Economy News in English

Reinier van Zutphen to step down as National Ombudsman

Schiphol expects 12.7 million passengers this summer, slightly more than last year

Schiphol Airport expects to welcome approximately 12.7 million passengers during the upcoming summer vacation period. This figure represents a slight increase compared to the 12.4 million travelers re...

Working longer hours, layoffs and delayed bonuses: thousands of Mercedes employees protest

Thousands of Mercedes-Benz employees are protesting against planned cost-cutting measures, including increased working hours without salary increases. The demonstrations also address broader job losse...

Heemstede council keeps purse strings tight despite healthy savings. Funds reserved for sports facilities, primary schools, and town hall

The municipal council of Heemstede has opted for financial restraint during the budget framework discussions, despite the town's currently healthy financial position. All proposals requesting addition...

Dutch people went on holiday almost 22 million times last summer

According to data from Statistics Netherlands, residents of the country went on vacation 21.9 million times last summer. Between late April and early October 2025, 72 percent of the Dutch population a...

IJmond receives most funding from traffic safety budget. 2.6 million from the province for safer roads

The province of Noord-Holland is awarding 5.8 million euros in subsidies to ten municipalities to improve road safety and develop cycling routes. The IJmond region will receive the largest share, tota...

Ymere can evict tenants from social housing after 33 years: they own seven homes and five business premises

AI craze swallows chip factories and we feel it in our wallets: iPhone also getting expensive quickly

Apple has significantly increased the prices of its iPads and MacBooks due to a global shortage of memory chips. The surge in demand for AI technology is contributing to these rising costs, which anal...

Will there be an asylum seekers' center in the horror apartment, and what will happen to the dog tax? Follow the live debate on Haarlem's finances here

The Haarlem city council is holding a debate on the framework memorandum, covering topics such as the dog tax, fireworks policies, and the potential establishment of an asylum seekers' center at Zijlw...

Cabinet to ban temporary workers in meat sector

The Dutch government plans to implement a ban on the use of temporary agency workers in the meat processing industry starting in mid-2028. This measure aims to address and eliminate labor abuses and t...

IJmuiden resident suspected of illegal fish trade, 57,000 euros in cash seized

On July 1, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) arrested an individual from IJmuiden on suspicion of illegal fish trading. During the operation, authorities searched a fis...

Barcelona gives outdoor workers heat bracelets: stop immediately if alarm sounds

In Barcelona, outdoor workers are being provided with heat-sensitive wristbands to monitor their health. These devices vibrate to alert individuals when they are at risk of overheating, prompting them...

Tesla surprises stock market with significantly higher global vehicle deliveries than expected

Tesla reported a significant recovery in the second quarter, delivering 25% more vehicles globally compared to the same period last year. This performance exceeded market expectations following a decl...

Thirty million euro subsidy for Oost neighborhood heating network: "Decisive turning point"

The residents' initiative MeerEnergie has received a 30 million euro government subsidy to develop a neighborhood heating network in Amsterdam's Middenmeer district. Although the project aims to conne...

Tax authority opens support center in Southeast

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration is opening a new support center in the Zuidoost district of Amsterdam next Wednesday. Located at the Stadsloket on Anton de Komplein, the facility will provide...

FNV demands cabinet cuts be scrapped: 'Employers must foot the bill'

The FNV labor union has announced plans for increased strikes and actions starting in September to protest the cabinet's proposed cuts to social security. The union is demanding that the government re...

Gall & Gall employees get their way: higher wages and Sunday bonuses

Liquor store chain Gall & Gall has reached a new collective labor agreement with the CNV union, which includes salary increases and the preservation of Sunday surcharges for employees. This agreement ...

Aviation sector pleads with Brussels to delay new border control system

The European aviation sector is facing significant flight delays and disruptions due to the implementation of the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES). Industry representatives are urgently requesting ...

New caravans remain popular, used motorhomes suffer from higher costs

Sales of new caravans in the Netherlands increased during the first half of this year. Conversely, the market for used campers declined, largely due to rising costs for owners.

Thrift sector has enough goods but lacks money and manpower

Thrift store organizations in the Netherlands are facing significant financial pressure due to rising labor, energy, and housing costs alongside decreasing subsidies. Despite having an abundance of do...

Google loses appeal against EU billion-euro fine at top court

The European Court of Justice has rejected Google's final appeal against a 4.13 billion euro fine imposed by the European Union. The penalty was issued due to Google's abuse of its market power regard...

Government allocates 30 million euros for district heating network in Watergraafsmeer

SER advises on new organization to meet nitrogen targets

The Social and Economic Council (SER) has proposed the creation of a new organization involving both public and private parties to help achieve national climate and nitrogen goals. The initiative aims...

Health Council deems aircraft emissions carcinogenic

The Health Council of the Netherlands has officially classified emissions from aircraft engines as carcinogenic. This assessment aims to improve occupational health protections for ground staff at air...

Grolsch acquires Limburg brewery Gulpener

Dutch beer brewer Grolsch has acquired the remaining 85 percent of its competitor Gulpener, following an initial 15 percent stake. The financial terms of the deal regarding the Gulpen-based brewery we...

Housing construction remains stalled despite cabinet nitrogen intervention: 'New cities will not be built'

The Economic Institute for Construction (EIB) states that the Dutch government's recent nitrogen intervention will not resolve the ongoing deadlock in residential construction permits. Consequently, e...

Mandatory interim test could make driving lessons even more expensive, industry warns: 'We can charge whatever we want'

Dutch Minister Karremans has proposed making intermediate driving tests mandatory for student drivers. Industry organizations are warning that this change could lead to significantly higher costs for ...

Housing market to cool further, experts expect, with fewer mortgage applications: one group is performing well

Experts expect the Dutch housing market to cool down this year following significant price increases last year. Concurrently, De Hypotheker has reported the first decrease in mortgage applications in ...

Used electric cars popular: sales rise sharply

Sales of used electric vehicles in the Netherlands experienced a significant increase of over 54 percent during the first half of the year. A total of 70,547 secondhand electric cars were sold compare...

First 8.3 million final income tax assessments sent

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has sent 8.3 million final income tax assessments to citizens who filed their returns before April 1, 2025. Out of these, 5.3 million taxpayers are eligible fo...