Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Why Europe seeks protection against cheap Chinese imports with new laws and tariffs
Europe is implementing import levies and new legislation to protect its domestic industries from a surge of cheap Chinese products, such as electric vehicles and solar panels. These measures aim to sa...
Dutch minimum wage among highest in EU, rose 33 percent over past five years
The Netherlands has one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, trailing only Luxembourg and Ireland. Recent data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) shows a slight decrease in the number of w...
Employees striking less: ‘More satisfied with pay than in previous years’
Employees in the Netherlands went on strike less frequently last year than in 2024, although the actions that did occur lasted significantly longer. A total of 23 strikes resulted in the loss of nearl...
KPN connected tens of thousands of households to fiber in the first quarter
Dutch telecom provider KPN announced on Wednesday that it connected 86,000 households to its fiber optic network during the first quarter. This expansion reflects the company's ongoing efforts to upgr...
Crisis
The text illustrates a pervasive sense of crisis by listing various concurrent challenges, including fuel and gas shortages, environmental pollution, and a housing deficit. It metaphorically compares ...
Number of strikes limited in the Netherlands: 'We remain a polder country'
The number of strikes in the Netherlands remained stable last year, with an average of 23 occurrences consistent with the past 25 years. Despite unrest in sectors like education and industry, the figu...
Minimum wages rose faster than collectively agreed wages over the last five years
In 2025, approximately 610,000 workers in the Netherlands earned the minimum wage, accounting for 6.7% of all jobs. Data shows that minimum wage increases have outpaced average collective labor agreem...
Haarlem's only motorhome site to close as municipality buys land along Randweg
The municipality of Haarlem has purchased the land occupied by Urban Camperspot Haarlem & Zandvoort, which will result in the closure of the city's only motorhome site at the end of the year. This acq...
Magyar to also meet top EU official Costa in Brussels on Wednesday
Hungarian politician Péter Magyar is meeting with EU leaders António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels this Wednesday. The discussions are expected to focus on the frozen European subsidies...
A hundred years ago Amsterdam took over Schiphol with great ambitions – now the city wants to curb the airport
ChipSoft: All data stolen by hackers destroyed
Software supplier ChipSoft has confirmed that patient data stolen during a recent cyberattack has been destroyed and was never published online. The company shared this update in an official statement...
Hoekstra: Fossil fuel phase-out needed to prevent next crisis
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra advocated for a faster transition to clean energy sources during a conference in Colombia. He emphasized that phasing out fossil fuels is essential not only for ...
ACM increases oversight of ANWB Energie after policy failures affect thousands; company promises improvement
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has increased its supervision of ANWB Energie due to persistent IT problems. The energy supplier has failed for months to send out final and a...
Stable throughput in IJmuiden and Velsen-Noord ports, number of cruise ships increases
Goods transshipment in the ports of IJmuiden and Velsen-Noord remained stable in the past year compared to 2024 levels. Additionally, the ports saw a notable increase in the number of visiting cruise ...
Trump: Tehran says Iran is on the verge of collapse
US President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that Iran is on the verge of collapse. He stated that Tehran has requested the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible.
Brussels seeks ‘cleanup’ of regulatory process
The European Commission has proposed a thorough overhaul of its regulatory process to eliminate outdated and redundant rules. This initiative aims to make Brussels' regulations simpler, clearer, and m...
Schiphol and KLM take extra measures after winter weather problems
Schiphol Airport and KLM are implementing additional measures to better prepare for snow and frost following an evaluation of major flight disruptions caused by winter weather earlier this year. The c...
Social media must do more to tackle online fraud, say banks
Dutch banks are calling on social media companies such as TikTok, Meta, and Google to better protect users against online fraud. Research indicates that approximately 70 percent of all fraud cases cur...
Widespread opposition to new construction in central Nieuw-Vennep: business owners and residents fear parking shortage
Residents and businesses in Nieuw-Vennep are opposing the Mercator housing project due to concerns over traffic congestion and a shortage of parking spaces. Local supermarkets also expressed fears of ...
United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC oil cartel
The United Arab Emirates has announced its withdrawal from the oil cartel OPEC. The country also plans to stop participating in monthly OPEC+ meetings that involve non-OPEC members such as Russia.
United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC oil cartel
The United Arab Emirates has announced its decision to withdraw from the OPEC oil cartel. This move represents a significant blow to the organization of oil-exporting nations and its leading member, S...
CDA, VVD MEPs vote against EU long-term budget
MEPs from the Dutch parties VVD and CDA voted against the European Parliament's proposed 2.2 trillion euro budget for 2028-2034. In contrast, D66 supported the proposal, which represents a 10 percent ...
Energy crisis increases pressure on regional airports
Regional airports across Europe are facing increased pressure due to the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. The trade association ACI Europe issued this warning during a recent meeting i...
European Parliament wants tax on crypto and online gambling
The European Parliament has approved a mandate for the 2028-2034 EU budget, proposing a total of 2.2 trillion euros. To fund this increased budget, negotiators suggest introducing new taxes on cryptoc...
More reports of online abuse images created by children themselves
The Dutch expertise center Offlimits reports a disturbing increase in online abuse images created by minors themselves. This trend was highlighted in the organization's latest annual report on online ...
King's Day photos and videos cause major data traffic spike
Mobile data traffic across the Netherlands saw a significant increase on King's Day compared to the previous year, according to telecom provider KPN. The surge was driven by users sharing photos and v...
Dutch Tax Authority to get new bank account number on May 1: what to look out for
Starting May 1, 2026, the Dutch Tax Service will adopt a new bank account number, transitioning its banking services from ING to Rabobank. Taxpayers must ensure that all payments are directed to the n...
Price difference between organic and non-organic food has increased again
The Dutch Consumer Association (Consumentenbond) reports that the price gap between organic and non-organic food products in supermarkets has increased again. This trend reverses a previous period whe...
Jewelry chain Claire's also closes stores in UK and Ireland
Jewelry chain Claire's is closing all its locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland following the bankruptcy of its Dutch branch last year. The company has struggled with financial challenges partly...
Australia to tax tech giants for not paying for news
Australia has introduced draft legislation that would impose higher taxes on tech giants like Meta, Google, and TikTok if they do not pay local media companies for news content. The measure aims to en...