Chaos threatens with the introduction of compulsory civic integration in Brussels on 1 April

The 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 programmes in Brussels are finally planned to start on 1 April after numerous postponements. However, MP Gilles Verstraeten notes that a considerable amount of work still needs to be done. “Even if the Brussels Government meets the deadline, the introduction will be chaotic,” says Gilles.

“Six weeks before that deadline, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done,” Gilles Verstraeten says. “The digital application for the municipalities, which enables them to see which newcomers have to follow a programme and which newcomers are already following a programme, will not be ready until March. Then the information sessions on the regulations and the training for that digital application must also take place. This does not give the municipalities much time to prepare and there are only a few weeks to test the digital application and deal with the teething troubles. That is actually not realistic.” 

Regulatory deficiencies

The regulations are not quite finalised, either. The amendment to the cooperation agreement, which allows for an exchange of personal data between the language communities, has yet to be approved in its final reading. The interface to make this technically possible will not even be ready until mid-June.

Brussels skilful vagueness

This also applies to the sanctioning system. Gilles Verstraeten has sharp words: “Introducing an obligation without enforceability creates uncertainty and is a bad start to compulsory civic integration in Brussels. At the moment, we also know almost nothing about how monitoring and sanctioning will take place. I have heard from the municipality of Anderlecht that the file of a refuser will be sent back to the Region. What happens after that is unclear. I call that typical Brussels skilful vagueness.”

Chaotic

“There is thus still a considerable amount of work to be done; there are still many uncertainties. I am willing to give Mr Maron the benefit of the doubt, but getting this done in six weeks is going to be a real challenge. Even if he manages it by 1 April, I fear the introduction of the obligation will be chaotic.”