Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
A meeting is not a therapy session: how to conduct a meeting that actually makes sense
Psychologist Thijs Launspach offers advice on how to conduct more effective meetings and better manage overcrowded work schedules. The guide emphasizes the importance of clear meeting objectives to en...
Mortgage rates fall despite Middle East unrest: 'Very volatile'
Mortgage rates in the Netherlands are decreasing as banks announce further interest rate cuts this week despite instability in the Middle East. Mortgage advisor Van Bruggen describes the current marke...
Supermarkets quit lobby group over high costs
The Dutch supermarket umbrella organization representing Jumbo and several other major retailers has withdrawn from the business group VNO-NCW. The move comes as companies protest a significant increa...
Financial worries for high earners, homeowners and business owners: how to avoid financial trouble
Despite 600 billion euros in Dutch savings accounts, one in five households lacks a financial buffer of at least 1,000 euros. Financial worries are increasingly spreading beyond low-income groups to i...
SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI IPOs lure investors, but risks are high: ‘Greed is at play’
Investors are increasingly seeking shares in high-profile companies like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic, often turning to risky and obscure financial products. Despite high costs and potential for loss...
Houthis close Red Sea to Israeli ships
The Yemeni Houthi movement has announced a ban on Israeli ships in the Red Sea and confirmed launching attacks against Israel. These actions were taken in response to recent Israeli military strikes a...
Oil prices rise again as Middle East violence flares up
Oil prices rose sharply on Monday following renewed conflict between Israel and Iran. The escalation has diminished hopes for peace and raised concerns about the continued obstruction of oil tankers i...
Economy for VVD, social domain for PRO: How Beverwijk's new aldermen divide the tasks
The new aldermen of Beverwijk have divided their administrative portfolios, with Adam Elzakalai (VVD) managing economy and finance while Carolina van der Aa (PRO) oversees the social domain and youth ...
Online bank to challenge major providers with account-linked subscriptions
Internet bank Revolut is launching mobile phone subscriptions in the Netherlands to compete with established telecom providers by offering lower prices. Despite this new entry into the market, industr...
From Marlboro to marijuana: tobacco giant enters legal Dutch cannabis
Tobacco giant Altria, formerly Philip Morris, has entered the Dutch legal cannabis experiment by acquiring a partial stake in the country's largest participating grower. Experts have raised concerns t...
At what cost does Beverwijk want to build? Compensation for city center construction could exceed €200,000
The city of Beverwijk is planning to build a 31-unit apartment complex on Koningstraat, though the project may incur high costs. Potential damage compensation for neighboring residents is estimated to...
Haven-Stad under further pressure: province blocks housing plans in Amsterdam port
Human Rights Institute: Quarter of people with disabilities feel inferior
A study by the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights involving over 1,800 people found that one in four individuals with disabilities feels excluded from society. The report also highlights significa...
The biggest World Cup ever also means a more expensive Panini album: ‘The only difficulty is identifying the missing ones out of 960 cards’
The upcoming World Cup's expansion to 48 teams has made completing the Panini sticker album more expensive than ever, requiring collectors to find 960 cards. Despite the increased costs, dedicated fan...
Hotels fear difficult summer after VAT increase: 'Concerns are growing'
Dutch hotels are facing a difficult summer as guests book later and stay for shorter periods due to rising costs. Entrepreneurs report that the recent VAT increase on hotel stays is negatively impacti...
Rutte suffered from it, now Jetten too: the 'where is the prime minister' question is being asked
Opposition parties in the Netherlands are questioning the leadership of Rob Jetten as they await negotiations for a budget agreement. Jetten is reportedly keeping the parties waiting intentionally, a ...
China wants to prevent electric cars from becoming even larger and heavier
China intends to prevent electric vehicles from continuing to grow in size and weight. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the government aims to counter the trend of heavier cars driven by larger ba...
Long-term sick employees to miss out on €17,000: ‘We are going back in time’
Starting next year, employers in the Netherlands will no longer be compensated for severance payments to long-term sick employees, potentially costing workers an average of 17,000 euros. The labor uni...
Ton is still in his net-making workshop at seven: ‘This has been my thing my whole life’
Ton continues to run Klinkenberg Nettenmakerij, a family business established by his father in the port of IJmuiden in 1958. Originally one of seven such workshops in the area, it is now the last rema...
Employers' leader wants more efficient social security to prevent budget cuts
Coen van Oostrom, chairman of the employers' federation VNO-NCW, suggests that social security in the Netherlands should be organized more efficiently to avoid potential budget cuts. During an appeara...
Rainbow flag flying less proudly: 'Was support ever truly authentic?'
Companies are increasingly scaling back their public support for the LGBTQI+ community during Pride month in response to a growing anti-woke movement. This trend of reducing visible corporate allyship...
Broadcasting bosses' salaries rose further while regular staff fear for their jobs
Last year, salaries for Dutch broadcasting executives increased by an average of 4.5%, significantly higher than the 3.2% raise received by regular staff. This pay disparity has been criticized as a n...
Schiphol travelers bring own sandwiches en masse: air passengers save money on airport food
Many travelers at Schiphol Airport are bringing their own meals to avoid high food prices at the facility's numerous eateries. As the busiest food court in the Netherlands, the airport is working to d...
Financial stress makes language learning difficult. Welzijn Beverwijk and Socius simplify finances and administration with Totaal
Welzijn Beverwijk and Socius have launched the 'Totaal' program to help individuals simultaneously tackle language barriers and financial stress. The initiative focuses on improving both language skil...
The Greenhouse | Kilos of waste during surgery, try changing that
Climate reporter Jeroen Kraan highlights the significant waste produced during medical operations in his latest column. While the healthcare sector is increasingly prioritizing sustainability, signifi...
Paula forced to pay for useless information session
A woman named Paula was charged for a useless sustainability consultation after being contacted by a scammer posing as an energy provider representative. This incident serves as a warning about fraudu...
After months of waiting, demolition resumes at Huis ter Wijck construction site: 'To continue in July or August'
Demolition work at the Huis ter Wijck construction site is set to resume in July or August after being delayed for months by administrative issues. The project involves clearing buildings at Kuenenple...
Employees can take time off to pull all-nighters during World Cup
Employees are taking time off to watch World Cup football matches that are broadcast during early morning and late-night hours. Despite these schedule conflicts, employers reportedly do not expect a s...
Yet another house in Wijk aan Zee subdivided for migrant workers: '22 percent of the village are now migrant workers'
Residents of Wijk aan Zee are protesting the increasing conversion of homes into housing for migrant workers, who now make up 22% of the village population. After the Beverwijk municipality rejected a...
Source: US wants to use Iranian assets for reparations
The United States plans to use Iranian assets to fund reconstruction in friendly Gulf states and cover future damages caused by Iran. This proposal follows a series of Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Ba...