The Netherlands: A pricey rapid-testing programme rings alarms in the Netherlands

SIPPING A BEER on a pub terrace may be the Netherlands’ holiest rite of spring. But the country’s grim incidence of covid-19, currently far higher than in Germany or Italy, has kept its pubs shut. As the weather has warmed, cries of “open the terrasjes!” have sounded ever louder in Dutch politics, and this week the government gave in. From April 28th cafés may open outdoor seating (two people per table, maximum) between noon and 6pm. Meanwhile the state is eyeing a more permanent solution. It is funding pilot programmes to explore whether rapid testing of patrons can allow reopening of restaurants, museums, cultural events and the like.

The budget is huge: €1.1bn ($1.3bn) through August, more than 0.1% of GDP. Of that, €2.7m goes to experiments this spring with large-scale events such as theatre performances and football matches. But critics say these are so flawed that they may prove useless. Participants are asked to get follow-up tests and report the results, but only about four-fifths do, spoiling the results for epidemiologists. Oddly, the researchers say they are not even trying to study whether the events lead to more infections, but only whether participants follow social-distancing rules. Public documents do not specify the trials’ research questions, as would be expected for a scientific Process.

Read More at: A pricey rapid-testing programme rings alarms in the Netherlands | The Economist

Netherlands keeps crown as world’s best pension system - by Rachel Fixsen, Venilia Amorim

The Dutch pension system has won the highest score in the latest Global Pension Index report from Mercer, with the international consultancy using this year’s publication to sound a stern warning on the impact of the pandemic on retirement income systems around the world.

In the 2020 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index report – previously called the Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index – which awards national pension systems points for adequacy, integrity and sustainability as well as giving them an overall score, the Netherlands came top with 82.6 points, followed by Denmark with 81.4 and Israel with 74.7 points.

Read more at: ​Netherlands keeps crown as world’s best pension system | News | IPE

European Super League: Project is dead, Agnelli admits

The European Super League project is dead, its founder Andrea Agnelli has admitted. Twelve teams had agreed to join a breakaway Super League but plans collapsed when all six English clubs withdrew. Here is the latest.

Read more at: European Super League: Project is dead, Agnelli admits | Sports| German football and major international sports news | DW | 21.04.2021

The Netherlands: Balancing act: Dutch PM eases lockdown amid infection rise - by Mike Corder

Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced a significant easing in his country's months-long coronavirus lockdown Tuesday, calling it a delicate balancing act as infections remain stubbornly high.

The decision to cautiously relax restrictions reflects difficult choices being made in many countries as lockdown fatigue grows even as positive cases keep rising.

Read more at: Balancing act: Dutch PM eases lockdown amid infection rise - ABC News

EU - Soccer: Why European Super League could reshape the future of soccer

On Sunday, 12 of the biggest soccer teams in Europe announced their intention to form their own breakaway Super League in a bold move that challenges the tradition and long-standing history of the European club game, and could change the financial and competitive nature of the sport for generations to come.

Here's what you need to know about this seismic development:

Read more at: Why European Super League could reshape the future of soccer | CBC Sports

Europe's democratic renewal needs a feminist slant - by Iratxe García Pérez

If the Covid-19 outbreak has taught us anything, it’s that preparedness for crises is crucial to save lives. To be better prepared, we need to have a discussion about the future of the European Union. And not just among politicians. This is where the Conference on the Future of Europe comes in, which had been proposed already before the pandemic because, even back then, it was necessary to update our common vision and to speed up decision-making in our union of 27 member states.

Now, the time has come to get out of the ‘Brussels bubble’, listen to people and advance towards a feminist Europe. We need a new concept of power, a new approach to representative democracy and a new mindset in the EU institutions. This transformation should also be reflected in the institutional architecture. We must ensure that the conference plenary does not just become a political theatre for EU politicians to debate among themselves. Instead, it needs to be a forum to give a voice to citizens

Read more at: Europe's democratic renewal needs a feminist slant – Iratxe García Pérez

The Netherlands - Eurovision Song Contest: Postcards from the Netherlands soon to be delivered

As postcard production nears completion, Eurovision.tv can share with you a special behind-the-scenes video available to watch on the official Eurovision YouTube channel. It features an exclusive interview with Head of Show Gerben Bakker, shot when the postcards for Veluwezoom National Park and the Koppelpoort (a medieval gate in Amersfoort) were being filmed.

Read more at: Postcards from the Netherlands soon to be delivered - Eurovision Song Contest