The Dutch government dominated by Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) has officially demanded an opt-out from the European Union’s collective migration and asylum policy.
In a letter penned on Wednesday to the Eurocrats in Berlaymont, Dutch Migration Minister Marjolein Faber made the formal request for the Netherlands to be permanently exempt from all rules related to migration including the controversial EU Migration Pact that obligates member states to receive migrant quotas or face heavy fines.
“I have just informed the European Commission that I want a migration opt-out within Europe for the Netherlands. We need to be in charge of our own asylum policy again!” Faber wrote on X.
“We want things differently,” she added, explaining that her letter should be seen as a “signal” to other countries wanting the same to combine forces in lobbying the Commission.
“If we become a larger group, they will have to listen,” she added. “We ultimately want to shape our asylum policy as we see fit.”
Sympathetic ears will be found in Budapest and Bratislava where both prime ministers, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico, have voiced their firm opposition to mandatory migrant quotas.
Other nations seemingly intent on cracking down on migration and asylum include Sweden which has introduced a voluntary repatriation scheme, and Germany which has introduced new internal border controls within the Schengen area.
Just hours after receiving the letter, the European Commission rejected the proposal in no uncertain terms.
The EU rules for asylum and migration “remain binding for the Netherlands,” its spokesperson said, noting that this would remain the case unless there is treaty change unanimously agreed upon by the member states.
“We do not expect the EU treaty to be changed quickly,” the spokesperson added.
