Economy News in English

Oil price pain came quickly after war began, energy bill impact yet to come

Research from ABN AMRO indicates that Dutch households are currently feeling the economic impact of the Middle East conflict primarily through increased fuel prices. While energy bills have not yet ri...

Spotify to distinguish real musicians from AI artists with green checkmark

Spotify has announced a new verification system that uses a green checkmark to help users distinguish real musicians from AI-generated content. This initiative aims to provide transparency on the stre...

Unilever sheds food brands: from Lipton to Becel, not every brand proved a success under new ownership

Unilever has sold its food division, including major brands like Knorr and Hellmann’s, to the American company McCormick, marking the end of the multinational's involvement in the food sector. The t...

Setback for Utrecht power grid: essential gas generators may arrive too late

The deployment of emergency gas generators intended to relieve Utrecht's overcrowded power grid is facing delays, meaning they may not be ready for the upcoming winter. This setback increases the risk...

Congress passes controversial budget, ending US shutdown

The U.S. Congress has passed a budget for the Department of Homeland Security, ending a partial government shutdown that lasted for over two months. This decision follows a previous vote by the Senate...

Inflation barely rises: a relief, but it's the calm before the storm

Inflation in April remained nearly unchanged compared to March, defying fears that high energy prices would drive rates significantly higher. Experts caution that this stability may be short-lived, as...

Dutch foundation sues Netflix over price increases

The Dutch foundation Bescherming Consumentenbelang is suing Netflix over price increases implemented in recent years, which the group claims are unlawful. The lawsuit aims to challenge the legality of...

Paying domestic help during illness is mandatory, but almost no one does it

Domestic workers in private households often do not receive sick pay despite it being a legal requirement. The CNV trade union notes that most employers are simply unaware of the rules regarding their...

Agricultural organizations urge EU to intervene in fertilizer crisis

Dutch and Polish agricultural organizations have called on the European Commission to intervene in the current fertilizer crisis. Prices have risen sharply across Europe following a blockade of the St...

CNV draws red line on social security: scrap billion-euro plan before talks

CNV chairman Hans van den Heuvel has announced that the trade union will refuse to negotiate with the Dutch cabinet until planned multi-billion euro cuts to social security are scrapped. He argues tha...

Schiphol Polderbaan runway out of service for over a week for maintenance

Schiphol Airport will perform annual maintenance on the Polderbaan runway from May 4 to May 12. The runway will be closed to air traffic on weekdays during this maintenance period.

European Parliament remains in Strasbourg despite energy crisis

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has rejected a request from several Dutch MEPs to temporarily halt monthly sessions in Strasbourg to save energy. The MEPs from various Dutch political pa...

Previously banned queer accounts return to Instagram

Several Dutch LGBTQIA+ Instagram accounts that were recently removed without explanation have been restored to the platform. Despite the accounts being back online, administrators report they have sti...

Economic growth disappoints, but no need to fear a recession yet

Economic growth in the Netherlands was lower than expected in the first quarter, partly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While the economic outlook has worsened, experts believe there i...

ECB leaves interest rates unchanged despite higher inflation from Middle East war

The European Central Bank decided on Thursday to leave interest rates in the eurozone unchanged despite rising inflation caused by conflict in the Middle East. Policymakers in Frankfurt determined tha...

Brussels must investigate Chinese acquisition of MediaMarkt and Saturn

The European Parliament has called on the European Commission to investigate the potential acquisition of Ceconomy AG, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn, by the Chinese firm JD.com. The move...

Subsidy for small cultural institutions

Small cultural institutions in Haarlem with fewer than three full-time employees can apply for a subsidy of up to €30,000 starting April 30, 2026. The city has allocated €500,000 for investments i...

Petrol more expensive than ever: over 2.60 euros per liter

The national recommended price for a liter of Euro95 gasoline in the Netherlands has reached a record high, exceeding 2.60 euros for the first time. According to the consumer collective UnitedConsumer...

Airfare prices surge due to fuel crisis; KLM and Air France seek 660 million from travelers

Inspectorate warns against benefit mediation agencies making mistakes

The Dutch inspection service is warning against benefit mediation agencies that frequently provide incorrect information, leading to errors in applications. These mistakes often result in young people...

Hundreds of ASML employees suffer health problems

A survey conducted by the FNV trade union reveals that hundreds of employees at chip machine manufacturer ASML are experiencing health problems attributed to wearing face masks. The complaints emerged...

Greenpeace activists storm world's largest meat company meeting

Greenpeace activists disrupted the annual shareholders' meeting of JBS, the world's largest meat processor, near Schiphol on Thursday. The protest caused attendees to flee the meeting room as activist...

Ban on extracting water from ditches in parts of Brabant due to drought

The Brabantse Delta water board has banned water extraction from streams and ditches in parts of Central and West Brabant due to ongoing drought. This ban, which took effect on Thursday morning across...

Government abandons wage freeze in new pay offer to civil servants

The Dutch government has issued a new collective labor agreement offer to civil servants, abandoning a controversial wage freeze that led to months of strikes. This updated proposal aims to address un...

Holiday pay is coming: one group of workers to receive hundreds of euros extra

Dutch employees will receive their annual holiday pay at the end of May, with part-time and minimum wage workers set to see a significant increase. According to calculations by HR service provider ADP...

Summit to move away from oil and gas has one key outcome: the summit itself

The first international summit for countries aiming to phase out fossil fuels concluded with a positive atmosphere but without any concrete new plans. Organizers highlighted that the event's most sign...

Belgium wants to take over 7 nuclear reactors from energy company Engie

The Belgian government is negotiating with French company Engie to take full ownership of seven nuclear reactors located in Doel and Tihange. Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced the move, which aim...

Economic growth disappoints due to uncertainty: 'Just short of stagnation'

The Dutch economy grew by only 0.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, narrowly avoiding stagnation according to figures from CBS. This lower-than-expected growth rate is attributed to ongoing e...

Air France-KLM fears $2.4 billion in extra fuel costs: The biggest blow is yet to come

Air France-KLM expects to spend an additional $2.4 billion on fuel this year due to the conflict in the Middle East. While the aviation group reported improved results for the first quarter, it warns ...

Papa Koenders’ fight against the legacy of colonialism: May 4 and 5 portraits

The exhibition 'Op zoek naar Papa Koenders' at the OBA in Amsterdam honors Julius Gustaaf Arnout Koenders, a key figure in the struggle for Surinamese cultural identity and language recognition. Koend...