In recent months, Belgium has seen a large influx of asylum seekers, especially from conflict areas such as Syria and Iraq. The available reception capacity (16,400 places) was not sufficient, therefore Fedasil activated the buffer places in August 2015. These are additional reception places that can be opened on short notice when the influx increases strongly. In total there are 2,000 buffer places, spread across the Fedasil reception centres, the Red Cross and individual reception by Public Social Welfare Centres and NGOs.Reception in barracksHowever, in view of the continuous increase in the number of asylum applications (approximately 250 people a day), over the past weeks the Belgian Government has approved the temporary opening of 2,700 additional reception places for asylum seekers, especially in former army barracks. The Government has also decided to install 150 mobile living units in the Fedasil reception centres, which provide a temporary solution for around 900 asylum seekers. These measures are aimed at ensuring that everyone applying for asylum in Belgium is given a reception place. When all places are available, the reception network will comprise 22,000 places.The Belgian Government has also decided to hire additional personnel for the CGRS, the public service that processes the asylum applications. Extra personnel will ensure that the applications are dealt with faster, so that the asylum seekers spend less time in the Fedasil reception network.