Labour Research June 2019

European news

Dutch Pension age


FNV, the main union confederation in the Netherlands, has called on the government to halt the increase in the state pension age to 66 years and eight months, planned for 1 January 2020, and to freeze it at the current 66 years and four months. 


If the government fails to do this before 1 July, the latest date the pension age increase can be stopped, the FNV has said that it will withdraw from the discussions on pension reform, which have been going on since March.


Dutch unions have leverage in this debate, as they sit on the boards of the occupational pension funds which top up the basic state pension. They want the state pension age to rise more slowly, earlier pensions for workers in arduous occupations, and compulsory pension contributions for the self-employed.