The European Commission pointed out, on Thursday 16 May, that the Netherlands had “voted in favour of the Pact on Migration and Asylum” and that there was “no opt-out clause for the Netherlands”.
Furthermore, all Member States have an obligation to take charge of people who have applied for international protection, it stressed.
The Commission was reacting to the announcement made on the same day by Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch PVV, that the four parties soon to come to power would demand a derogation on the application of asylum and migration policies.
The four parties in talks since the end of 2023 - Geert Wilders’ PVV, Mark Rutte’s VVD, Peter Omzight’s NSC and Caroline van der Plas’ BBB - reached a government agreement on the evening of 15 May, which includes a tougher asylum policy.
It stipulates that “concrete steps will be taken towards the strictest asylum rules ever adopted and the most comprehensive package of measures ever taken to control migration”, reported AFP.
The signatories also write that they will submit a request to the European Commission as soon as possible to be able to opt-out from European asylum policy.
People without valid residence permits will be forcibly expelled, if necessary, the agreement adds. A prime minister must now be appointed, and the next Dutch government could take office in mid-June. A formal opt-out request will then be sent by the new government. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)