ABSTRACT
It would seem that the tendency of the Dutch government to encourage early retirement has come to an end. The government has been compelled to change its policy. The reasons for this change are the cost of early retirement and, most importantly, the fact that the pension burden will become too heavy in view of rapid ageing of the population. VUT schemes are intended to encourage early retirement by employees on a voluntary basis. They were created to promote employment. VUT schemes have been transformed into early retirement schemes. Pension schemes will have to support this trend and facilitate partial early retirement. In the case of a part-time pension combined with a part-time job, workers will receive an old-age pension. The European Commission, as well as Member States, will have to take legal measures to stimulate and facilitate this development, of which an integral feature will be the possibility to opt for early or later retirement under the state pension.
