This Monday 3 December, the ‘Petit-Château’ has become an ‘arrival centre’ for asylum seekers who have just arrived in Belgium.

Brussel Onthaal and BIAL, the Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics of the VUB (University of Brussels) work to improve the communication with new asylum seekers. Their project is subsidised this year by Fedasil.

Fedasil publishes its review 2017, a year marked by a decline in in the number of people received and the closure of 3,000 reception places.

Each year, Fedasil finances specific projects with regard to the reception of international protection applicants and other reception beneficiaries.

The Belgian government has decided to reduce the capacity of the reception network for asylum seekers.

In 2017, 23 Fedasil staff members travelled to Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Bulgaria for EASO.

Fedasil has signed a framework agreement with the Belgian development agency, Enabel.

21,500 applicants for international protection (asylum) are being received by Fedasil and its partners in Belgium. For the most part these are people who have fled the conflicts in Palestine, Syria or Afghanistan.

Fedasil has just published its 2015 review. 2015 was an eventful year, marked by a sudden influx of asylum seekers in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe.

In Belgium, asylum seekers have the right to material assistance and accommodation as long as the examination of their asylum application is pending. But where do they go after their stay in the reception centre?