COA: Lack of Structural Funding Raises Asylum Reception Costs

The COA has said that the lack of long-term structure in funding is leading to unnecesarily costly and volatile asylum reception in the Netherlands. In its most recent Status of Implementation report, the agency wrote that smart and consistent financing “could lead to substantially reduced total costs and a higher quality of reception.”



 

5 months Ago


COA has repeatedly cited the high expenses of emergency shelters, where asylum seekers often stay for a short period before being shuffled elsewhere. This patchwork system perpetuates a cycle of chaos, what the agency now refers to as “the mother” of all challenges in the reception.

Emergency Shelters Unsustainable
Joeri Kapteijns, Director of COA, even stated that sustainable funding is crucial next to the implementation of the Asylum Distribution Law.

“We are not asking for more money, but for wiser spending,” he says. “Peace and stability on reception are both important for residents and staff and also for the municipalities.”

Its demand has been for the government to enact multiyear financing that makes it possible to establish solid basic reception centers.

When not used for asylum reception, these facilities could serve other housing requirements, maximizing their use.

Due to short term budgets at COA, they have a difficult time obtaining long term agreements from municipalities even though the Asylum Distribution Law encourages municipalities to open shelters.

Other municipalities demur, realizing COA cannot guarantee continued funding.

Therefore, constant dependence on expensive emergency sheltering persists as families are uprooted and moved, which has a detrimental effect on our children.
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