Opinion of the Advocate General — ECLI:EU:C:2019:468
Date: 2019-06-06
Language of the case: Dutch
Subject matter: Asylum policy;Area of freedom, security and justice;Fundamental rights;Charter of Fundamental Rights;Border checks
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling
Origin: Belgium

Request for a preliminary ruling from the Arbeidshof te Brussel (Belgium) lodged on 29 March 2018 — Zubair Haqbin v Federaal Agentschap voor de opvang van asielzoekers (Case C-233/18) Language of the case: Dutch Referring court Arbeidshof te Brussel Parties to the main proceedings Applicant: Zubair Haqbin Defendant: Federaal Agentschap voor de opvang van asielzoekers Questions referred Must Article 20(1) to (3) of [Directive 2013/33/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection] 1 be interpreted as enumerating exhaustively the cases in which material reception conditions may be reduced or withdrawn, or does it follow from Article 20(4) and (5) thereof that withdrawal of the right to material reception conditions may also occur by means of sanctions for serious breaches of the rules relating to reception centres and serious acts of violence? Must Article 20(5) and (6) [of Directive 2013/33] be interpreted as meaning that Member States, before taking a decision on the reduction or withdrawal of material reception conditions or on the imposition of sanctions, must, in the context of those decisions, lay down the measures necessary for guaranteeing the right to a dignified standard of living during the period of exclusion, or can those provisions be complied with by a system whereby, after the decision to reduce or withdraw the material reception conditions, an examination is carried out as to whether the person who is the subject of the decision enjoys a dignified living standard and, if necessary, remedial measures are taken at that point? Must Article 20(4) to (6) of Directive 2013/33, read in conjunction with Articles 14, 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, be interpreted as meaning that a measure or sanction of temporary (or definitive) exclusion from the right to material reception conditions is possible, or impossible, in respect of a minor, specifically in respect of an unaccompanied minor? ____________ 1 Directive 2013/33/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (OJ 2013 L 180, p. 96).