The Raad van State supreme court has spoken out against the ruling VVD’s draft legislation linking knowledge of the Dutch language to welfare benefits.

The court says the move will have a negative effect on integration and merely exacerbate the problems, reports news agency Novum.
VVD party leader Stef Blok said last week that people on benefits who speak little or no Dutch need to find work as quickly as possible, which would seem impossible ‘if they can’t make themselves undestood’.
But the court, which gives advice on draft legislation before it goes to parliament, doubts the effectiveness of the move. It points out that various treaties make it illegal to demand a knowledge of Dutch for immigrants from EU member countries and Turks and Moroccans with dual nationality.
In addition, it will make life more difficult for legal immigrants who will need to find other ways of making a living.
The court also points out that the existing welfare law already makes provision for cutting welfare payments if immigrants do not improve their Dutch, says Novum.