RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: In an exclusive interview with the English Department of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced on Wednesday evening that he will suggest that other European countries adopt the Dutch "polder model" of government.
He will make the proposal during the European Union summit to be held in Brussels on 18 and 19 June.
Mr Balkenende believes that Europe sorely needs a system similar to the Dutch one, whereby employers, trade unions and governmental authorities meet and negotiate until they arrive at a consensus agreeable to all parties.
The Prime Minister says that this type of system is needed now more than ever since millions of workers in Europe risk losing their jobs and many companies are suffering record losses.
It is extremely important that employers, workers and local and national governments are able to reach agreement on salaries, job protection, training schemes and taxation.
The Dutch Prime Minister and German Chancellor Angela Merkel support the introduction of a so-called "Rhine-Delta model" for Europe, which is extremely similar to the Dutch model. >>> By Herman Van Gelderen | Wednesday, May 20, 2009
