Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
'Socially responsible' clothing often a marketing ploy
Several major clothing brands, including WE Fashion, Nike, and Puma, have been accused of misleading consumers with false claims about ethical and socially responsible production. Reports indicate tha...
Paid parking coming to Gein: residents must apply for parking permits
Paid parking will be introduced in the Gein neighborhood of Amsterdam-Zuidoost in approximately six weeks, ending its status as one of the city's last free parking areas. Residents and business owners...
Hackers extort Odido after data leak: one million euro ransom
The hacking group Shinyhunters is demanding more than one million euros in ransom from Dutch telecom provider Odido following a data breach. The group has threatened to publish the stolen data if the ...
Homeowners Association reopens reporting point: real estate agents sometimes manipulative
Vereniging Eigen Huis (VEH) has reopened its reporting point for potential abuses and manipulative practices by real estate agents during the home-bidding process. The initiative aims to address misco...
CBS: 5,000 fewer vacancies in education
According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), job vacancies in primary and secondary education dropped by 5,000 in the 2024/25 school year compared to the previous year. Conversely, demand for staff incr...
Three-quarters of companies have poor or very poor climate plans: ambition difficult to distinguish from greenwashing
The 2026 Climate Crisis Index reports that three-quarters of large Dutch companies and financial institutions have poor or very poor climate plans. Currently, no Dutch company meets the Paris climate ...
Struggling Kenter Youth Care seems to stabilize after €3.2 million municipal injection
Kenter Jeugdhulp, a specialized youth care provider in the Zuid-Kennemerland and IJmond regions, is showing signs of financial stability after receiving a 3.2 million euro emergency injection from loc...
Netherlands again considers social media ban for youth
The Dutch government is reconsidering a potential ban on social media for children under the age of 15. Although the proposal was previously dismissed, shifting attitudes have placed the possibility b...
SCP: Vulnerable people hit hard by government plans
The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) warns that the new cabinet's plans overlook vulnerable citizens in society. The agency expresses concern that the government's expectation for self-...
Jetten: New cabinet must improve approach to poverty
Prime Minister Rob Jetten has stated that the new cabinet must improve its strategy for addressing poverty. This follows an analysis by the CPB which revealed that the proposed policies of the D66, VV...
Shopkeepers Mike (39) and Mirwais (50) buck the trend for entrepreneurship: 'The will to succeed is greater than the fear of failure'
Despite historically low economic growth, entrepreneurs Mike van Leeuwen and Mirwais Farid are launching new business ventures. They are driven by a strong determination to succeed that outweighs the ...
Dutch Consumer Association warns of headphones with harmful substances
The Dutch Consumer Association is warning consumers about headphones found to contain excessive levels of harmful substances, such as Bisphenol A. These chemicals can enter the body and potentially we...
Hackathon in Beverwijk seeks sustainable solutions for millions of pallets: 'Use them for coffins'
A hackathon in Beverwijk is exploring sustainable solutions to prevent the single-use of transport pallets. Participants at the event, hosted by Collectief Circulair, are investigating ways to dismant...
North Holland coastal municipalities also want mandatory insurance for small sea vessels: ‘No one is currently responsible’
Coastal municipalities in North Holland are calling for mandatory insurance for small sea vessels following an incident where a fishing cutter remained stranded off Zandvoort for a month. The municipa...
Pensions for 260,000 people in metal technology up by 8.3 percent
The Dutch pension fund PMT is increasing pensions by 8.3 percent for over 260,000 retirees in the metal technology industry. This increase was made possible following the transition to a new pension s...
Brussels: Hungary must honor EU loan deal for Kyiv
The European Commission has called on Hungary to honor the EU's agreement to provide a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. All EU leaders, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, had previously...
Petrol and diesel most expensive since autumn 2023 due to global unrest
Fuel prices for petrol and diesel have reached their highest levels since autumn 2023. The price hike is driven by a combination of domestic excise duty increases and instability in the global market.
Live Q&A: Ask your questions about the new cabinet's plans on Tuesday
The new Dutch cabinet has announced significant policy changes affecting healthcare, social security benefits, and a new defense contribution. A live Q&A session will be held this Tuesday to answer qu...
Live import tariffs | Investors uncertain over Trump response
This live blog provides updates on the developments regarding American import duties and the resulting uncertainty among investors following reactions from Donald Trump. It aims to track the ongoing i...
Shell closes gas station in Belgium after customers possibly pumped water
Shell has closed a gas station in Mechelen, Belgium, after several customers inadvertently filled their vehicles with a contaminated liquid instead of gasoline. The substance is believed to be a mixtu...
Wormerland considers merger with Purmerend or Zaanstad
The Wormerland executive board has advised the municipal council to consider a merger with either Purmerend or Zaanstad. This recommendation is driven by the financial vulnerability the municipality f...
Kallas expects no agreement on new sanctions package against Russia
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas does not expect an agreement on the 20th sanctions package against Russia during Monday's meeting of foreign ministers. The deadlock is caused by Hungary's continue...
US stops collecting unlawful import tariffs introduced by Trump
The United States has officially ceased the collection of import tariffs that were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, effective Tuesday. However, existing tariffs on foreign steel, aluminum, and auto...
Extra election mail helps PostNL through the year
PostNL reported a temporary return to profitability due to an increase in business mail volume related to recent elections and pension updates. Despite this short-term financial boost, the company war...
House prices rise to record levels due to persistent shortage
Dutch house prices reached a record high in January due to a persistent shortage of available properties and a lack of new housing construction. Rising household incomes have also contributed to the o...
Bol.com and MediaMarkt pull popular headphones from sale over high levels of ‘substances of concern’
Major retailers including Bol.com and MediaMarkt have immediately removed several popular headphones and headsets from sale due to high concentrations of concerning substances. An investigation into o...
Amsterdam downplays 20 million overnight stay limit: just a ‘goal’
Amsterdam's municipality is defending itself in court against a group of residents seeking to enforce a 20-million overnight stay limit on tourism. The city maintains the cap is an administrative goal...
City housing cooperatives join forces in single partnership
Fifteen housing cooperatives in Amsterdam have officially formed the "Platform Wooncoöperaties Amsterdam" to collaborate and share expertise on collective living. This new association aims to support...
Levy chaos caused by one man with one pen
Businesses trading with the United States are facing significant uncertainty following rapid and frequent changes to U.S. import tariffs over a single weekend. These fluctuations have caused widesprea...
Three-year wait for electricity for brand-new villa in Hillegom, resident loses lawsuit
A resident in Hillegom lost a court case against grid operator Liander over a three-year delay in connecting a new villa to the power grid. The court ruled that prioritizing the resident's connection ...