Rotterdam to enforce begging ban despite European human rights concerns

Rotterdam plans to tighten enforcement of its citywide ban on begging, even though European courts have ruled that blanket prohibitions can violate the rights of vulnerable people, Rijnmond reported.

The city’s policy makes begging illegal everywhere and carries fines of 110 euros. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2021 that total bans are too severe for people without other income, who need to request money to survive.

Alderman Ronald Buijt of Leefbaar Rotterdam said stricter enforcement is necessary. “I find it inappropriate for a wealthy Western country like the Netherlands that people are dependent on begging for their livelihood. Something is seriously wrong elsewhere,” he said, arguing the ban encourages people to seek help and prevents addiction.

Under the new plan, officials will remove beggars from intersections and busy areas. Joint operations with police will require some beggars to surrender daily earnings. Similar measures exist in Zaanstad, Amsterdam, Tilburg, Haarlem, Amersfoort, and Breda, which legal experts say violate European rules.

“What Rotterdam is doing conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights,” Tim Quispel, lecturer at Juridische Hogeschool Avans-Fontys, told Rijnmond. Human rights lawyer Sarah Ganty called the approach “quite harsh,” noting that total bans are considered radical and must be strictly assessed.