Economy News in English

Scammer sentenced to community service for Marktplaats fraud in Heemstede and Hoofddorp

A 24-year-old man from Heemstede was sentenced by a Haarlem court to 240 hours of community service for online fraud and money laundering. Between September and December 2021, the defendant and his ac...

Power grid also faces gridlock in North and South Holland, stalling housing and business. VNO-NCW seeks crisis law to shorten appeal processes.

VNO-NCW has warned the Dutch government that the power grid in North and South Holland is reaching its limit, potentially halting new housing projects and heat pump installations. The organization is ...

Time running out for EU-US trade deal: 'No one wants tariffs and barriers'

EU member states and the European Parliament are resuming negotiations with the United States on Tuesday to finalize a trade agreement and avoid new tariffs. Dutch Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma emph...

Pile of debris at Turkish Airlines disaster memorial remains a mystery: papers lead to man home with burnout

A 55-year-old man appeared in a Haarlem court for allegedly dumping a pile of debris at the Turkish Airlines crash memorial in February 2022. The defendant denies the charges, claiming he was at home ...

'It's pure greed': why we are queuing en masse for a plastic watch

Large crowds queued globally last weekend for the release of a new watch collaboration between Swatch and the Swiss luxury brand Audemars Piguet. Despite criticism from watch connoisseurs regarding th...

Tech experts demand transparency on Solvinity acquisition decision

A group of tech experts and scientists has challenged the proposed acquisition of Solvinity, the company managing the DigiD infrastructure, by a U.S. firm in court. They are demanding transparency fro...

Chinese to build cars in historic Citroën factory

Stellantis is partnering with the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng to produce vehicles at the historic Citroën factory in Rennes, France. This collaboration marks a significant shift for the facility, w...

Blow after blow for government Schiphol plans: time to abandon 30-year dual objective of economy and environment

Long lines at Schiphol security, airport deploys extra staff

Schiphol Airport is experiencing long security queues on Monday following a change in its security screening procedures. In response, the airport has deployed additional office staff to assist passeng...

Only a small European elite became extremely wealthy from VOC voyages

The Dutch East India Company (VOC) is being used as a symbol by modern anti-asylum seeker protesters despite its historical involvement in violence, slavery, and genocide. While the company's legacy i...

Schiphol warns of long security queues

Tax authorities may have uncovered organized multi-million fraud

The Dutch Tax Authority is investigating a potential organized fraud scheme involving groups of Bulgarian residents that resulted in 6.7 million euros being transferred to illicit bank accounts. These...

ProRail warns of reputational damage to the Netherlands after rail protests

ProRail warned that protests and vandalism on railway tracks in the Port of Rotterdam are damaging the Netherlands' reputation as a reliable logistical gateway to Europe. The rail infrastructure manag...

Shakira acquitted in Spanish tax case and gets 60 million euros back

A Spanish court has ordered the tax authorities to repay pop star Shakira over 60 million euros after ruling she was not a tax resident of Spain in 2011. The court determined that the singer had been ...

CARE: Price of aid goods rising due to trade route blockades

The aid organization CARE reports that the prices of food and emergency supplies are rising rapidly due to trade route disruptions in the Middle East. The partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz has f...

Cleaning websites adjust information after regulator criticism

Three cleaning service websites will clearly disclose their use of paid subscriptions following criticism from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The changes aim to prevent con...

Bonanza for retirees: State pension holiday allowance jumps 20 percent

Dutch retirees will receive a 20 percent net increase in their state pension (AOW) holiday allowance in 2026 compared to the previous year. The Sociale Verzekeringsbank is scheduled to transfer the pa...

Salary remains a taboo, but Brussels wants your colleagues to know what you earn

A majority of Dutch employees remain hesitant to discuss their earnings with colleagues, viewing salary information as private despite upcoming European pay transparency rules. This directive will req...

Windfall for state pensioners: holiday pay rises 20 percent to 'highest level ever'

Dutch retirees receiving a state pension (AOW) will see their net holiday allowance increase by 20 percent this year compared to 2023. According to the senior platform AOW.nu, this represents the high...

India also signs strategic partnership with Sweden

India and Sweden have established a strategic partnership aimed at doubling their trade and mutual investments over the next five years. This announcement follows a similar agreement recently conclude...

Entrepreneurs call on cabinet for crisis approach to grid congestion

Several Dutch business organizations and the municipality of Eindhoven have urged the national cabinet to treat power grid congestion as a national crisis. In a letter to the State Secretary for Clima...

Fresh market at Halkade in IJmuiden closes permanently, tenants seek successor

The Versmarkt on the Halkade in IJmuiden has permanently closed, leaving local residents and passers-by without a nearby option for daily groceries. The current tenants are actively seeking a successo...

Ten seconds longer at a roundabout? Haarlemmermeer won't put Zwaanshoek home seekers through that

The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has rejected a housing project in Zwaanshoek because it would increase traffic wait times at a local roundabout by ten seconds. The developer criticized the decision...

Tightening purse strings due to high fuel and energy prices: Outings, dining out, and holidays cut first

A study by ING reveals that sixty percent of Dutch households plan to reduce spending due to rising energy and fuel prices. Consumers are primarily cutting back on vacations and dining out at restaura...

Israeli economy takes major hit from Middle East war

Israel's economy experienced a significant contraction in the first quarter of this year due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Data released by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics on Sunday con...

Commentary: Concerts and festivals are pricing themselves out of the market

Ticket sales for major events like Harry Styles' residency at the Johan Cruijff Arena and several summer festivals are seeing a decline compared to previous years. The trend suggests that high prices ...

Housing market cools, but overbidding continues: 'Don't use all your savings'

Despite a slight cooling of the housing market in the first quarter of 2026, Dutch homebuyers continue to overbid by an average of 3.7% to secure properties. Prospective owners often feel compelled to...

Arrests during protest on railway in Port of Rotterdam

Police arrested twelve activists from the 'Kappen met Kolen' group for attempting to disable a coal railway track in the Port of Rotterdam. Approximately thirty protesters participated in the action, ...

Arty Upholstery on Spaarnwoudestraat closes after 71 years: ‘My biggest competitor is new furniture getting cheaper and cheaper’

Stoffeerderij Arty, a furniture upholstery shop on Spaarnwoudestraat, is closing after 71 years of operation. Owner Leonard Koelemij cited the declining cost of new furniture as a major factor in the ...

Blue bins threaten SV Wijk aan Zee income: ‘Waste paper is one of our main sponsors’

The sports club SV Wijk aan Zee is facing a significant financial threat as the municipality of Beverwijk introduces blue bins for paper waste collection. Although the club has relied on paper collect...