Belgium - Court of Cassation, judgment no. S.15.0004.N/1A

The Court of Cassation clarified that the fact that judges should refuse to apply the existing regulations because these violate the principle of equal treatment, does not have as a consequence that stateless persons automatically fall under the category of aliens authorised to stay on the territory by law, or are automatically equated to a recognised refugee. They still need to be granted leave to remain.

Case name (in original language)
Arrêt S.15.0004.N/1
Case status
Decided
Case number
S.15.0004.N/1
Citation
Belgium, Court of Cassation, 27 June 2016, No. S.15.0004.N/1, B.M. v. Openbaar Centrum voor Maatschappelijk Welzijn van Roeslare, available at http://jure.juridat.just.fgov.be/pdfapp/download_blob?idpdf=N-20160627-2 (in Dutch) 95 Belgium,
Date of decision
State
Court / UN Treaty Body
Court of Cassation
Language(s) the decision is available in
Dutch
Applicant's country of birth
Macedonia
Applicant's country of residence
Macedonia
Key aspects
Decision & Reasoning

The Court of Cassation clarified that the fact that judges should refuse to apply the existing regulations because these violate the principle of equal treatment, does not have as a consequence that stateless persons automatically fall under the category of aliens authorised to stay on the territory by law, or are automatically equated to a recognised refugee. They still need to be granted leave to remain.

Caselaw cited

Constitutional Court, Judgment no. 198/2009 of 17 December 2009.

Constitutional Court, Judgment no. 1/2012 of 11 January 2012.