Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Abdeluheb Choho becomes new head of UWV and faces major challenges
Abdeluheb Choho has been appointed as the new head of the UWV, starting his role in September. He succeeds Maarten Camps, who is stepping down after leading the organization for six years. Choho curre...
The Little Squirrel has moved and has much more space: ‘Never dared to dream’
The second-hand clothing store De Kleine Eekhoorn has moved to a larger location at Bakkerspleintje in Castricum after less than two years in business. Owner Soraya Hoogendam expanded the shop to incl...
Rotterdam wooden residential tower named Best Building of the Year
The SAWA residential tower in Rotterdam has been named the Best Building of the Year, the most prestigious architectural award in the Netherlands. The jury highlighted the structure's innovative use o...
Cabinet aims to help 75,000 asylum seekers find work over next four years
The Dutch government aims to help 75,000 unemployed asylum seekers find work over the next four years. To support this initiative, the cabinet plans to collaborate with businesses and streamline relev...
Status holders must be able to start work as soon as possible
The Dutch government aims to integrate asylum seekers and status holders into the workforce as quickly as possible to address labor market shortages. The cabinet has set a goal for 60% of these indivi...
Aartsen wants 75,000 extra asylum seekers in work in coming years
Minister Thierry Aartsen aims to help 75,000 additional asylum seekers and residence permit holders find employment over the next four years. He proposes that those with high chances of staying should...
Mandatory permits for all tourist businesses in city center
The City of Amsterdam is permanently implementing a permit requirement for tourist shops in the city center to combat criminal activity and screen business owners. The initiative follows a successful ...
Jetten: full EU membership must remain the goal
Dutch politician Rob Jetten stated that full EU membership should remain the primary goal for candidate countries, speaking ahead of a summit with Western Balkan nations in Montenegro. He expressed op...
Eurozone economy shrinks due to situation in Ireland
The Eurozone economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the final quarter of 2025. According to data from Eurostat, this decline was primarily driven by the economic si...
Wehkamp kept reinventing itself, and it needs to do so again now
Wehkamp, the company that pioneered home shopping in the Netherlands, is undergoing an acquisition following several challenging years. Despite its history of innovation and market leadership, the Zwo...
Lego launches building set with over 12,000 pieces: Sagrada Familia is largest set ever
Lego has announced its largest building set to date, a replica of the Sagrada Familia cathedral featuring 12,060 pieces. Aimed at architecture enthusiasts, the massive kit allows builders to recreate ...
Tata Steel must give Donald Pols a second chance after all
The article presents a weekly proposition asking readers whether Tata Steel should offer Donald Pols, the director of Milieudefensie, a second chance. This call for public opinion follows recent tensi...
US dollar remains globally dominant but loses ground
Central banks worldwide are holding fewer US dollar reserves compared to a decade ago, although the currency remains globally dominant. This trend was highlighted by recent data released by De Nederla...
Van Veldhoven: important to go through Moerdijk process carefully
Minister Stientje van Veldhoven emphasized the importance of a careful decision-making process regarding the future of Moerdijk. She noted that the ongoing uncertainty is difficult for the residents l...
Farmers receive less for their products, potato prices fall sharply
Dutch farmers and horticulturists saw their income from products fall by over 10 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2025. The price drop was particularly significa...
Fully pesticide-free greenery remains unattainable for Haarlem for now
Alderman Robbert Berkhout announced that Haarlem will not meet its goal of having all city greenery pesticide-free by 2028. The delay is caused by the limited availability of trees, shrubs, and grass ...
Number of Russian companies in the country falls sharply over ten years
The number of Russian-owned companies in the Netherlands has significantly decreased since 2014. This decline is primarily attributed to the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Japan to replace aging nuclear reactors
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry has proposed replacing up to 14 outdated nuclear reactors over the next few decades. This initiative is intended to ensure the country can meet its gro...
ABN Amro sees housing market imbalance: millions of single-family homes ‘too many’
ABN Amro reports that the Netherlands has a surplus of millions of single-family homes and needs to drastically change its housing construction strategy. The bank warns of potential vacancies and decl...
ABN AMRO cuts economic growth forecast due to Iran war
ABN AMRO has lowered its economic growth forecasts for the Netherlands due to the conflict in the Middle East and rising energy prices. The bank noted that these factors are reducing consumer spending...
Another Dutchman to head Belgian seaport: Rob Smeets new CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Rob Smeets, a 56-year-old Dutch national, has been appointed as the new CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The board of directors for the Belgian seaport announced his appointment for a six-year manda...
Dutchman Rob Smeets named new CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced the appointment of Dutch national Rob Smeets as its new CEO. Smeets succeeds Jacques Vandermeiren, who stepped down from the position in April.
New DigiD administrator must be European
The Dutch government has announced that the next company to manage parts of the DigiD identification system must be European. State Secretary Eric van der Burg stated that the contract tender after Au...
Beyoncé joins Forbes’ list of richest self-made women for the first time
American singer Beyoncé has been included in Forbes' annual list of the richest self-made women for the first time. This follows her induction into the magazine's billionaire club in December.
Putin says he is ready to compromise if Kyiv does the same
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during an economic summit in Saint Petersburg that Russia is prepared to make compromises in peace negotiations with Ukraine if Kyiv is also willing to do so.
Milieudefensie management 'blindsided' by Donald Pols' past, supervisory board resigns
The supervisory board of Milieudefensie has resigned immediately following controversy surrounding the past of former director Donald Pols. While the board was aware of Pols' history, the rest of the ...
Cabinet refuses to yield to incensed opposition: WW and WIA plans remain intact
The Dutch cabinet has refused to scrap proposed changes to unemployment (WW) and disability (WIA) benefits despite pressure from the opposition. The government maintains its right to reform social sec...
Five arrested for siphoning off millions intended for healthcare
The Dutch Labour Inspectorate has arrested five individuals for laundering more than 2 million euros that were originally intended for healthcare services. The alleged fraud has been taking place sinc...
Bijenkorf garage owner 'open to dialogue' on closure and housing plans
Q-Park, the owner of the Bijenkorf garage in Amsterdam, has expressed openness to discussing a proposal in the new local coalition agreement to replace the parking facility with housing. Although the ...
Bijenkorf garage owner 'open to dialogue' on closure and housing development
The new coalition agreement in Amsterdam includes a proposal to close the Bijenkorf parking garage in the city center and replace it with residential housing. Q-Park, the owner of the facility, stated...