New Reception Centre for Refugees from Ukraine Set Up in Belgium

On 14 March, the Government of Belgium opened a new centre to receive and register refugees from Ukraine fleeing Russia’s barbaric war. The centre is located in one of the pavilions of the Brussels Expo, which will significantly speed up the registration process.

According to a joint decision of the Council of the European Union, citizens of Ukraine, mainly women and children, can receive temporary protection in all countries of the European Union, including Belgium. This includes the right to residence, access to basic social services and health care, housing, and the labour market.

As of 14 March, more than 6,000 Ukrainian citizens were registered in Belgium, of whom more than 2,000 said they needed a temporary place to live.

According to United Nations data, more than 2.7 million refugees have crossed the EU border since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Predominantly women and children, most people (1.68 million) arrived in Poland. According to the European Commission, the number of refugees from Ukraine in the EU may soon exceed 5 million.