In Denmark we have a service called Betalingsservice (translated: payment services), which is owned by PBS a company owned collectively by the banks.
PBS is also the entity that drives the danish Dankort (a debit card which has near 100% penetration, see wikipedia) and "foreign" cards (Visa/Master...)
The system is quite easy. Suppliers sign up to the services and bills the customers through it. The customer has actively to make a "payment contract" with the supplier before the supplier can draw money. The customers gets a overview of coming payments around the 25th (for the next month) usually in their webbank and effectively has somethings like 10 days to decline a payment (even if it has happened and you are within the decline period). The customer can also always cancel the "payment contract" to the company, denying the company to make any further charges.
I have never tried to decline a payment as it there has never been any errors in the 10+ years I have (heavily) used it. But given the general level of customer protection associated with banking services in Denmark, I am certain that it will not be an issue.
For an example, a few years ago I had a fraudent charge on my Visacard in the range of 500$. I called my bank and told them I had not made that purchase, signed a form (they sent to me) saying the same. And a few days later the money was returned. (Whether the bank gets back it's money is not the customer's problem in this case.)
I believe your biggest issue (except perhaps legal hoops to jump through) is the language.
One obvious choice would be UK or Ireland, where everybody speaks english already.
I live in Denmark, a small ( 6 million citizen) country with our own language. HOWEVER all north American exchange students I met on my graduate studies where impressed with the general level of English in Denmark. According to them it is a non-issue. I strongly suspect it will be the same in Sweden/Norway - at least in the urban areas.
I have also a big faith in the English skills of the Dutch, as I have traveled there multiple times and yet to meet any problems with not speaking the language.
Southern Europe (France, Italy, Span etc.) is a whole different situation, I was recently on week in Spain and was amazed by the lack of English. Almost nobody I meet outside the (IT-)conference spoke English in any usable degree. I have had the same trouble in Belgium (even in the capital) so I believe any French speaking countries might also be difficult.
I have no real idea of knowing how well the german-speaking countries speak English, as I am also fluent in German. I would believe that especially the German parts of Switzerland would be fine too.
To sum up, I believe any smaller western/north-western European country would be suitable. Watch out for the bigger ones as they are probably solely focused on their own language.
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In Denmark we have a service called Betalingsservice (translated: payment services), which is owned by PBS a company owned collectively by the banks.
PBS is also the entity that drives the danish Dankort (a debit card which has near 100% penetration, see wikipedia) and "foreign" cards (Visa/Master...)
The system is quite easy. Suppliers sign up to the services and bills the customers through it.
The customer has actively to make a "payment contract" with the supplier before the supplier can draw money.
The customers gets a overview of coming payments around the 25th (for the next month) usually in their webbank and effectively has somethings like 10 days to decline a payment (even if it has happened and you are within the decline period). The customer can also always cancel the "payment contract" to the company, denying the company to make any further charges.
I have never tried to decline a payment as it there has never been any errors in the 10+ years I have (heavily) used it. But given the general level of customer protection associated with banking services in Denmark, I am certain that it will not be an issue.
For an example, a few years ago I had a fraudent charge on my Visacard in the range of 500$. I called my bank and told them I had not made that purchase, signed a form (they sent to me) saying the same. And a few days later the money was returned. (Whether the bank gets back it's money is not the customer's problem in this case.)
I am not dutch, but agree with your point.
If I ever get fed up with my native country (Denmark) I will be looking towards the Netherlands.
No doubt.
I believe your biggest issue (except perhaps legal hoops to jump through) is the language.
One obvious choice would be UK or Ireland, where everybody speaks english already.
I live in Denmark, a small ( 6 million citizen) country with our own language. HOWEVER all north American exchange students I met on my graduate studies where impressed with the general level of English in Denmark. According to them it is a non-issue. I strongly suspect it will be the same in Sweden/Norway - at least in the urban areas.
I have also a big faith in the English skills of the Dutch, as I have traveled there multiple times and yet to meet any problems with not speaking the language.
Southern Europe (France, Italy, Span etc.) is a whole different situation, I was recently on week in Spain and was amazed by the lack of English. Almost nobody I meet outside the (IT-)conference spoke English in any usable degree. I have had the same trouble in Belgium (even in the capital) so I believe any French speaking countries might also be difficult.
I have no real idea of knowing how well the german-speaking countries speak English, as I am also fluent in German. I would believe that especially the German parts of Switzerland would be fine too.
To sum up, I believe any smaller western/north-western European country would be suitable. Watch out for the bigger ones as they are probably solely focused on their own language.
I do believe that the kernel of truth in it made the joke funny (and yes, it was primarily a joke).. but again that goes for every joke...
... we could allow mopeds in Tour de Frace :o)