A mechanism to provide for informed public debate about the acceptable level of flood risk could be established. It could serve multiple purposes, including raising public aw'areness of flood risk, solidifying the willingness to pay for current and future flood protection to achieve high levels of safety in recognition of the associated costs, and reinforcing the social contract to commit to a safe Netherlands today and in the future that can secure steady financial flows for flood protection. Recognise that the pace of implementation of flood protection measures determines the de facto level of safety at any point in time. The programme of measures to improve defence structures that do not meet the standards and the timeline for implementation should be determined in light of what is considered by society as an acceptable level of risk.