Economy News in English

Haarlem residents Alain and Karin hesitated about their trip to Cuba but went anyway: ‘We are helping the Cubans, because every peso counts’

Alain and Karin Timmers from Haarlem decided to proceed with their trip to Cuba despite the country's worsening economic crisis and fuel shortages. They believe their visit supports the local populati...

European gas price jumps 35% after attack on massive Middle East gas fields

European gas prices surged by 35% on Thursday morning following attacks on gas installations in the Middle East. The price spike was recorded at the Amsterdam gas exchange, which serves as the benchma...

Unemployment rises to highest level in four years

Unemployment in the Netherlands rose slightly to 4.1 percent in February, reaching its highest level in four years. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the rate had previously remained at 4 per...

Oil prices continue to rise: petrol and diesel more expensive again in the Netherlands

Oil prices have increased following attacks on major energy facilities in the Middle East, including a key gas production site in Qatar. This has led to a subsequent rise in the recommended prices for...

Fishermen caught between hope and fear: High fuel prices make fishing barely profitable

High fuel prices have made fishing activities barely profitable, leaving Dutch fishermen facing significant financial uncertainty. Jan Visser, working on his shrimp cutter in the IJmuiden harbor, exem...

Iran shells Qatar gas facilities again

Iranian missiles struck Qatar's primary gas production hub, Ras Laffan Industrial City, during the night between Wednesday and Thursday. This marks the second consecutive day of attacks by Iran on the...

Macron calls for end to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gulf region

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Gulf region following the shelling of gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar. Macron...

WaPo: Pentagon wants $200 billion for war against Iran

The Pentagon has requested the White House to seek an emergency budget of over $200 billion from Congress for a potential war against Iran. According to The Washington Post, this information comes fro...

EU leaders to call Orbán to order over Ukraine loan veto

EU leaders anticipate that a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine will be stalled at Thursday's summit because Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expected to maintain his veto. The leaders intend t...

Jumbo brings back meat promotions two years after stopping them

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo is reintroducing temporary discounts on fresh meat, reversing a decision made earlier to stop such promotions. The company stated it is bringing back the deals because th...

Nearly 1,000 damage reports after Drenthe earthquake

The number of damage reports following two earthquakes near the Eleveld gas field in the province of Drenthe has risen to 955. This represents a significant increase from the 630 reports previously re...

More lawyers in the Netherlands, legal aid sector continues to shrink

The total number of lawyers in the Netherlands increased by more than 1.5 percent to 19,046 last year, according to the Netherlands Bar Association (NOvA). Despite this overall growth, the number of l...

Rutte assures: NATO countries discussing breaking Hormuz blockade

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that member nations are exploring options to end the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that there is a unanimous agreement within the ...

Gas supply to Iraq halted after attack on Iran's largest gas field

Iranian gas supplies to Iraq have been completely halted following an attack on the South Pars gas field in southern Iran. The field is the world's largest and is vital to Iraq's infrastructure, provi...

Electric cars save 2.3 million barrels of oil per day worldwide

According to a report by Bloomberg, the global use of electric vehicles resulted in a saving of 2.3 million barrels of oil per day in 2025. This reduction is particularly driven by the increasing popu...

Media: Huge gas field in Iran attacked

Iran has accused the United States and Israel of carrying out an attack on targets near a massive gas field in the southern Gulf region. State media reported that firefighting teams were dispatched to...

New EU Inc. legal form to help startups cross European borders

The European Commission has introduced a new legal entity form called 'EU Inc.' to help startups expand more easily across borders within the European Union. This initiative aims to reduce administrat...

House prices around Amsterdam catching up with the capital

House prices in the regions surrounding Amsterdam are rising more rapidly than in the capital city itself. According to research from Calcasa, areas such as Alkmaar and the Gooi have seen the stronges...

Heat Fund receives more applications for making homes more energy-efficient

The Dutch National Heat Fund has reported a significant increase in applications from homeowners seeking financing for energy-efficiency improvements. This surge indicates a growing trend among proper...

Supermarkets won't be sky-high tomorrow due to Iran war, nor the day after

Despite rising oil prices affecting transportation and packaging costs, supermarkets are not expected to introduce an immediate 'Iran surcharge' on food products. Consumers will likely not see a sudde...

What do entrepreneurs in Velsen hope for from a new city council? ‘Some wonder if they can even stay in Velsen’

Entrepreneurs in Velsen are reflecting on the local business climate and their expectations for the incoming municipal council following recent elections. A survey reveals significant concerns among b...

More venues for theater, film, dance and other cultural activities in North

The city is investing 19 million euros in arts and culture in Amsterdam-Noord to support more venues for theater, film, and dance. This investment aims to meet the increasing demand for cultural facil...

Simon Pennings nominated as Agricultural Entrepreneur 2026, first bulb grower in 23 years

Flower bulb grower Simon Pennings from Noordwijkerhout has been nominated for the Agricultural Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 award. He is the first bulb grower to receive a nomination in 23 years and ...

Petrol is already expensive, but new climate rules threaten further price explosion

New European climate regulations are expected to cause a sharp increase in fuel and energy prices for consumers. Petrol prices could rise by 24% and diesel by 16%, impacting both motorists and househo...

Expats in the region are also heading to the polls. What determines their vote? ‘I pay close attention to tax policy and living comfort’

Expats in the Netherlands are preparing to vote in upcoming municipal elections, focusing on issues like tax policy and housing comfort. Many participants emphasize that voting is a civic responsibili...

Gasoline and diesel prices continue to rise

National advisory prices for gasoline and diesel in the Netherlands reached record levels on Wednesday according to consumer organization UnitedConsumers. The price for Euro95 rose to over 2.50 euros ...

Pregnant dairy cows often sent to slaughter, NVWA investigating

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is investigating why dairy farmers continue to transport heavily pregnant cows to slaughterhouses despite a legal ban. Since January 2...

Arts Council calls for €47 million annual increase in culture budget

Cabinet faces multi-billion shortfall, wants motorists and businesses to help pay for infrastructure

The Dutch cabinet is exploring ways to have motorists and businesses contribute to infrastructure funding to address a multi-billion euro deficit. Proposed measures include bridge tolls and tax increa...

Weak regions hit hard by high energy prices

The Dutch economy is showing resilience despite high energy prices and the ongoing war, with growth expected to continue even if oil prices remain at elevated levels. However, this economic progress i...