Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever told parliament on 16 September that the country will exclude under-18s from future ‘return hubs’ – offshore centres where rejected asylum-seekers would await deportation. The clarification comes as five EU member states, including Belgium, race to strike agreements with third countries to host the camps under the EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Return hubs are designed to speed removals and deter unfounded claims, but they have drawn criticism from child-rights advocates and several parties in Belgium’s seven-party governing coalition. De Wever acknowledged those concerns, stating: “There is tension, and we have agreed we will not do that. We want hubs, but not for minors.” The pledge effectively neutralises a brewing coalition crisis while allowing Belgium to remain at the negotiating table with Italy, Greece, Denmark and Austria, the other backers of the concept. For global mobility teams, the announcement provides clarity on family-unity questions that often complicate long-term assignments. If the hubs become operational in 2027, adult claimants whose applications are refused could be transferred, but minors will stay in Belgium’s domestic reception network. That distinction matters for multinational employers who sponsor humanitarian parolees or family members of key staff; dependants under 18 would not face relocation offshore. The decision also signals that Belgium will maintain higher safeguarding standards than some counterparts, potentially influencing EU-level rules now being finalised in trilogue. Corporate relocation providers should prepare for a dual-track removal system, where adult illegals may be processed outside the bloc while child cases linger, extending timelines for housing handovers and exit formalities. More broadly, the debate underscores the political sensitivity of migration in Belgium ahead of regional elections next spring. Employers can expect further policy tweaks – for example, faster work-permit revocations for failed adult claimants – but significant protections for minors are now likely to remain baked into law.
Source: The Brussels Times
