Dutch must care for undocumented migrants: Europe

The Council of Europe has chastised the Netherlands. According to the council, the government must also see to the needs of failed asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants. The Council of Europe made this statement in the absolute ruling of the Committee of Social Rights, after the Protestant laid charges against the Dutch State. According to the Committee, the Netherlands violates several basic rights of undocumented immigrants, such as providing food, clothing and shelter. Things that every citizen is entitled to. Currently many failed asylum seekers end up on the streets if they do not return to their country of origin. Social organizations and churches often offer shelter to them. The Protestant Church lodged a complaint in 2013 through the Conference of European Churches. The Church considers it inhumane that these refugees have to live on the streets. The question now is what State Secretary Fred Teeven will do with this criticism from Europe. Earlier he stated that the committee's judgement is "not binding". The coalition parties VVD and PvdA do not agree when it comes to asylum rules. The VVD wants the Netherlands to tighten the European rules. The PvdA is in favor of one European asylum policy - the review of applications should be the same in all member states.