But in a statement Wednesday, Van Bossuyt argued that Belgian law makes it possible to continue with the policy, saying: “We will, of course, make use of these legal options. This is important in order to further reduce the influx and avoid overburdening the reception system.”
Van Bossuyt, a member of the Flemish nationalist N-VA party of Prime Minister Bart De Wever, insisted the measure is already in line with EU law — and that it will be on an even stronger footing when the bloc’s new migration and asylum pact, which will change how the continent processes and relocates asylum seekers, is implemented as of June 12.
“Then we’ll have the possibility to tackle asylum and reception shopping even more explicitly,” Van Bossuyt argued.
She said Belgium’s measures reduced the number of people coming to Belgium who had received protection elsewhere by 83 percent between September and December last year, compared with the same period in 2024.
The Constitutional Court also suspended a measure that tightened provisions on family reunification.