For your information only:
I have noted that several other ATC centers (i.e. Zurich, Milan, Munich etc) also issue descent rates in order to avoid step descents, so this "problem" seems not to be "restrected" to Maastricht only...
433, may I turn the question around ? Why do some of your collegues leave us flying at FL100 for several miles / minutes and then say: "Climb to FL 260, reach within the next 4 minutes" ?
It seems that some of you like to do this especially when we have ISA +25°C...
Take care
eagleflight