Economy News in English

Long-term sick employees to miss out on €17,000: ‘We are going back in time’

Starting next year, employers in the Netherlands will no longer be compensated for severance payments to long-term sick employees, potentially costing workers an average of 17,000 euros. The labor uni...

Ton is still in his net-making workshop at seven: ‘This has been my thing my whole life’

Ton continues to run Klinkenberg Nettenmakerij, a family business established by his father in the port of IJmuiden in 1958. Originally one of seven such workshops in the area, it is now the last rema...

Employers' leader wants more efficient social security to prevent budget cuts

Coen van Oostrom, chairman of the employers' federation VNO-NCW, suggests that social security in the Netherlands should be organized more efficiently to avoid potential budget cuts. During an appeara...

Rainbow flag flying less proudly: 'Was support ever truly authentic?'

Companies are increasingly scaling back their public support for the LGBTQI+ community during Pride month in response to a growing anti-woke movement. This trend of reducing visible corporate allyship...

Broadcasting bosses' salaries rose further while regular staff fear for their jobs

Last year, salaries for Dutch broadcasting executives increased by an average of 4.5%, significantly higher than the 3.2% raise received by regular staff. This pay disparity has been criticized as a n...

Schiphol travelers bring own sandwiches en masse: air passengers save money on airport food

Many travelers at Schiphol Airport are bringing their own meals to avoid high food prices at the facility's numerous eateries. As the busiest food court in the Netherlands, the airport is working to d...

Financial stress makes language learning difficult. Welzijn Beverwijk and Socius simplify finances and administration with Totaal

Welzijn Beverwijk and Socius have launched the 'Totaal' program to help individuals simultaneously tackle language barriers and financial stress. The initiative focuses on improving both language skil...

The Greenhouse | Kilos of waste during surgery, try changing that

Climate reporter Jeroen Kraan highlights the significant waste produced during medical operations in his latest column. While the healthcare sector is increasingly prioritizing sustainability, signifi...

Paula forced to pay for useless information session

A woman named Paula was charged for a useless sustainability consultation after being contacted by a scammer posing as an energy provider representative. This incident serves as a warning about fraudu...

After months of waiting, demolition resumes at Huis ter Wijck construction site: 'To continue in July or August'

Demolition work at the Huis ter Wijck construction site is set to resume in July or August after being delayed for months by administrative issues. The project involves clearing buildings at Kuenenple...

Employees can take time off to pull all-nighters during World Cup

Employees are taking time off to watch World Cup football matches that are broadcast during early morning and late-night hours. Despite these schedule conflicts, employers reportedly do not expect a s...

Yet another house in Wijk aan Zee subdivided for migrant workers: '22 percent of the village are now migrant workers'

Residents of Wijk aan Zee are protesting the increasing conversion of homes into housing for migrant workers, who now make up 22% of the village population. After the Beverwijk municipality rejected a...

Source: US wants to use Iranian assets for reparations

The United States plans to use Iranian assets to fund reconstruction in friendly Gulf states and cover future damages caused by Iran. This proposal follows a series of Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Ba...

Hedgehog dance between VVD and PRO begins

Former ASML CEO Peter Wennink has raised alarms regarding potential political stagnation in The Hague, warning that the government may fail to deliver effective solutions for citizens. The VVD is curr...

Residents sharpen knives over 'green postage stamp': '4,500 new homes coming to Cruquius. Why must this plot be filled too?'

Residents in Cruquius are threatening a joint lawsuit to block a proposed housing development at the 'Landje van Draaijer' site. The community argues that the project will cause excessive nuisance and...

ASML invites Elon Musk to speak at internal technology conference

ASML has invited Elon Musk to speak virtually at an internal technology conference. Musk will share his vision on artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace, and semiconductor manufacturing during t...

Canada bans Texas livestock after flesh-eating screwworm outbreak

Canada has temporarily banned livestock imports from the U.S. state of Texas due to an outbreak of the flesh-eating screwworm fly. The Governor of Texas declared a state of emergency on Friday followi...

Woman scams Marktplaats customers with housing, tickets and a cupboard door

An Amsterdam woman was sentenced to 100 hours of community service for defrauding Marktplaats users of over 2,600 euros through fake studio rentals and non-existent tickets. The court mitigated her pu...

Amsterdam police see more violence from people without prospects

Amsterdam police report a rise in incidents involving individuals who feel they have nothing to lose, particularly in the city center. This trend includes an increase in nuisance behavior, shoplifting...

Livestock transporter Gerard became a vegetarian because of his grandson and is now the company's laughing stock

Gerard, a 55-year-old livestock transporter, is seeking a career change after his grandson's questions about the animals led him to become a vegetarian. He is currently facing workplace harassment due...

Screen Time | The Pope doesn’t believe in the AI gods tech companies want to build

In his weekly column, tech reporter Rutger Otto explores the Pope's message regarding artificial intelligence. The Pope expressed skepticism toward the AI developments pursued by major tech companies,...

Did you know? Haarlem is located in Europe's Blue Banana (and here's why)

Haarlem is situated within Europe's Blue Banana, a geographical area known for its high population density and economic activity. The article explains that the term refers to an economic corridor rath...

Construction of Treslonghof in Hillegom to start this year. Homes go on sale next week.

Construction of the Treslonghof apartment complex in Hillegom is scheduled to begin at the end of this year following a six-month permitting delay. The project will provide 34 new homes on a vacant si...

Jan-Kees Emmer finds Donald Pols' years of silence striking

Donald Pols resigned as the director of sustainability and communication at Tata Steel after serving only one day in the role. The former head of the environmental group Milieudefensie's quick departu...

'Amsterdam kicks its guests in the crotch': hotel chief Remco Groenhuijzen on the new tourist tax hike

Only 1 in 20 employees receives higher travel allowance for expensive fuel

Only one in twenty employees is receiving an increased travel allowance to compensate for rising fuel prices, as employers largely fail to address the high cost of commuting. Despite warnings that gas...

Cynthia (32) has been homeless with her children in Zuidoost for nearly a year: ‘They can’t know at school, or I’ll lose them’

European publishers sue Google over advertising practices, seeking over €640 million

A group of more than twenty European news publishers has filed a lawsuit against Google in an Amsterdam court, seeking over 640 million euros in damages. The publishers claim they suffered financial l...

Severe staff shortage in technical sector: focus on career switchers

The City of Amsterdam, educational institutions, and businesses have launched the 'Baan met Toekomst' program to address a severe labor shortage in the technical sector by targeting career switchers. ...

Halsema on failure of erotic center: 'Coalition didn't dare or want to take the step'

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema criticized the city coalition's decision to scrap the planned erotic center and maintain current levels of window prostitution in the Red Light District. Despite this set...