The Dutch government has commenced its national campaign that aims to increase awareness of the new pension rules that were introduced on 1 July.

Under the reforms, the pension system in the Netherlands will shift focus from defined benefit (DB) pensions to defined contribution (DC) pensions.

Pension funds in the Netherlands need to decide on what their new scheme will look like, its contribution levels, whether accrued pensions will be transferred to the new scheme, or whether they will transition to the new system at all or wind up and consolidate.

The government hopes that its new campaign will help the Dutch public understand what will be changing and what will stay the same.

It believes it is important for both the young and old to be aware of how the new rules will affect them.

The campaign, which began on 21 August, will encompass television, radio and social media, with videos and social media posts planned.

This media output will aim to explain the new rules in language that’s easy to understand, while more extensive information on the new rules can be found on the ‘pension clarity’ website.

Commenting on the campaign, the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment said: “The rules for retirement are changing, because we want everyone to be able to receive a pension in the future.

“The pension rules worked well for years, but that is changing.

“That is why the unions, employers and the government have jointly drawn up new rules for pensions.

“Because we want everyone in the Netherlands to receive a good pension, including future generations.”

Dutch policymakers had been negotiating the details of the Future Pensions Act for several years and finally came to an agreement earlier this year.

Initially, the deadline for pension funds to transition to the new system was set as 1 January 2027, but this was moved back to 1 January 2028 in the latter stages of discussions.

While the deadline has been set at 2028, some pension funds plan to transition to the new system earlier than this.

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