Junior justice minister Fred Teeven is to appeal against a court decision forcing him to offer refugees who have lost their claim to asylum ‘bed, bath and bread’.

Teeven made the comments in answer to questions from political party D66 about two people who in late December won the right to accommodation in court. Prior to that appeal being heard, the ‘foreigners in question’ can report to a refugee centre in Ter Apel, he said.

The Netherlands is coming under increasing pressure to give shelter to failed asylum seekers who are currently evicted from refugee centres if they refuse to cooperate and go home.

Refugee organisation Vluchtelingenwerk estimates some 5,000 would-be refugees are turned out onto the street every year. Many of them remain in the country and live illegally.

Council of Europe

In November, the Council of Europe said the Netherlands must ensure everyone living in the country has food, clothes and shelter, including failed asylum seekers who are not cooperating with efforts to deport them.

The Council of Europe’s decision is not binding and Teeven said earlier he will set it aside until the 47 foreign affairs ministers attached to the council vote on the ruling at their next meeting in January.