts, the municipalities are free to continue the scheme at their own expense. Several cities, including Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Eindhoven, have already announced their intention to finance the shelter independently beyond 2024.
The LVV program, established to prevent public nuisance by providing basic necessities to rejected asylum seekers, has been funded by the government since 2019 at an annual cost of approximately 30 million euros. The program has assisted over 2,700 individuals, of which 2,100 have since left the Netherlands.
Despite concerns raised by the municipalities about the potential negative impact on public order and safety, as well as the risk of homelessness for undocumented migrants, the Dutch government remains firm in its decision to end the subsidy as part of its broader asylum and migration policy.
Ibraheem Jabr is a seasoned legal professional with extensive expertise in international law, human rights, and commercial legal support. Based in Eindhoven, Netherlands,Ibraheem is the Founder and Legal Counsel at Legal Bridge, where they provide expert legal advice to EU-based government agencies and law firms navigating the complex legal landscape of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.