2000 regulations EEA Family Permit

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

I wonder if anyone can shed some light on this. I've no particular personal reason to know, but just wondering of someone knows.

1. An EEA family permit issued under the old regulations was valid for a whole year (ie 12 months).
2. Some embassies made a point of saying that such family permit would substitute for an article 10 residence card (I have an example from the Dutch below).

Questions
1 Why was it issued for a year, whereas the one under 2006 was only for a year?
2. Why did the Dutch make a point of making it equivalent to an article 10 card?
3. Was there anything special about this vignette?

The above rules for holders of a residence card also apply to holders of an EEA family permit issued under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2000 (a stamp endorsed in the holder's valid passport).

http://www.dutchembassyuk.org/consular/index.php?i=261