Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan wants Polish and other European immigrants to follow obligatory integration courses. At the moment European immigrants are not required to learn Dutch or assimilate in any way, but the minister is backed by a majority of the Lower House with support from the Christian Democrats, Labour Party and conservative VVD.

A survey by Forum, an institute promoting multicultural development, has found that one in five Poles wants to stay in the Netherlands, but few of them speak good Dutch. Mr van der Laan says that at present European Union legislation does not permit member states to make integrations compulsory for migrants from other member states, but the issue is currently subject to debate.

The minister is also looking into the possibility of changing Dutch law so that the parents of children with poor language skills can be forced to follow Dutch lessons.

Photo: Dutch Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan - vrom.nl