Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Unions threaten industrial action at Schiphol security
The Dutch unions FNV, CNV, and De Unie have threatened industrial action at Schiphol Airport security firm I-SEC over unresolved scheduling issues. The company has been given one week to address these...
Holiday drive to the sunny south risks becoming very expensive
The International Energy Agency warns that depleting oil stocks could drive gasoline prices toward 3 euros per liter as the summer holiday season begins. This price surge is expected to make travel si...
Daughter sues parents: girl forced to work grueling weeks for years
A Dutch couple is suspected of exploiting their underage daughter by forcing her to work long hours at markets from a young age. The exploitation allegedly occurred over several years at various marke...
Great weekend for fair-weather drivers, but Haarlem has fewer convertibles than a year ago
The Netherlands expects a sunny and record-breaking warm Pentecost weekend due to a heat dome over Europe. Despite these ideal conditions for fair-weather drivers, Haarlem currently has fewer register...
Wingtech demands 1 billion euros in damages from subsidiary Nexperia
Chinese company Wingtech has filed a lawsuit against its Dutch subsidiary Nexperia, seeking 1 billion euros in damages. The legal action follows an intervention by the Dutch government last year that ...
Cabinet in a bind: billion-euro cuts at risk
The Dutch cabinet is facing significant pressure to cancel planned multi-billion euro cuts to social security after the employers' organization VNO-NCW joined labor unions in opposing the measures. Th...
ProRail fined 2.75 million for too many disruptions
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has fined railway manager ProRail 2.75 million euros for exceeding the maximum number of impactful disruptions in 2025. State Secretary Annet ...
Announced XR rail blockade will not be allowed
Authorities in Utrecht have banned a planned rail blockade by Extinction Rebellion scheduled for Saturday at Utrecht Centraal. The decision was made by the city's mayor, police, and justice department...
Bankrupt online home store Fonq relaunches via new platform
The bankrupt online furniture retailer Fonq has been acquired by the Etrias group, facilitating a restart of the brand's operations. Etrias has taken over both the webshop and the trade name, adding i...
FNV also rejects alternative social security plans
The FNV trade union has refused to participate in discussions regarding the Dutch government's alternative plans for social security cuts. Board member Hendrik Noten stated that the organization will ...
Amsterdam Politics: Defeat looms for D66 in negotiations and Cohen lashes out at council
The podcast 'Politiek aan de Amstel' discusses potential setbacks for D66 in coalition negotiations with Pro Amsterdam and former mayor Job Cohen's recent criticism of city council members. Other topi...
Cabinet approves trade ban on settlement goods
The Dutch cabinet has approved a measure to ban the trade of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements within occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan Heights. Ministers are also curr...
EU suspends fertilizer import duties to support farmers
European Union member states have agreed to suspend import duties on specific fertilizers for one year to support farmers. This measure is designed to alleviate the impact of a trade agreement between...
Green gas to cost households about 15 euros extra per year
A new legislative proposal in the Netherlands mandates the blending of green gas into the energy supply, which is estimated to increase household energy bills by approximately 15 euros per year. Clima...
Police see massive spike in ATM bombings
The number of ATM bombings in the Netherlands has increased significantly, with fifteen incidents reported by May 14, 2026, compared to only four during the same period in 2025. This rise follows prev...
After Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is now also a football billionaire
Lionel Messi has become the second soccer player to reach billionaire status, following Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine forward, who currently plays for Inter Miami, is now worth an estimated $1 bill...
High oil prices make these four men especially rich: up to $337.5 million a day for Mohammed bin Salman
High oil prices are significantly enriching four key individuals, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who earns up to $337.5 million daily. While these heads of state and executives see ...
Youth will suffer if Supreme Court doesn't force Shell to take climate action, Milieudefensie argues
Milieudefensie argued before the Dutch Supreme Court that Shell must be legally compelled to reduce its carbon emissions to prevent future generations from facing an unsolvable climate crisis. The env...
Cheaper train travel in summer months to start June 21
The Dutch government plans to introduce a discounted train subscription for 49 euros per month for unlimited off-peak travel during the summer. The initiative is scheduled to run from June 21 to Septe...
ABN Amro customers unable to transfer money due to outage
A technical malfunction at ABN Amro prevented thousands of customers from transferring money on Friday morning. Although transfers were unavailable, customers were still able to make payments using th...
New law to narrow pay gap: employees can soon request colleagues' salaries
A new law will allow employees to request salary information for colleagues in similar roles to increase pay transparency. This initiative is designed to help reduce the gender wage gap by making earn...
Samsung pays €22.9 billion in bonuses to prevent chip worker strike
Samsung has agreed to pay a total of 22.9 billion euros in bonuses to its chip production employees to prevent a large-scale strike. Individual workers will receive approximately 293,000 euros, partia...
Italian request for more fiscal space for energy crisis lacks EU support
Italy's request for additional fiscal flexibility to address the energy crisis has failed to gain support from other EU member states. The proposal sought extra room for spending on measures to mitiga...
AEX index rises further on hopes for end to Iran war
The AEX index on the Damrak in Amsterdam opened higher on Friday, driven by investor optimism for a swift resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. This positive sentiment continued to support tr...
Employers want higher state pension age scrapped: 'Put this plan on ice and freeze the key'
Coen van Oostrom, the new chairman of the Dutch employers' federation VNO-NCW, has called on the government to scrap the planned increase in the retirement age. He also urged the cabinet to halt cuts ...
Dozens of Gall & Gall stores remain closed due to staff strike
Gall & Gall liquor store employees are striking on Friday, resulting in the closure of dozens of locations. The FNV union organized the walkout due to dissatisfaction with the company's final offer fo...
Enough jet fuel, but major airlines feel the impact of later holiday bookings
European travelers are increasingly delaying their holiday bookings, leading to a noticeable decline in demand for major airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet. This shift in consumer behavior is occurr...
House prices in April again a few percent more expensive than a year ago
According to CBS and the Land Registry, prices for existing owner-occupied homes in the Netherlands rose by an average of 4.3 percent in April compared to the previous year. While prices continue to i...
Velsen residents shop locally less often as online spending grows
Residents of Velsen are shopping in their own municipality less frequently than they did four years ago. According to a retail survey, consumer spending is increasingly shifting towards online platfor...
