GLOBAL - SPF Beheer, the Dutch pensions and administration service provider, has published a book summarising the pension systems in developed world countries.

The book, which includes comic strips, consists of a brief summary of the Dutch, French, German, Italian, Danish, Swiss, UK  and US pension systems.

There is also a series of interviews with leading Dutch political, investment and pensions experts, including Arthur Docters van Leeuwen, state appointed supervisor at Aegon; Pieter Omtzigt, a Dutch politician; Roderkick Munsters, Robeco chief executive; Albert Roell, chief executive of Cas Bank; Harrie Verbon, professor of public finance at Tilburg university; and Lans Bovenberg, an independent member of the Social Economic Council's committees on social economic policy and lifecycle policy.

The book concludes that "whether we like it or not, we are heading for a single Europe" and that there is "a real possibility the Stability Pact will soon be dominated by the issue of pensions" due to the dependence of many European countries on pay-as-you-go state systems.

The interviewee also agreed the Dutch consultation, or 'polder' model, had proved its worth.