Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
European Commission launches investigation into Booking.com over failure to tackle fraud
The European Commission has opened an investigation into Booking.com over concerns that the travel platform is failing to adequately combat fraud and phishing scams. The inquiry aims to ensure the com...
First health insurance premium for 2027 rises by record percentage: 'Get used to it'
Dutch insurer DSW has announced a record increase in health insurance premiums for 2027 due to rising healthcare costs and reduced government subsidies. Experts warn that premiums will likely continue...
Largest premium increase ever: DSW health insurance premium rises faster than cabinet expected
Health insurer DSW has announced a record-breaking monthly premium increase of 14.75 euros, citing rising costs and reduced government funding. The insurer is utilizing 25 million euros from its reser...
Dutch banks assessing impact of bank fraud ruling
The European Court of Justice has ruled that banks must immediately reimburse victims of phishing attacks, regardless of the customer's potential negligence. Banks are subsequently responsible for pro...
More gyms, more members and growth in Europe: Basic-Fit is far from reaching its limit
Basic-Fit has expanded from a local gym to Europe's largest fitness chain, currently serving 6.25 million members. Despite concerns over high debt levels, the company continues to report strong growth...
Websites taken offline as precaution: widely used programming language vulnerable to hacks
The NotuBiz software provider has proactively taken its websites offline following the discovery of two critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language. Security experts urge all affected bus...
AkzoNobel raises prices and remains on track for merger with American firm Axalta
AkzoNobel reported steady quarterly revenue of 2.5 billion euros and profit of 388 million euros, helped by price hikes and currency effects. The company is proceeding with its merger with American fi...
BBC cuts several channels and over a hundred jobs due to budget cuts
The BBC will discontinue linear broadcasts for BBC Three, BBC Scotland, and BBC Radio 4 Extra by 2027 while moving their content to digital platforms. Additionally, the broadcaster is cutting over one...
Musk explores potential merger between Tesla and SpaceX
Elon Musk is investigating the possibility of merging his companies Tesla and SpaceX to capitalize on shared technological efforts in AI and chip production. While Musk believes the merger could offer...
Netflix growth slows due to competition from other streaming services
Netflix reported an 11.8 percent revenue increase in the third quarter, though this growth rate is lower than the previous year due to rising competition from rival streaming platforms. Despite the sl...
Outdated information used in documents regarding tourist and advertising taxes
The Haarlem city council has postponed its vote on revisions to tourism and advertising taxes due to the use of outdated documents containing technical errors. Finance Alderman Hendrik Jan Biemond apo...
Outdated information used in documents on tourist and advertising taxes
The Amsterdam city council has delayed voting on tax regulation changes after officials discovered that outdated versions of the documents were inadvertently used. Finance Alderman Hendrik Jan Biemond...
All countries doing too little for climate, further warming threatens: 'No more excuses'
A UN report warns that global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions are insufficient, placing the world on track for nearly 3 degrees of warming. While the 1.5-degree target is increasingly out of ...
More people are working past retirement age
An increasing number of individuals in the Netherlands are continuing to work past the legal retirement age, particularly within the real estate and transportation sectors. Statistics show that men ar...
Number of children in welfare families in Haarlem increases for the first time since 2021
The number of children living in families dependent on social assistance in Haarlem increased to 2,220 last year, marking the first rise since 2021. Research highlights that these children face a sign...
SpaceX revenue surges thanks to AI division and Starlink growth
SpaceX doubled its quarterly revenue to 14.6 billion dollars, driven by an 830 percent surge in its AI division and continued growth in Starlink subscribers. The company also shifted from a loss to a ...
Revolut online banking issues resolved after major outage
Online bank Revolut has fully restored its services after a major technical failure caused by a power incident at Google Cloud. The outage, which prevented customers from accessing their funds, also a...
Wikipedia concerned about AI in search engines: fewer visitors and higher risk of disinformation
Wikipedia is reporting a significant drop in website traffic following the introduction of AI-powered search summaries, raising concerns about a potential decline in future volunteers and donations. E...
Supermarket chain Carrefour lowers profit forecast due to riots in France
Carrefour has lowered its profit forecasts for 2026 and this year due to significant uncertainty caused by widespread rioting in France. The unrest has led to property damage, looting at multiple reta...
Why the cyber incident could cause empty shelves at AH for weeks: 'This is a textbook case'
Albert Heijn is experiencing ongoing product shortages in the aftermath of a recent cyberattack that disrupted its supply chain. Experts warn that the effects of this incident could continue to impact...
Ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam look to India to restore growth
Both the ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam are seeking to expand their trade ties with India to offset recent declines and geopolitical challenges. The ports aim to capitalize on potential trade a...
Albert Heijn unable to reach millions of Dutch customers by email, customer service still down
Albert Heijn struggled to inform millions of customers during a recent cyberattack because its email and customer service systems were disabled as a security precaution. While digital services are slo...
European gas price hits highest level since 2022
European natural gas prices have exceeded 90 euros per megawatt-hour for the first time since late 2022 due to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Additionally, gas storage levels across ...
Super-fast internet is gaining ground, but many households can get by with less
A quarter of Dutch internet subscriptions now offer speeds of at least 1 Gbps, despite most households only needing a fraction of that capacity. The Authority for Consumers and Markets warns that prov...
Vinted removes items possibly stolen during French riots
Vinted is actively removing listings from its platform that are suspected of containing goods stolen during recent riots in France. The company has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward the sale of l...
Affected Albert Heijn customers who ordered online receive store credit and refunds
Albert Heijn is compensating customers for undelivered online grocery orders caused by a recent cybersecurity incident with refunds and a 10 euro store credit. The supermarket chain has restored its s...
Online bank Revolut hit by major outage
Revolut experienced a significant service outage caused by a Google Cloud failure that also affected other major international banks. While the company stated that user funds and data remain safe, the...
China and the US are going full throttle on AI, the EU is hitting the brakes: how wise is that?
While China and the United States push ahead with rapid AI development, the European Union maintains a cautious stance focused on strict regulation. Critics argue this approach hampers European innova...
Albert Heijn customers who missed out on personal discounts will receive automatic refunds
Albert Heijn is automatically compensating customers for missed personal discounts and rewards following a recent cyberattack that disrupted its systems. The supermarket chain will issue credits to ac...
NS raises train ticket prices again: fares to increase by nearly 5 percent
NS is raising train ticket prices by nearly 5 percent to cover increased operating expenses and investments in new trains. To support passengers affected by the price hike, the company is offering dis...