Business News in English
Latest business headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Trial successful: over 60 percent of Amsterdam asylum seekers find a job or take steps toward paid employment
A successful pilot program in Amsterdam has helped over 60 percent of participating asylum seekers find employment or make progress toward securing a job since 2025. Due to these positive results, the...
New vocational training for swimming instructors aims to tackle shortages in Amsterdam pools: We hope for hundreds of applicants
To address severe staffing shortages at city pools, Amsterdam has introduced a new vocational MBO program that allows students to earn a qualification while working as paid swimming instructors. The t...
Amsterdam pilot helps 644 asylum seekers find work
A pilot project in Amsterdam has successfully assisted 644 asylum seekers in finding employment. Both the participants and the involved employers have expressed positive feedback regarding the initiat...
Major Saudi oil pipeline back in operation
A 1,200-kilometer Saudi Arabian oil pipeline has resumed operations after a two-week closure caused by Houthi drone attacks. The pipeline is vital for global oil exports as it provides an alternative ...
ACM wants more transparency on how online prices for airline tickets and products are determined
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is urging companies to be more transparent about how online prices are calculated. The regulator aims to dispel common misconceptions held by ...
Fries at risk? Cabinet study sees growing risk of potato crop failure
A government-commissioned study warns that a proposed ban on PFAS-containing pesticides could lead to widespread potato crop failures in the Netherlands due to increased risks of blight. While the che...
Petrol price breaks record again on Monday after slight increase
The recommended price for a liter of gasoline in the Netherlands hit a new record of 2.730 euros on Monday. This increase is attributed to rising global oil prices driven by ongoing tensions in the Mi...
People with inheritance move house more often or choose solar panels
Research from Statistics Netherlands indicates that people who receive an inheritance are more likely to move house or install solar panels than those who do not. As baby boomers age, experts warn tha...
Dutch people spend 9 percent more at foreign supermarkets
Dutch consumers spent 9 percent more at foreign supermarkets in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2024. Data from De Nederlandsche Bank shows a rise in both transaction volume...
Dutch people spend hundreds of thousands more on fuel across the Belgian and German borders
Dutch residents significantly increased fuel purchases across the borders in Belgium and Germany during early 2026, leading to a 32 percent rise in cross-border spending. This shift appears linked to ...
Electricity more than twice as expensive this month even with a dynamic contract
Electricity prices under dynamic contracts have more than doubled this September compared to last year, reaching an average of 15.14 cents per kilowatt hour. Experts attribute the price surge primaril...
Employee who misbehaves at protest rarely fired: 'Bar is set high'
Employers in the Netherlands face significant legal challenges when attempting to fire staff for misconduct committed during private time, such as at demonstrations. Experts state that dismissal is on...
Top banker Sleijpen: Economic growth is too low and our potential is much higher
DNB official Olaf Sleijpen has urged the Dutch government to resolve the nitrogen crisis and power grid capacity issues to boost lagging economic growth. He stressed the need for decisive political ac...
Healthcare as a 'cowboy industry': how sponsorship money seduces medical specialists
Five cardiologists at the CWZ hospital in Nijmegen have received over half a million euros in sponsorship funds per doctor over a five-year period. The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration is now inve...
Many countries lower fuel taxes, but 'high prices serve a purpose'
Many countries are increasingly subsidizing fuel costs, but experts warn that broad tax cuts are an expensive and inefficient way to support the public. Instead of general price reductions, economists...
Fuel price hits record again, highest price ever in the Netherlands
Gasoline prices in the Netherlands have hit a new record high of 2.729 euros per liter amid rising global oil costs. The price increase is largely driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle...
How do we get young people into the AEX? ‘Don’t leave investing to old men’
Young adults in the Netherlands are increasingly interested in investing, with participation among 18- to 34-year-olds rising significantly over the past two years. The Amsterdam stock exchange is now...
Is frustration over bottle deposits finally ending? 'Technology is lagging behind'
The Dutch government plans to expand the national bottle deposit system by 2028 to reduce consumer frustration caused by inefficient collection infrastructure and broken machines. Key changes include ...
Ajax spent record 76.2 million on player salaries in disappointing season
Ajax spent a record 76.2 million euros on player salaries during the 2025/26 season, despite suffering from poor sporting results and an early exit from the Champions League. The high costs were prima...
Annelies (55) to spend three years in Singapore, but her husband is not joining her
Annelies, aged 55, is struggling to tell her husband about a professional opportunity that would require her to relocate to Singapore for three years. She discusses the situation with Anne-Marije Buck...
Major impact as ships must detour over 100 kilometers due to one-way traffic on the IJssel
Rijkswaterstaat has implemented one-way traffic on the IJssel river due to extremely low water levels. This measure is causing significant disruptions, forcing vessels to detour more than 100 kilomete...
NH commemorates 150 years of the North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a new three-part documentary series from NH that explores the waterway's historical impact and future development. The series features per...
Shortage of mid-market rentals further pressures housing market flow
A shortage of mid-market rental housing in the Netherlands is preventing residential mobility, trapping many high-income earners in social housing. Although the government has launched an action plan ...
The fact that we are drinking less alcohol is bad news for these Amsterdam entrepreneurs: I am seriously worried about the future of my business
Alcohol consumption in the Netherlands is declining as health advice becomes stricter, causing significant concern for Amsterdam business owners. Entrepreneurs in the industry are reporting financial ...
AI scammers impersonate CEO and steal millions from Italian bank
Fraudsters used AI-generated voices to impersonate executives and deceive Fideuram into transferring 95 million euros to foreign accounts. Authorities managed to recover 53 million euros, while invest...
Haarlem Christmas Market to remain a three-day event for the coming years
The Haarlem Christmas market will continue as a traditional three-day event after city officials narrowly rejected a proposal to turn it into a multi-week winter festival. Instead, the municipality pl...
Ajax reports modest profit of two million euros for last season
Ajax has announced a net profit of two million euros for the past season, reversing a previous multi-million euro loss. The financial recovery was largely driven by significant player transfer income,...
Police and Customs seize bags of vapes at business park in Hoofddorp
Police and Customs officials confiscated bags of illegal vapes and nicotine pouches during a raid at a business park in Hoofddorp. Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific details of the invest...
Bankrupt but Batavus and Sparta bikes are still flying off the shelves
Despite the bankruptcy of parent company Accell Group, popular bike brands like Batavus and Sparta continue to sell well using existing warehouse stock. Industry experts are optimistic about a swift a...
Grocery delivery service Flink hacked, customers receive extortion emails
Grocery delivery service Flink has experienced a data breach where unauthorized parties accessed internal customer information, excluding passwords. Hackers are now using the stolen data to extort bot...