Economy News in English

Netherlands becoming more attractive for viticulture: 'But hotter isn't always better'

Viticulture in the Netherlands is growing rapidly as rising temperatures create more favorable conditions for grape cultivation. This warming climate has led to an increase in the number of vineyards,...

Dutch exports continue to rise in May, more petroleum products exported

Dutch exports increased by 5.5 percent in May compared to the same month last year. According to Statistics Netherlands, this growth was primarily driven by a rise in the export of petroleum products.

Foundation demands hundreds of millions in mass claim against buy now pay later service Klarna

The foundation Massaschade & Consument (SMC) has initiated a mass claim against the payment service Klarna. The foundation alleges that the company is violating consumer credit regulations on a large ...

Oil price hits three-week high after further escalation in Middle East

Oil prices have reached a three-week high due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The rise follows military exchanges between Iran and the United States concerning the blockade of the Strait of...

Claims processing for disasters like Limburg floods still too complex

Five years after the floods in Limburg, the Dutch Association of Insurers reports that disaster damage processing remains overly complex and poorly regulated. The organization expresses concern that v...

Round trip Utrecht-Barcelona cheapest by diesel, electric car most expensive

Rising energy prices have made road trips significantly more expensive this year. Travelers driving to Barcelona may find that an electric vehicle is the costliest option unless charging sessions are ...

Municipality must pay thousands of euros to canal cruise company following failed permit policy

A civil court has ruled that the municipality of Amsterdam must pay compensation to the shipping company Blue Boat due to a flawed licensing policy for tour boats. The policy, which forced many compan...

Dozens of people missed Transavia flight due to long queues at Schiphol

Dozens of passengers missed their Transavia flights on Friday night due to long queues at the check-in counters at Schiphol Airport. The airline attributed the delays to ongoing capacity issues.

No umbrellas or a maximum number of beachgoers: the Italian beach has become an obstacle course

Italian beach operators are implementing increasingly strict rules for tourists, such as limiting visitor numbers and banning outside food. Travelers are advised to check local regulations carefully t...

Tom and Rolf have been best friends for thirty years, now one of them has to go

Lifelong friends Tom and Rolf face a difficult situation after a corporate reorganization threatens their professional relationship. Rolf expresses his disillusionment with the process through Anne-Ma...

The Greenhouse | Striking silence in The Hague regarding the prosecution of Tata Steel

Climate reporter Jeroen Kraan observes that there is currently a notable lack of political discourse regarding the potential prosecution of Tata Steel. The article questions whether this legal situati...

School holidays remain a puzzle for working mothers: 'Fathers' turn'

Working mothers in the Netherlands face significant challenges balancing their careers with childcare during school holidays. Many mothers choose to reduce their working hours due to the high costs an...

Going on holiday by electric car is getting easier, but charging costs vary significantly

Electric vehicle travel has become increasingly accessible, allowing drivers to reach their destinations with fewer concerns about range. However, experts warn that significant variations in charging ...

Haroon Sheikh explored how Eindhoven and Amsterdam can benefit from each other (spoiler: a lot!)

Professor Haroon Sheikh has investigated the potential for greater collaboration between the technology sectors of Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Following a challenge from former ASML CEO Peter Wennink, th...

Watching the Tour de France at the campsite? Your TV app might just stop working

Vacationers trying to watch live television abroad often face restrictions when using TV apps on large screens outside of their home network. There is ongoing debate regarding whether these limitation...

Baby boomer inheritance widens wealth gap: 'Inheritance tax comes too late'

The wealth gap in the Netherlands is widening due to increasingly large inheritances being passed down from the baby boomer generation. While a majority of the public supports higher taxes on large in...

Smart travel tips are pouring in, but we keep flocking to the same countries

Travel experts are suggesting alternative destinations and booking strategies to save money on vacations. However, travelers continue to flock to popular countries, and not all widely shared travel ti...

Meta pulls controversial AI feature after days of criticism

Meta has withdrawn a new AI feature on Instagram after only a few days following widespread criticism regarding potential privacy violations. The tool allowed users to generate images based on the pho...

Screen time | If you want to read AI-generated texts, you have to go to LinkedIn

In his weekly tech column, reporter Rutger Otto observes that LinkedIn has become the primary platform for content generated by artificial intelligence. His findings confirm the growing prevalence of ...

Apple sues OpenAI and two former employees for stealing trade secrets

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company stole confidential information. Additionally, Apple claims that two former employees misappropriated trade secrets for the benefit o...

Amsterdam has few vacation rentals per neighborhood, but rules are still being tightened: ‘I won’t risk a fine’

‘Power will fail if we do nothing’: Liander must place 2,600 electrical substations in Amsterdam but nobody wants them in front of their door

Many Western companies have left, but new Spar stores are still opening in Moscow: ‘Difficult situation’

Despite EU sanctions against Russia, Spar supermarkets continue to operate and even open new locations within the country. The Dutch-based retail chain claims it is unable to terminate existing contra...

Shortage of ferry operators a major problem: 33 vacancies and staff departures looming

Public transport operator GVB is facing a significant shortage of ferry skippers, with 33 vacancies and an expected increase in departures due to retirement. This staffing crisis has recently caused s...

New Meta AI feature lets anyone create images with your Instagram photos

Meta has launched a new tool called Muse Image that allows users to create realistic images using photos from public Instagram profiles. While Meta plans to introduce settings for users to restrict th...

Supermarket chain Lidl hacked: customer phone numbers and email addresses stolen

Supermarket chain Lidl has confirmed that hackers gained access to customer data, including phone numbers and email addresses. The company has notified the Dutch Data Protection Authority, although th...

Housing shortage requires not just more homes but also better choices

While new housing construction in the Netherlands has reached its highest level since 2015, sales of these properties have declined by approximately 7 percent. Real estate experts argue that the natio...

Tensions in cabinet over taxes? Jetten says no, but irritation persists

There is speculation regarding potential disagreements within the Dutch cabinet over proposed tax increases on wealth. While Minister Rob Jetten denies any internal divide, conflicting statements from...

New advisory board must ensure higher national labor productivity

The Dutch government has established an independent advisory board tasked with increasing national labor productivity. This initiative aims to address economic efficiency across the country.

Cabinet wants 500-meter distance between houses and goat farms

The Dutch government has proposed a 500-meter buffer zone between new residential developments and goat farms to mitigate potential health risks. This decision follows a recommendation from the Health...