National asylum agency secures 800 emergency shelter spaces, 1,800 short of need

The Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers (COA) has confirmed it will secure 800 new emergency reception places over the coming months—1,800 fewer than the 2,600 spots it requested from eight provinces in early July. The shortfall comes as the agency braces for its customary summer peak in asylum applications that is expected to continue into the fall, AD reports.

COA sent formal requests to Gelderland, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland under the requirements of the Dutch “spread law,” which obliges provinces to share the national burden of asylum reception. Each was asked to identify 325 additional temporary places immediately.

With only 800 of the 2,600 sought now in sight, COA has achieved just 30 percent of its urgent target. The remaining 1,800 places must still be arranged to prevent overcrowding in existing centres.

COA officials stress that the new spots will be vital to accommodate arrivals during summer and early autumn, when asylum applications typically surge. Without them, municipalities risk having to find ad hoc solutions, such as repurposing community centres or schools.