**The compulsory integration courses must be able to start in Brussels on 1 April. That is what Minister Alain Maron (Ecolo) repeats after new concerns from the Flemish Community. There is still some legal work to be done. The N-VA fears another delay, which would be the fifth time already.**
The integration courses for newcomers in Brussels have already been agreed upon since 2019 in a cooperation agreement between the Flemish Community (VGC), the Francophone Community (COCOF) and the Common Community Commission (GGC). It involves compulsory language lessons in French or Dutch, a course in social orientation and practical lessons on, for example, looking for a job.
Actually, these courses were supposed to start on 1 January 2020, but this target date has been postponed four times already. In December, the Brussels Minister in charge of this policy, Alain Maron (Ecolo), said that the courses would only start on 1 April 2022 instead of 1 January. He is now repeating that date at BRUZZ.
Flemish MP Annabel Tavernier (N-VA) is worried that there might still be a delay. In order to roll out the programmes in Brussels, personal data must be able to be exchanged between the language communities. The technical tool for that data exchange is not yet ready in Brussels. Furthermore, this exchange of data requires a proper legal framework. The Flemish Government will approve an extra article in the original cooperation agreement this Friday. The GGC also still has to do so.
“There will be more advisory councils, which will soon take a few weeks. I simply do not believe that this tool will be operational by April. We have to be legally in order,” Tavernier says.
**4,000 routes**
According to Flemish Minister of Integration and Citizenship Bart Somers (Open VLD) there indeed still needs to be consultation between the GGC, Cocof and the Flemish Community. “It is up to the GGC to take this initiative. Until now it hasn’t happened,” Somers said Tuesday, in response to a parliamentary question by Tavernier. By the way, the last steering committee dates from September 9.
“Flanders is ready to set up the 4,000 civic integration courses planned in Brussels,” Somers added. This concerns 4,000 places in the Bon welcome office, financed by Flanders. “The GGC is responsible for the further operationalisation and communication about this. Of course I would have much preferred to keep the starting date of 1 January and my cabinet has also explicitly said so.”
Alain Maron let it be known that the united college of the GGC had already approved the new legislation at first reading on 16 December. “I confirm that the civic integration will be in force on 1 April,” his spokesman responds.
“My wish is an approach to the reception of newcomers that is as inclusive as possible, both for the people who are subject to the obligation and for those who want to follow the reception programme on a voluntary basis,” Maron said. For this purpose, the Brussels Minister is setting aside 1.185 million euros this year.
2 comments
**The compulsory integration courses must be able to start in Brussels on 1 April. That is what Minister Alain Maron (Ecolo) repeats after new concerns from the Flemish Community. There is still some legal work to be done. The N-VA fears another delay, which would be the fifth time already.**
The integration courses for newcomers in Brussels have already been agreed upon since 2019 in a cooperation agreement between the Flemish Community (VGC), the Francophone Community (COCOF) and the Common Community Commission (GGC). It involves compulsory language lessons in French or Dutch, a course in social orientation and practical lessons on, for example, looking for a job.
Actually, these courses were supposed to start on 1 January 2020, but this target date has been postponed four times already. In December, the Brussels Minister in charge of this policy, Alain Maron (Ecolo), said that the courses would only start on 1 April 2022 instead of 1 January. He is now repeating that date at BRUZZ.
Flemish MP Annabel Tavernier (N-VA) is worried that there might still be a delay. In order to roll out the programmes in Brussels, personal data must be able to be exchanged between the language communities. The technical tool for that data exchange is not yet ready in Brussels. Furthermore, this exchange of data requires a proper legal framework. The Flemish Government will approve an extra article in the original cooperation agreement this Friday. The GGC also still has to do so.
“There will be more advisory councils, which will soon take a few weeks. I simply do not believe that this tool will be operational by April. We have to be legally in order,” Tavernier says.
**4,000 routes**
According to Flemish Minister of Integration and Citizenship Bart Somers (Open VLD) there indeed still needs to be consultation between the GGC, Cocof and the Flemish Community. “It is up to the GGC to take this initiative. Until now it hasn’t happened,” Somers said Tuesday, in response to a parliamentary question by Tavernier. By the way, the last steering committee dates from September 9.
“Flanders is ready to set up the 4,000 civic integration courses planned in Brussels,” Somers added. This concerns 4,000 places in the Bon welcome office, financed by Flanders. “The GGC is responsible for the further operationalisation and communication about this. Of course I would have much preferred to keep the starting date of 1 January and my cabinet has also explicitly said so.”
Alain Maron let it be known that the united college of the GGC had already approved the new legislation at first reading on 16 December. “I confirm that the civic integration will be in force on 1 April,” his spokesman responds.
“My wish is an approach to the reception of newcomers that is as inclusive as possible, both for the people who are subject to the obligation and for those who want to follow the reception programme on a voluntary basis,” Maron said. For this purpose, the Brussels Minister is setting aside 1.185 million euros this year.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Interesting.
Normally my nationality application goes in end of this year so I think I might have to do the new one.