Brussels to make integration courses mandatory

The Brussels and the Flemish governments are working together to make integration courses for foreigners in Brussels compulsory. The ordinance will be submitted in the coming weeks, reports Brusselnieuws.be.

The agreement is the result of a meeting between ministers Rudi Vervoort (PS) and Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), who agreed to have the Brussels-Capital Region follow the example of Flanders, where an integration programme for newcomers has long been a reality. But Brussels will not just copy Flanders, says Rudi Vervoort. "It is not going to be the N-VA model, but we do find that, for example, language knowledge is very important and should be mandatory."

Up until now, integration courses in Brussels were offered on a voluntary basis, via the Brussels Onthaalbureau Nieuwkomers (BON). The Flemish agency receives more registrations every year for its integration courses.