The Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled that the Dutch government unlawfully created different rules for accepting refugees from Ukraine compared with those from other countries. In its decision, the court stated that there was an unlawful distinction between refugees from Ukraine and asylum seekers from other nations. Both groups have fled war and violence, and the court underscored that eligibility criteria should not vary on such a basis.
The ruling emphasizes that the state must treat these groups equally, applying consistent standards to assess asylum requests regardless of origin. This decision reinforces the principle that humanitarian protection should not be selectively applied based on nationality, but rather on the individual circumstances of each case and the fundamental protection needs of refugees and asylum seekers alike.
Previously, Amsterdam’s local government faced a crisis of capacity. Reports indicate that at times a thousand or more refugees were placed on cruise ships due to limited housing options within the city. The NLTimes portal noted that aligning policy and practice to remedy the disparities could take several months. The costs associated with these arrangements were financed by the national government. Contemporary reporting also indicates that there were roughly 2,100 refugees residing in Amsterdam at that time, in addition to those from Ukraine. These figures illustrate the scale of the challenge in delivering timely and humane responses to displacement while ensuring equitable treatment for all applicants.
The court’s decision signals a mandate for a unified approach to refugee protection within the Netherlands. By calling out unequal treatment and urging alignment with international norms on asylum and refugee protection, the ruling places emphasis on fairness, due process, and the obligation to safeguard human rights for all individuals seeking refuge from conflict and persecution.