Penalty payments imposed on Fedasil halved under Minister Van Bossuyt

Since Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt took office, the number of court rulings ordering penalty payments for failing to provide accommodation to asylum seekers has dropped by more than half. In 2024, there were still 1,600 such rulings carrying financial penalties. By 2025, that figure had fallen to 730 cases — a decrease of over 54%.

At the height of the asylum crisis in late 2022, the Belgian state owed €240 million in penalty payments for failing to provide reception facilities to asylum seekers. In addition, outstanding claims amounting to €10,253,625 in penalties were inherited from the previous legislative term.

Today, the total amount of outstanding penalty payments stands at €6,754,500. Of that sum, €5,932,700 stems from rulings handed down during the Vivaldi government, while €821,800 relates to decisions issued under the current legislature.

Driving down penalty payments

Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt has stressed that she cannot and will not pay these penalties.

“Taxpayers’ money can only be spent once. My department is facing substantial budget cuts, so I have to weigh every euro carefully. That’s why I choose to invest in tightening our asylum and migration policy — as voters have asked us to do — rather than paying out large sums to individual asylum seekers. It’s not an easy choice, but it is delivering results. I will continue restoring order to the asylum system so that the number of rulings decreases, with the ultimate goal of bringing penalty payments down to zero.”

No asylum for those already protected elsewhere

Some time ago, a criminal complaint was even filed against Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt following her decision to refuse reception to individuals holding so-called “M status”, meaning they already enjoy protection in another EU Member State. The Prosecutor General has since confirmed that no criminal offences were committed and has dismissed the case.

The Minister for Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, also questions the sheer volume of (appeal) procedures launched each year.

“This once again shows how vulnerable people are drawn into legal proceedings by activist lawyers who have turned false hope into a business model. Providing clarity is far more humane than fostering unrealistic expectations. And for those who already have protection in another Member State, there is only one clear path forward: return.”