Most national governments have no standardized, typographical/design language with which all the various agencies and departments can communicate with each other or with their citizens. This visual cacophony usually results in an ugly and un-understandable language where everybody does what they want and the viewer/reader are left to fend for themselves in an attempt to understand what is being communicated.

The Dutch Government can be praised for now having made an attempt to begin with a standardization. Last year the national logo was restyled by Studio Dumbar (not to every ones liking) and now the government have presented a new family of typefaces which will gradually be introduced into all government communication, making for a standardized typographical/design language.
The Typefaces 'Rijksoverheid Serif' en 'Rijksoverheid Sans' have been designed by Peter Verheul, type designer and professor at the Royal Academy of Art and Design in the Hague.
This nicely designed little book is a presentation of the new typefaces and includes a complete typespecimen of the various weights.