Employers and unions meet at the Catshuis to discuss a stalled social pact

For the first time since the cabinet was sworn in, employers and the FNV and CNV unions sat down together at the Catshuis, greeted by a four-minister delegation that included Prime Minister Rob Jetten. The talks aim to revive a long-standing social agreement, but unions maintain that any reduction in social-security spending must be withdrawn first, a condition that was satisfied at the end of September. Minister Hans Vijlbrief highlighted the stagnation of the Dutch system and the large number of people receiving disability benefits.

He, along with Minister Thierry Aartsen, noted that the agenda will cover the strained disability scheme, labour-market reforms, and ways to raise the country's earning capacity. Given the breadth and difficulty of the topics, participants do not expect rapid breakthroughs, and officials anticipate the first outcomes only after several months.