Netherlands seeks to opt out of EU migration rules

The Netherlands' right-wing government said on Wednesday it had asked the EU for an opt-out on migration rules so it can implement a clampdown on unwanted arrivals.

"I just informed @EU_commission that I want a migration opt-out for the Netherlands within Europe. We need to be in charge of our own asylum policy again!" Migration Minister Marjolein Faber said on social media platform X.

In power since July, the government led by Geert Wilders' nationalist PVV party aims to declare a national asylum crisis, allowing it to implement controls without parliamentary approval.

Brussels is expected to push back, given that EU member states, including the Netherlands, had in December 2023 agreed on a new bloc-wide migration pact.

"You don't opt out of adopted legislation in the EU; that is a general principle," EU spokesperson Eric Mamer said last week of the Dutch stance.

According to EU data, the Netherlands received two first-time asylum applications per 1,000 residents in 2023, matching the bloc's average. Ten member states had a higher proportion.

However, after years of budget cuts, the country's sole registration center for asylum seekers has been overwhelmed, occasionally leaving hundreds to sleep outdoors.