…Poverty in the Netherlands
The new economy measures have been announced in the Netherlands. Poverty is still a real fact. Hundreds of thousands of people, even those that still have a job and struggle along, no longer have enough money to make ends meet and will suffer from all the new financial restrictions. Government has pushed the responsibility onto the communes. In the Netherlands the year 2010 will go into history as the year of promotion of poverty and social exclusion.
…Pensions
The government in the Netherlands has again put forward the idea to push the legal age of pension to 67 years instead of 65. But is this the solution? The following proposal has been made: as of 57 years of age, people should only work 4 days a week, as of 62 years of age this is reduced to 3 days a week and as of 65 years this is again reduced to two days of work. Then as of 70 years it is your personal choice if you wish to stop working or if you want to work one day per week. This approach has various advantages: there is no abrupt stopping but a gradual evolution, work become more attractive as it no longer a daily chore and you can choose yourself at what age you would like to retire.
For any further information, pelase contact Quinta Ansem from EAPN Netherlands quinta.ansem@eapnned.nl.
