Economy News in English

More mortgage applications for home renovation and sustainability due to energy crisis

Mortgage applications for home renovations and sustainability measures in the Netherlands increased by 59 percent in March compared to February. This surge is attributed to the ongoing energy crisis, ...

Fewer first-time buyers on the housing market, most are immigrants

New data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that the number of starters on the housing market decreased from 560,000 in 2023 to 518,000 in 2024. The decline is notably driven by a 12 percent drop...

Jessie's birthday vouchers are worthless following FonQ bankruptcy

Jessie's birthday gift cards for the online home retailer FonQ have become worthless following the company's bankruptcy. She had requested the vouchers to help furnish her new apartment but now regret...

Alderman wants deposit company to pay for new trash cans

Amsterdam Alderman Hester van Buren is requesting that deposit return organization Verpact pay ‐8 million for 8,000 new trash cans designed to reduce litter caused by people searching for deposit bo...

New rental opportunities in Beverwijk: At least 50 percent of homes to go to residents of Beverwijk or Heemskerk

Construction has begun on 82 social rental homes in Beverwijk as part of the "De Groene Tuinen" development project. The initiative aims to increase housing availability and neighborhood greenery, wit...

Hacked software supplier in negotiations with cybercriminals

Healthcare software provider ChipSoft is negotiating with cybercriminals after a data breach resulted in the theft of patient medical records. The breach has affected several Dutch healthcare institut...

Government aims to reduce US dependency, opts for German cloud platform

The Dutch government has partnered with the German cloud platform STACKIT to reduce its reliance on American technology companies. This initiative aims to make it easier for government organizations t...

Cabinet reverses income support cuts for the poor again

The Dutch government has reversed a planned €30 million cut to income support following a request from the House of Representatives. Political parties argued that municipalities must continue active...

FNV Tata votes on new collective labor agreement: 'Green with a red border around it'

FNV union members at Tata Steel have voted in favor of a new collective labor agreement during meetings held on Thursday morning. Despite the majority approval of the proposal, many employees expresse...

Warner Bros. shareholders approve Paramount's billion-dollar deal

Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have approved a $110 billion merger deal between Paramount and Skydance. The resulting media giant will own numerous American television channels and a vast library...

Amsterdam angry as Schiphol lowers fees due to fuel crisis: ‘A smaller airport only comes about through fair prices’

Retiring later and later: how much you need to save to still retire at 65

The average retirement age in the Netherlands has risen to 66 years and four months, with expectations that this trend will continue. Individuals wishing to retire at age 65 will need to save substant...

Jetten welcomes Ukraine support package and new Russia sanctions

Premier Rob Jetten welcomed the adoption of a 90 billion euro European support package for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia. He described the financial aid and measures as a very important ste...

Number of major rail disruptions on the rise

ProRail reported that 586 serious disruptions occurred on the Dutch rail network last year, marking an increase in major incidents. The rail manager also warned that performance targets for 2025, prev...

20th Russia sanctions package finalized after Hungary drops opposition

The European Union has approved its 20th package of sanctions against Russia after Hungary and Slovakia withdrew their opposition. This agreement mirrors previous instances where both countries initia...

UN: 30 million people fall back into extreme poverty due to war

The chief of the UN Development Programme, Alexander De Croo, warns that over 30 million people are falling back into extreme poverty due to the conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran....

Vitens struggling to provide everyone with drinking water

Vitens, the largest drinking water company in the Netherlands, is facing increasing difficulties in ensuring a consistent water supply for all customers. Despite a slight decrease in average consumer ...

Hungary and Slovakia receive Russian oil again

Hungary and Slovakia have resumed receiving Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline following the completion of months of repairs. Deliveries began flowing through the Ukrainian section of the pipeli...

Iran war leads to even more expensive condoms in China, residents want to hoard

The conflict in Iran has caused condom prices to rise in China due to raw material shortages, according to manufacturer Karex. This price hike follows previous increases aimed at boosting population g...

Right-wing bill: scrap housing priority for status holders

Right-wing political groups, including Mona Keijzer and JA21, have submitted a bill to stop Dutch municipalities from prioritizing status holders for social housing. This initiative aims to reinstate ...

Hungary lifts veto: Ukraine to receive 90 billion EU loan

European Union member states have agreed on a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine after Hungary lifted its blockade on the funding. The first installment of 45 billion euros will be disbursed for 2026 to...

Family business Ritter Sport cuts jobs for the first time in 114 years

German chocolate maker Ritter Sport is cutting jobs at its Waldenbuch headquarters for the first time in its 114-year history to reduce costs. The family-owned business is responding to significantly ...

Schiphol gives airlines discount due to high fuel prices

Schiphol Airport is offering airlines discounts on landing, parking, and terminal fees to help mitigate the impact of high kerosene prices. This move aims to provide financial relief to carriers strug...

Over 350,000 people join mass claim against Odido after data breach

More than 350,000 individuals have joined a mass claim against telecom provider Odido following a significant data leak. The privacy foundation Consumers United in Court (CUIC) initiated the collectiv...

Lidl to make pig feed from unsellable food waste

Lidl is launching a four-week pilot program in ten stores to convert unsaleable food products into pig feed, becoming the first supermarket in Europe to do so. The initiative aims to reduce food waste...

Strait of Hormuz closure hits consumers in the bedroom: condom prices to rise sharply

The CEO of Karex, the world's largest condom manufacturer, has warned that prices could rise by up to 30 percent due to conflict in the Middle East and potential shipping disruptions. This increase is...

Data of nearly all Epe residents stolen in data breach

A data hack on March 12 at the municipality of Epe resulted in the theft of personal information belonging to nearly all its residents. Stolen data includes names, addresses, and social security numbe...

Iran receives first revenue from Strait of Hormuz toll

Iran has reportedly received its first revenue from tolls imposed on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. This development was announced by a high-ranking Iranian parliamentary offici...

Samsung employees protest for higher wages and threaten long-term strike

Tens of thousands of Samsung employees held a protest on Thursday to demand higher wages and bonuses. Labor unions have threatened an 18-day strike starting next month if the South Korean company does...

Washington Post: Months needed to clear mines in Strait of Hormuz

The US Defense Department estimates it could take up to six months to clear Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz. This prolonged demining process is expected to keep global oil and gas prices high ...