Mandatory civic integration for newcomers to Brussels has already been postponed for the fourth time

10 December 2021

1 January 2020. That was the date on which compulsory Civic integration Flanders has a policy for civic integration. This is a guided and targeted form of social integration for people of foreign origin. The intention is that the newcomers are provided with a valuable place in society by including them instead of excluding them. Civic integration, which includes language lessons and civic integration courses, was brought about by the participation of the N-VA in the Flemish Government since 2004 and the appointment of a Minister for Civic Integration. civic integration in Brussels was to be completed. The deadlines of 1 January 2021, the summer of 2021 and 1 January 2022 were also not met. Minister Maron told the Brussels Parliament on Thursday that the new target date is 1 April 2022. “That is five and three years, respectively, after the approval of the ordinance in Parliament in 2017 and the Cooperation Agreement in 2019,” Brussels MP Gilles Verstraeten says. “There has been a definite lack of any seriousness or sense of urgency regarding this issue for a long time. This is while mandatory civic integration has been in place in Flanders since 2004 and in Wallonia since 2016.”

The Health Committee voted on Thursday on adding a legal basis to the civic integration ordinance that will allow municipalities, reception offices and the newcomers themselves to keep track of the newcomers’ files through the developed digital application. For Gilles Verstraeten, it is telling that this has yet to happen. “The slowness by which this case is progressing is unbelievable. At this rate, there is little chance that the mandatory civic integration will be completed before the end of this legislature. Minister Maron emphasises the smooth cooperation with the municipalities and never ceases to talk about information and training sessions, but at the Anderlecht municipal council - one of the working groups - I hear that there is still a great deal of uncertainty about the administrative and practical details of the compulsory integration.”

Civic integration helps newcomers become self-reliant

Verstraeten is very critical concerning the fact that the introduction is yet again postponed: “The health crisis has made it clear that a significant proportion of Brussels residents do not have access to essential services such as a general practitioner or a Public Social Welfare Centre and have little confidence in the authorities when it comes to vaccination, for example. At the same time, poverty continues to rise in Brussels, and the labour market participation of newcomers in Brussels is woefully low. Civic integration helps newcomers become self-reliant, start a new life faster and build Bonds A loan to a company or a government, which is paid back with interest. In contrast to shares, most bonds have a fixed duration and a fixed interest, which is usually paid out on an annual basis. Therefore, as a general rule, bonds have less risk than shares. bonds with the system. The fact that the minister is letting the introduction of the obligation drag on for so long is unacceptable and will not be without consequences.”

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