Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Meta to equip smart glasses with facial recognition: 'Doomsday scenario for privacy'
A leaked memo indicates that Meta plans to equip its smart camera glasses with facial recognition technology to allow users to identify individuals in public. Privacy advocates have condemned the pote...
Vodafone sells stake in VodafoneZiggo, Ziggo to list in Amsterdam in 2027
British telecom company Vodafone has agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Dutch joint venture VodafoneZiggo to its partner Liberty Global for €1 billion in cash. VodafoneZiggo will be integrated into...
Aegon insurance brand to disappear from the Netherlands in coming months after takeover
The insurance brand Aegon will completely disappear from the Dutch market over the coming months following its acquisition by insurer ASR. All remaining mortgage and pension products will be rebranded...
Box 3 tax continues to spark anger, now landlords bear the brunt: ‘It remains a monstrosity’
Real estate investors in the Netherlands are taking legal action against the government over the Box 3 asset tax system, following previous successful challenges by savers in the Supreme Court. The in...
Massive Odido data breach also hits customers who left years ago: 'They'll end up on the dark web'
A significant data breach at Dutch telecom provider Odido has affected current and former customers, including individuals who left the company up to ten years ago. Affected victims expressed anger an...
Jetten completes cabinet team after Van Berkel’s departure
Upcoming Prime Minister Rob Jetten has finalized his cabinet team by appointing Utrecht alderman Eelco Eerenberg as the new State Secretary of Finance. Eerenberg replaces Nathalie van Berkel and is th...
You’d think all Cubans hate Trump, but after 60 years of dictatorship, the oil boycott seems like a unique opportunity
Many Cubans support Donald Trump’s oil boycotts, viewing them as a potential catalyst for change after 60 years of dictatorship. Rather than blaming U.S. sanctions, citizens express deep frustration...
Shein under investigation in Europe over illegal products and ‘addictive’ design: ‘Aggressive marketing model’
The European Union has launched an investigation into the Chinese retailer Shein over the sale of illegal items, including reports of child sex dolls being listed on the platform. The probe also exami...
American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson dies at 84
American civil rights activist and minister Jesse Jackson has passed away at the age of 84, according to his family. He was widely recognized for his lifelong commitment to fighting for equal rights f...
Tax bills are on the way
Tax assessments are being issued once again, with updated information regarding changes for the current year. The provided details explain what has changed and outline the various methods available fo...
Not Laren, but this municipality is now the most expensive in the Netherlands
Blaricum has replaced Laren as the most expensive municipality for homebuyers in the Netherlands, with average house prices exceeding €1.1 million. According to data from the CBS and Kadaster, Bloem...
Hundreds of Odido customers switch after massive data breach: ‘What happened there is no small matter’
Hundreds of Odido internet customers have switched to competitors following a major data leak at the telecommunications company. According to the comparison platform Internetten.nl, the number of cust...
D66 member Nathalie van Berkel not to become state secretary due to CV inaccuracies
D66 Member of Parliament Nathalie van Berkel has withdrawn as the nominee for State Secretary of Finance due to inaccuracies regarding her educational background. She stepped down after it was reveale...
Welding robot becomes new colleague at regional shipyards: ‘Skilled workers for difficult jobs’
Neptune Marine in Hardinxveld-Giessendam is introducing advanced welding robots to address a critical shortage of skilled labor in the Dutch shipbuilding industry. These smart machines are designed to...
Pauline was back on the street after three weeks: 'I supposedly didn't pass onboarding'
Pauline, a 56-year-old employee, was dismissed from her new job after only three weeks despite initially passing the application process and assignments with high marks. Her employer claimed she faile...
Cabinet plan consequences: Unemployed to receive up to 900 euros less per month
Calculations by labor unions FNV and CNV indicate that unemployed individuals in the Netherlands could receive up to 900 euros per month less under the new cabinet's proposed plans. This significant r...
Ministers see no need for 15 percent pay rise: 'I definitely earn enough'
Ministers in the outgoing Schoof cabinet have rejected a proposal to increase their salaries by 15 percent, stating that their current compensation is already sufficient. Although an advisory report s...
Suddenly, ‘no-frills’ discounter Aldi has the wind in its sails: how is that possible?
Aldi is experiencing a significant business recovery after several years of financial setbacks and declining performance. The discount supermarket's turnaround is largely attributed to its consistent ...
Schiphol expects more travelers, pre-pandemic numbers in sight
Schiphol Airport expects passenger numbers to continue growing this year, nearing levels seen before the pandemic. The airport projects that between 68 million and 72 million travelers will pass throu...
Advice to new cabinet: Raise politicians' pay by up to 18 percent
A new advisory report recommends increasing the salaries of Dutch politicians by up to 18 percent over the next three years. Under the proposal, ministers would receive a 15 percent raise, while alder...
Dog rescued, but privacy at stake? Controversy over Ring cameras in US: ‘Dystopian’
Amazon is facing criticism in the United States over a Ring doorbell feature that allows users to locate lost pets using their neighbors' camera footage. While the tool is intended to help animal owne...
No-frills formation: suddenly there’s a 27 billion gap and Bontenbal strikes up that Willeke Alberti song
Informateur Rianne Letschert facilitated the formation of a minority government between the D66, VVD, and CDA parties despite a sudden €27 billion budget deficit. The process required multiple inter...
Alderman postpones final decision on cruise ships: Bridges come first
Amsterdam Alderman Hester van Buren has postponed a final decision on banning sea cruises from the city, prioritizing the construction of bridges over the IJ over the current location of the Passenger...
Grand’Italia, which brought Italian cuisine to the Netherlands, could soon be in French hands
The pasta sauce brand Grand’Italia may soon be acquired by the French company Pimente Investissement, a subsidiary of the investor CVC. Current owner GBfoods Europe confirmed it is in advanced negot...
A coffee with Chris de Ploeg (De Vonk): 'Amsterdam is becoming unaffordable for more and more people'
Chris de Ploeg, the lead candidate for the political party De Vonk, outlined his party's platform for the Amsterdam municipal elections, focusing on making the city more affordable for low-income resi...
Power grid in three provinces reaching capacity, connection freeze looms
Grid operator TenneT announced on Thursday that the high-voltage power grid in the Dutch provinces of Utrecht, Gelderland, and Flevoland has reached its capacity limits. Consequently, the operator war...
No more raspberries and blueberries at Albert Heijn: ‘Extreme weather will hit all of Europe’
Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn is experiencing a shortage of fresh raspberries and blueberries due to extreme weather conditions in Spain and Morocco. The retailer has placed signs in stores inf...
Spotify soaring despite disgruntled bands quitting: ‘You only make an impact if Taylor Swift leaves’
Spotify reached record-breaking audience numbers last year despite several bands leaving the platform in protest of the company's policies. The streaming service's growth continued even as it faced cr...
Heineken in a bind: beer prices rise but consumers refuse to pay more
Heineken is facing a crisis as rising beer prices meet strong resistance from both supermarkets and consumers, particularly in the European market. The brewer is struggling with declining performance ...
Officials: Ending sea cruises could jeopardize funding for bridge over the IJ
Amsterdam officials have warned that banning sea cruises by 2035 and canceling a new terminal could jeopardize state funding for major projects, including bridges over the IJ and new housing developme...