The Netherlands' right-wing government said on Wednesday it would seek to opt out from the European Union's migration rules if and when the bloc next renegotiates its core treaties - even though this is unlikely to happen any time soon.

The Dutch government asked the European Union to opt out of its migration and asylum agreement as the new right-wing cabinet pushes for the country’s strictest ever immigration policies.

Brussels is expected to push back, given that EU member states, including The Netherlands, had in December 2023 agreed on a new bloc-wide migration pact. "You don't opt out of adopted legislation in the EU, that is a general principle," EU spokesperson Eric Mamer said last week of the Dutch stance.

The Netherlands announced Wednesday that it had requested from Brussels an opt-out from the European Union's rules on asylum, days after the coalition government unveiled the country's toughest-ever immigration policy.