Netherlands must process 140,000 Ukrainian asylum claims

The European Court of Justice ruled that the Netherlands must assess asylum requests from over 140,000 Ukrainians that were previously put on hold.

Driving the news: Unlike other European nations, the Dutch government required Ukrainians seeking temporary protection to simultaneously register an asylum claim, which authorities then automatically suspended. The European court determined that freezing these procedures is unlawful, creating what the Dutch cabinet acknowledged is an operational problem.

The capacity issue:

• Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND, the Dutch immigration service) lacks sufficient capacity to review these files, according to asylum lawyer Wil Eikelboom.
• Minister of Asylum and Migration Van den Brink plans to prioritize fresh arrivals alongside over 50,000 people already on the waiting list before handling most Ukrainian files.
• Legal scholar Ricky van Oers from Radboud Universiteit noted the verdict may allow authorities to phase evaluations and prioritize specific groups, including families.

The big picture: Temporary protection grants Ukrainians immediate permission to work, housing, medical aid, and schooling until March 2028, yet Van Oers explained that an asylum permit offers far greater stability.

What is next: The highest Dutch administrative court will examine the European ruling to determine its practical application, while refugee support organisation Vluchtelingenwerk urged the government to establish a sustainable long-term strategy.

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