4.7.1.6. Working together with local authorities
Reception authorities in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands continued to work closely with local authorities.
To decrease the pressure on the Dutch reception system, the new government instructed the municipalities of Enschede, Venray and Gorinchem and the security region of Rotterdam-Rijnmond in December 2021 to create 2,000 emergency places before the end of the year, with guidance from the COA. These places are managed by the municipalities (except for Gorinchem, where the COA has already used the facility in the past), but discussions continue on shifting their management to the COA.727
Fedasil published the results of a survey inquiring about mayors' experiences with the operators of reception facilities. The cooperation between reception centres, the police, schools and local residents was strongly appreciated. The survey also found that the longer a centre operates in a locality, the more positive its image becomes. However, as Fedasil opens and closes centres rapidly, misunderstandings with municipal authorities can occur. There also seems to be a link between awareness of asylum, the increasing fake news on social media, and mayors’ and residents’ opposition or lack of support to centres.728 The current pressure on the Belgian reception system (see Section 4.7.1.2) also had an impact on this cooperation. The Council of State confirmed the decisions of the mayors in Spa and Mouscron to decrease and limit the capacity of facilities in their localities due to concerns about public security, safety and health. The facilities were stretched to their maximum capacity causing increased tensions among residents and frequent police interventions.
In Luxembourg, the Minister for Immigration and Asylum participated in local information sessions on the opening of reception facilities in Bascharge,729 Frisange and Junglinster.730 He highlighted the several types of administrative and financial support that municipalities may obtain if they collaborate on establishing a reception facility on their territory.
- 727Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers | Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers. (2021, December 31). COA geholpen met acute noodopvang gemeenten [COA helped by municipalities with emergency shelters]. https://www.coa.nl/nl/nieuws/coa-geholpen-met-acute-noodopvang-gemeenten
- 728Federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers | L’Agence fédérale pour l’accueil des demandeurs d’asile | Federaal agentschap voor de opvang van asielzoekers. (2021, November 25). Résultats de l’enquête des bourgmestres [Results of the mayors' survey]. https://www.fedasil.be/fr/actualites/sensibilisation/resultats-de-lenquete-des-bourgmestres
- 729Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs | Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes. (2021, May 6). Jean Asselborn s'est échangé avec les résidents de la commune de Junglinster lors d'une séance d'information portant sur l'ouverture d'une structure d'hébergement pour demandeurs de protection internationale [Jean Asselborn spoke with the residents of the commune of Junglinster during an information session on the opening of an accommodation structure for applicants for international protection]. https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/communiques/2021/05-mai/06-asselborn-junglinster-dpi.html
- 730Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs | Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes. (2021, March 30). Jean Asselborn s'est échangé avec les résidents de la commune de Bascharage lors d'une séance d'information en vue de l'ouverture d'une structure d'hébergement pour demandeurs de protection internationale [Jean Asselborn spoke with the residents of the municipality of Bascharage during an information session with a view to the opening of an accommodation structure for applicants for international protection]. https://gouvernement.lu/fr/actualites/toutes_actualites/communiques/2021/03-mars/30-asselborn-bascharage.html