Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Judge: new owner of Vogelenzang family campsite may hear witnesses
The municipality of Bloemendaal lost an appeal in a dispute over the stalled development of 350 chalets at the former Vogelenzang campsite. A court ruled that the owner, MarinaParken, may call witness...
Power bank that exploded on KLM flight belonged to former director Camiel Eurlings
A KLM flight returned to Amsterdam after a power bank exploded in the business class cabin, causing minor injuries to one passenger. The device reportedly belonged to former KLM director Camiel Eurlin...
Zeeland shipping industry suffers millions in losses due to dry summer
The shipping industry in the Zeeland region suffered millions in losses this summer as low water levels forced restricted operations at the Terneuzen locks. Cargo transport was severely hampered, lead...
Paris opens criminal investigation into sexual harassment via smart glasses
French authorities have initiated their first criminal investigation into the use of smart glasses for sexual harassment. This development comes amid global concerns regarding the lack of specific reg...
Transport companies going bankrupt in droves due to expensive diesel and new truck tax
Smaller transport companies in the Netherlands are filing for bankruptcy in record numbers due to a combination of surging diesel prices, a new national truck tax, and infrastructure delays. Economist...
Deep financial losses for Utrecht bus operator Keolis, situation 'unsustainable'
Bus operator Keolis has reported severe, unsustainable financial losses in its Utrecht Buiten transport operations due to inflation and labor shortages. The provincial authorities are currently evalua...
French fishermen furious over fuel prices block ports for hours
French fishermen recently organized nationwide port and oil terminal blockades to protest the record-high fuel prices affecting their industry. The government ended the demonstrations by agreeing to i...
Mystery packages are on the rise, now in Haarlem too: how innocent is this hype?
Pop-up stores selling mystery packages of returned goods are becoming increasingly popular across the Netherlands, including a new location in Haarlem. While customers are drawn by the excitement of p...
Gas price more than triples, district heating customers also face potential price hikes
The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets is determining 2027 heat tariffs based on gas contract prices, with experts warning of potential price hikes between 20 and 45 percent. Since wholesale ga...
More Britons, French, Belgians and Germans: The Netherlands experienced a record-breaking summer for tourism
The Netherlands saw a significant boost in tourism this summer, with record visitor numbers from Germany, Belgium, France, and the UK despite a VAT increase. Domestic travel also grew strongly, with h...
Is the city's tourism policy driving away the wrong visitors? Coalition refuses to change course
Amsterdam's coalition government is facing backlash from the hospitality and business sectors due to a sharp decline in business travelers and plans to increase tourist taxes to the highest level in t...
The longer products are past their expiration date, the bigger the discount at Helen’s Win Win Winkel in Noord: ‘A waste to throw away’
Helen’s Win Win Winkel has opened in Amsterdam-Noord, offering discounted products, including those past their expiration date, to reduce waste and support budget-conscious shoppers. Founded by Hele...
Solar panels become a cost burden for tenants as the cabinet keeps a tight grip on spending
Tenants in the Netherlands with solar panels face financial burdens as the net-metering scheme ends in 2027, making rental costs higher than the electricity yields. Despite calls for government interv...
Cleaners reject new collective labor agreement: 'It is hard work'
Cleaners in the Netherlands are participating in a five-day strike to protest a new collective labor agreement that they argue provides insufficient sick pay and inadequate wage growth. The FNV union ...
‘This will be the death blow’: Westland entrepreneurs sound the alarm over VAT on flowers
Dutch entrepreneurs in the flower industry are expressing significant concern over the government's proposal to increase the VAT rate on flowers from 9 to 21 percent. Stakeholders, including growers a...
Alderman Biemond starts in Amsterdam with challenging budget: 'You don't want to use a blunt axe'
Amsterdam's new Alderman for Finance, Hendrik Jan Biemond, has presented his first budget, which focuses on balancing necessary cost savings with ongoing city ambitions. He stated that the financial p...
Social media law makes it harder for children to lie about their age
The European Commission has proposed the Kids Act, which restricts social media access for children under fifteen to improve safety and reduce addictive design. The regulation mandates stricter age ve...
Unilever sells skincare brand Zwitsal to Royal Sanders
Unilever is selling its well-known skincare brand Zwitsal to the Dutch company Royal Sanders as part of a strategy to focus on its high-profit global power brands. The acquisition is expected to be co...
How the Netherlands dropped to 46th place in gender equality rankings: ‘We are wasting so much talent’
The Netherlands has dropped to 46th place in the World Economic Forum's latest Global Gender Gap Index, falling behind several other nations. Experts argue this decline represents a significant waste ...
KLM faces turbulence and develops four future scenarios for new direction
KLM is evaluating four strategic scenarios to address financial pressure and increased competition in the aviation industry. These possibilities include significant operational changes, such as restru...
Australia reforms immigration policy: backpackers to face ballot system
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has announced major immigration reforms intended to reduce annual migration numbers to 225,000 by 2028. Key measures include a new ballot system for working...
Dutch childcare organization to recycle diapers on a large scale
Samenwerkende Kinderopvang is the first Dutch childcare organization to implement a large-scale diaper recycling program in partnership with the Belgian company Woosh. The initiative aims to repurpose...
Grid operator Enexis cannot connect tens of thousands of new homes to power grid
Grid operator Enexis is currently unable to connect 86,000 planned new homes to the power grid due to capacity constraints. This shortage threatens to halt numerous construction projects across the Ne...
Enexis lacks grid capacity for 86,000 homes, with Brabant facing the most pressure
Grid operator Enexis is unable to provide immediate electricity connections for 86,000 new homes due to limited network capacity, with North Brabant being the most affected area. The company is workin...
Telecom company Delta also provides services via Open Dutch Fiber network
Telecom provider Delta is expanding its service footprint by partnering with Open Dutch Fiber to provide internet, TV, and phone services to over 200,000 households. The initiative covers multiple Dut...
Railway company GoVolta granted temporary access to rail network
The ACM has authorized GoVolta to access the Dutch rail network for international and domestic passenger services after concluding that it would not disrupt the current main rail concession. However, ...
Diesel prices continue to rise, nearing April record high, while petrol prices dip slightly
Diesel prices in the Netherlands have risen sharply, nearly matching the record high seen in April, while petrol costs have experienced a marginal decline. These fluctuations are primarily attributed ...
Jetten promises to re-examine the deteriorating purchasing power of workers: 'Work must pay'
Prime Minister Rob Jetten is seeking cross-party support to stabilize his minority government and pass the budget following the General Political Debates. While facing skepticism from opposition parti...
Unions sidelined, business units sold off, or total control to Paris? KLM faces major overhaul
KLM is set to unveil four drastic restructuring scenarios this Thursday to address ongoing financial instability. Possible measures include limiting union power, divesting business units, or increasin...
Liveblog: Finance alderman presents budget
Amsterdam Finance Alderman Hendrik Jan Biemond has presented the city's budget for the coming year, highlighting an ambitious plan to reduce the workforce by 2,500 positions. The proposal has received...