Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Farmers receive less for their products, potato prices fall sharply
Dutch farmers and horticulturists saw their income from products fall by over 10 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2025. The price drop was particularly significa...
Fully pesticide-free greenery remains unattainable for Haarlem for now
Alderman Robbert Berkhout announced that Haarlem will not meet its goal of having all city greenery pesticide-free by 2028. The delay is caused by the limited availability of trees, shrubs, and grass ...
Number of Russian companies in the country falls sharply over ten years
The number of Russian-owned companies in the Netherlands has significantly decreased since 2014. This decline is primarily attributed to the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Japan to replace aging nuclear reactors
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry has proposed replacing up to 14 outdated nuclear reactors over the next few decades. This initiative is intended to ensure the country can meet its gro...
ABN Amro sees housing market imbalance: millions of single-family homes ‘too many’
ABN Amro reports that the Netherlands has a surplus of millions of single-family homes and needs to drastically change its housing construction strategy. The bank warns of potential vacancies and decl...
ABN AMRO cuts economic growth forecast due to Iran war
ABN AMRO has lowered its economic growth forecasts for the Netherlands due to the conflict in the Middle East and rising energy prices. The bank noted that these factors are reducing consumer spending...
Another Dutchman to head Belgian seaport: Rob Smeets new CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Rob Smeets, a 56-year-old Dutch national, has been appointed as the new CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The board of directors for the Belgian seaport announced his appointment for a six-year manda...
Dutchman Rob Smeets named new CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced the appointment of Dutch national Rob Smeets as its new CEO. Smeets succeeds Jacques Vandermeiren, who stepped down from the position in April.
New DigiD administrator must be European
The Dutch government has announced that the next company to manage parts of the DigiD identification system must be European. State Secretary Eric van der Burg stated that the contract tender after Au...
Beyoncé joins Forbes’ list of richest self-made women for the first time
American singer Beyoncé has been included in Forbes' annual list of the richest self-made women for the first time. This follows her induction into the magazine's billionaire club in December.
Putin says he is ready to compromise if Kyiv does the same
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during an economic summit in Saint Petersburg that Russia is prepared to make compromises in peace negotiations with Ukraine if Kyiv is also willing to do so.
Milieudefensie management 'blindsided' by Donald Pols' past, supervisory board resigns
The supervisory board of Milieudefensie has resigned immediately following controversy surrounding the past of former director Donald Pols. While the board was aware of Pols' history, the rest of the ...
Cabinet refuses to yield to incensed opposition: WW and WIA plans remain intact
The Dutch cabinet has refused to scrap proposed changes to unemployment (WW) and disability (WIA) benefits despite pressure from the opposition. The government maintains its right to reform social sec...
Five arrested for siphoning off millions intended for healthcare
The Dutch Labour Inspectorate has arrested five individuals for laundering more than 2 million euros that were originally intended for healthcare services. The alleged fraud has been taking place sinc...
Bijenkorf garage owner 'open to dialogue' on closure and housing plans
Q-Park, the owner of the Bijenkorf garage in Amsterdam, has expressed openness to discussing a proposal in the new local coalition agreement to replace the parking facility with housing. Although the ...
Bijenkorf garage owner 'open to dialogue' on closure and housing development
The new coalition agreement in Amsterdam includes a proposal to close the Bijenkorf parking garage in the city center and replace it with residential housing. Q-Park, the owner of the facility, stated...
Fraud at taxi company recalls Amsterdam ‘taxi war’: ‘It was intense, but professionally also thrilling’
Bitcoin plunges further as largest holder sells
Bitcoin's price has dropped towards $60,000, reaching its lowest level in months. The decline follows reports that American billionaire Michael Saylor sold a portion of his bitcoin holdings to pay his...
VVD receives concession for supporting development aid: terrorism bill submitted after all
The VVD political party has reached an agreement with the Dutch cabinet to support the development aid budget in exchange for the submission of a law against the glorification of terrorism. This polit...
Cabinet not considering alternative to state pension plan, says Vijlbrief
Minister of Social Affairs Hans Vijlbrief announced that the Dutch cabinet will not seek an alternative to the scrapped plan for a faster increase in the state pension age (AOW). The decision follows ...
Protesters storm Brussels parliament
Protesters against budget cuts in French-speaking education entered the Parliament of the French Community in Brussels on Thursday afternoon. The demonstrators set off smoke bombs, triggering fire ala...
Parties want clarification on Sjoerdsma's 'shadow deal'
Opposition parties are seeking clarification on an alleged "shadow deal" involving a 380 million euro increase in the development cooperation budget for Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. In exchange for the ...
Do I have to pay VAT on shipping costs from a webshop?
A consumer from Den Helder is questioning whether it is correct for webshops to charge VAT on shipping costs for online orders. Under Dutch tax regulations, shipping fees are generally subject to the ...
Only a miracle can save Haarlem's combined rail maintenance. 'Destruction of capital'
The Dutch House of Representatives has accepted a 50 million euro loss and extended passenger disruptions due to stalled rail maintenance in Haarlem. Despite criticism regarding the waste of public fu...
Jetten: first social security deal, then talk about money
Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced that the Dutch cabinet will only consider adjusting financial coalition agreements after reaching a substantive deal on social security with labor unions and the op...
Even without Hungarian blockade, Ukrainian EU membership is still far off
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced a deal on Wednesday to end his country's blockade of Ukraine's EU accession process. Despite this breakthrough, the article notes that Ukraine's actual...
Disneyland Paris still hasn't recouped billion-euro investment after 34 years
Disney has not yet recouped its multi-billion euro investment in Disneyland Paris after 34 years of operation. An analysis by theme park journalists indicates that the resort still faces a deficit of ...
Amazon creates 25,000 new jobs in Europe through additional investment
Amazon plans to increase its investments in Europe, which is expected to create 25,000 new jobs across the continent in the coming years. This expansion will add to the company's current European work...
Water pipe tobacco production site discovered in Amsterdam
Police discovered an illegal hookah tobacco production site in an Amsterdam warehouse on Tuesday, seizing over 3,100 kilograms of tobacco. The FIOD and Customs destroyed the production equipment, and ...
VVD clashes with Parliament over social security cuts
The Dutch VVD party faced opposition from both left and right-wing parties in the House of Representatives regarding proposed cuts to social security, specifically disability benefits. VVD MP Ingrid M...