AMSTERDAM The FNV union federation no longer feels bound by the accord on the introduction of a basic health insurance plan in 2005. The FNV voted for this in 2000 on condition that lower incomes were adequately compensated, but that does not now appear to be the case, said a spokesman yesterday.

At end-2000, following long and difficult negotiations, employers and unions represented in the influential Socio-Economic Council (SER) concluded an accord on the introduction of a broad insurance package for which everyone would pay a fixed amount. The FNV now only wants to discuss a new system with income-related premiums.

Politicians are divided on the means of levying premiums for the future basic insurance. The present caretaker government coalition of the Christian democrats (CDA), conservatives (VVD) and Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) were aiming for a fixed premium for everyone with compensation for the lower incomes. The leftwing parties want the premium to be largely income-dependent.

Employers organization VNO-NCW yesterday called it opportunistic of the FNV to start tampering with the accord now. "It seems to us drum-beating for the elections, because Labour (PvdA) is now making a point of the basic insurance," said a spokesman. He added that the accord already assumed compensation for lower incomes.

Heath insurers umbrella ZN considered the debate on the basic insurance in 2005 uninteresting. "You can certainly now discuss for years how exactly it should look, but this is wasted energy. It is more sensible to do something about the present problems, such as waiting lists or bureaucracy," said ZN director M. Bontje.