Asylum reception has arrived in the Netherlands short period of time filling up. Pressure at the Groningen application center, Ter Apel, is now easing, but there has been very little space for weeks to accommodate the newly arrived asylum seekers. After stagnating due to the Corona crisis, the number of asylum applications in the Netherlands has been increasing every month since May, although it cannot be compared to the refugee crisis in 2015.

Earlier this month, the cabinet appealed to the provinces to receive asylum seekers. There are still very few additional reception places.

What about reception in Europe? We spoke to four reporters.

Belgium: Shelter is already under pressure due to floods

Reporter Ida Brands says that the debate about the reception of immigrants in Belgium is not as large as in the Netherlands, but it is already a topic. Belgium must also arrange adequate reception for immigrants. In September alone, 3,200 asylum applications were submitted, 700 of them from Afghanistan. These are the largest numbers since the 2015 refugee crisis.

The government assumes there is a temporary peak. Belgium does not expect a massive influx of immigration from Afghanistan. However, there are major problems with reception. Application center staff in Brussels On strike for two weeks Protesting the high workload and lack of shelters.

Extra pressure

Carrying capacity has come under additional pressure since the floods this summer. A number of reception sites then disappeared or were used to receive homeless Belgians due to the floods.

Meanwhile, the government is hiring additional staff and looking for more reception sites. In addition, an amendment to the Asylum Act is being considered. Belgium no longer wants to take in migrants who have applied for asylum elsewhere in Europe. Under current legislation, an asylum seeker in Belgium has the right to be received, even if, for example, a procedure is already underway in neighboring Germany.