Economy News in English

Dutch Tax Administration receives record 10.7 million tax returns

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration received a record 10.7 million tax returns from individuals and businesses before the May 1 deadline. This total surpasses the previous record of 10.5 million ...

Fatbike seller sues Enschede over fatbike ban

Fatbike retailer La Souris is suing the municipality of Enschede to challenge a ban on fatbikes in the city center. The company argues the ban is discriminatory for distinguishing between fatbikes and...

AI scam sites from China target credit cards: thousands of Dutch victims already

Credit card fraud is rising sharply in the Netherlands as AI-generated fake webshops from China target consumers' credit cards. These fraudulent sites have already victimized thousands of people, usin...

Mbarki and Halsema defend Shell's participation in Amsterdam Economic Board

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and Alderman Sofyan Mbarki have defended Shell's membership in the Amsterdam Economic Board despite calls from political opponents to remove the company. They argued that...

Victims lost thousands of euros to Marktplaats fraud from Heemstede and Hoofddorp: 'I was involved'

A 24-year-old man from Heemstede admitted in a Haarlem court to his involvement in a Marketplace fraud scheme that cost victims thousands of euros. The suspect, whose activities were linked to Heemste...

Why the cabinet is padding Extinction Rebellion's coffers

This episode of the Politiek Dichtbij podcast addresses listener questions during the Dutch parliamentary recess. The discussion explores topics including financial connections to Extinction Rebellion...

Apple reports best first quarter ever despite chip shortage

Apple reported its best first-quarter revenue ever, earning 111.2 billion dollars between January and March. This represents a 17 percent increase compared to the previous year, despite the ongoing gl...

Retail sales rise in March despite Iran war, furniture especially in demand

Dutch retailers saw a significant increase in turnover in March compared to the previous year, according to data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Despite concerns that conflict in the Middle East wo...

Trump lifts Scotch whisky tariffs after royal visit

Donald Trump has removed import duties on Scotch whisky following a dinner with King Charles and Queen Camilla on Thursday. The President-elect stated that the royal couple influenced his decision wit...

ING: house prices will not rise further this year due to higher supply

ING predicts that Dutch house prices will remain stable for the rest of the year due to an increase in available housing supply. While the national average is expected to flatten, economists suggest t...

Oil price pain came quickly after war began, energy bill impact yet to come

Research from ABN AMRO indicates that Dutch households are currently feeling the economic impact of the Middle East conflict primarily through increased fuel prices. While energy bills have not yet ri...

Spotify to distinguish real musicians from AI artists with green checkmark

Spotify has announced a new verification system that uses a green checkmark to help users distinguish real musicians from AI-generated content. This initiative aims to provide transparency on the stre...

Unilever sheds food brands: from Lipton to Becel, not every brand proved a success under new ownership

Unilever has sold its food division, including major brands like Knorr and Hellmann’s, to the American company McCormick, marking the end of the multinational's involvement in the food sector. The t...

Setback for Utrecht power grid: essential gas generators may arrive too late

The deployment of emergency gas generators intended to relieve Utrecht's overcrowded power grid is facing delays, meaning they may not be ready for the upcoming winter. This setback increases the risk...

Congress passes controversial budget, ending US shutdown

The U.S. Congress has passed a budget for the Department of Homeland Security, ending a partial government shutdown that lasted for over two months. This decision follows a previous vote by the Senate...

Inflation barely rises: a relief, but it's the calm before the storm

Inflation in April remained nearly unchanged compared to March, defying fears that high energy prices would drive rates significantly higher. Experts caution that this stability may be short-lived, as...

Dutch foundation sues Netflix over price increases

The Dutch foundation Bescherming Consumentenbelang is suing Netflix over price increases implemented in recent years, which the group claims are unlawful. The lawsuit aims to challenge the legality of...

Paying domestic help during illness is mandatory, but almost no one does it

Domestic workers in private households often do not receive sick pay despite it being a legal requirement. The CNV trade union notes that most employers are simply unaware of the rules regarding their...

Agricultural organizations urge EU to intervene in fertilizer crisis

Dutch and Polish agricultural organizations have called on the European Commission to intervene in the current fertilizer crisis. Prices have risen sharply across Europe following a blockade of the St...

CNV draws red line on social security: scrap billion-euro plan before talks

CNV chairman Hans van den Heuvel has announced that the trade union will refuse to negotiate with the Dutch cabinet until planned multi-billion euro cuts to social security are scrapped. He argues tha...

Schiphol Polderbaan runway out of service for over a week for maintenance

Schiphol Airport will perform annual maintenance on the Polderbaan runway from May 4 to May 12. The runway will be closed to air traffic on weekdays during this maintenance period.

European Parliament remains in Strasbourg despite energy crisis

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has rejected a request from several Dutch MEPs to temporarily halt monthly sessions in Strasbourg to save energy. The MEPs from various Dutch political pa...

Previously banned queer accounts return to Instagram

Several Dutch LGBTQIA+ Instagram accounts that were recently removed without explanation have been restored to the platform. Despite the accounts being back online, administrators report they have sti...

Economic growth disappoints, but no need to fear a recession yet

Economic growth in the Netherlands was lower than expected in the first quarter, partly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While the economic outlook has worsened, experts believe there i...

ECB leaves interest rates unchanged despite higher inflation from Middle East war

The European Central Bank decided on Thursday to leave interest rates in the eurozone unchanged despite rising inflation caused by conflict in the Middle East. Policymakers in Frankfurt determined tha...

Brussels must investigate Chinese acquisition of MediaMarkt and Saturn

The European Parliament has called on the European Commission to investigate the potential acquisition of Ceconomy AG, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn, by the Chinese firm JD.com. The move...

Subsidy for small cultural institutions

Small cultural institutions in Haarlem with fewer than three full-time employees can apply for a subsidy of up to €30,000 starting April 30, 2026. The city has allocated €500,000 for investments i...

Petrol more expensive than ever: over 2.60 euros per liter

The national recommended price for a liter of Euro95 gasoline in the Netherlands has reached a record high, exceeding 2.60 euros for the first time. According to the consumer collective UnitedConsumer...

Airfare prices surge due to fuel crisis; KLM and Air France seek 660 million from travelers

Inspectorate warns against benefit mediation agencies making mistakes

The Dutch inspection service is warning against benefit mediation agencies that frequently provide incorrect information, leading to errors in applications. These mistakes often result in young people...