40% of Asylum Seekers in Belgium Have Previously Sought Protection in Other EU Countries

In 2024, Belgium received a total of 39,615 requests for international protection, marking an increase of nearly 12 percent compared to the previous year. Notably, 15,685 of these applicants had already sought protection in another EU member state.

Nicole de Moor, the outgoing Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, has criticized the issue of secondary migration within Europe and is advocating for measures to reduce the number of asylum applications submitted across various countries.

She emphasized, “It’s important to communicate clearly that attempting to reapply in Belgium after receiving a decision in another country is futile. With the European Migration Pact, we have more tools at our disposal to address this issue of secondary migration. We must significantly reduce the number of asylum applications in Belgium,” she stated.