Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Cabinet sleepwalking through energy crisis
The Dutch cabinet is facing criticism for its perceived inaction regarding rising fuel prices that are negatively impacting motorists in the Netherlands. Critics argue that the government incorrectly ...
Deutsche Bahn warns of poorer service after billions in losses
German railway company Deutsche Bahn has reported a significant loss of 2.3 billion euros for the year 2025. Consequently, the operator has warned passengers to expect a decline in service quality and...
Higher flower and plant prices offset falling sales at FloraHolland: 'Continuing to resist proposed tulip tax'
Royal FloraHolland is actively opposing a proposed VAT increase on flowers and plants, warning that this "tulip tax" could lead to significant revenue losses and job cuts. While higher prices currentl...
Kremlin denies report that Putin asked businessmen for money
The Kremlin has denied reports that President Vladimir Putin requested financial support from wealthy businessmen during a meeting on Thursday. According to a spokesperson, one unnamed businessman vol...
Curtain falls for online home store fonQ
The Dutch online home retailer fonQ has been declared bankrupt by the court, according to the company's trustees. Approximately 100 employees face potential job losses as a result of the filing.
Essent pulls out of heating network, but Haarlem continues steadily
Energy company Essent has withdrawn from Haarlem's district heating network project, leaving the Haarlem heat company with full responsibility for the initiative. Despite the departure of this major p...
Star Wars C-3PO head fetches over $1 million at auction
A C-3PO head used in the Star Wars film 'The Empire Strikes Back' has sold at auction for over $1 million. The prop was part of the original costume worn by actor Anthony Daniels during the 1980 produ...
Consumentenbond accuses Jumbo of misleading customers with 'lowest Easter prices'
The Dutch Consumers' Association has accused supermarket chain Jumbo of misleading customers with its 'lowest Easter prices' promotional campaign. The association argues that banners and signs in stor...
Red carpet for offshore ship of the future, which was almost named Windcat IJmuiden: ‘Not a name that works well in international ports’
Damen Shipyards and Windcat have unveiled a new, innovative offshore vessel designed for the future of the industry. The ship was originally going to be named 'Windcat IJmuiden,' but the name was chan...
Thousands of accidental 112 calls made via car emergency buttons last year
The Dutch emergency center received 37,500 calls from vehicles last year, but approximately 75 percent were non-emergencies often caused by accidental button presses. In total, the emergency services ...
Heemskerk and Beverwijk investigate construction of heat networks to reduce natural gas consumption
The municipalities of Heemskerk and Beverwijk are investigating the implementation of heating networks to reduce natural gas consumption. On Thursday, they signed an intent agreement with heat company...
US Senate backs end to shutdown after airport chaos
The United States Senate has passed a funding proposal for the Department of Homeland Security to end a partial government shutdown that left thousands of federal employees unpaid. The legislation aim...
Fuel prices skyrocket but travel allowance stays flat: this option could work in your favor
The Dutch trade union FNV has urged the government to increase tax-free travel allowances in response to rising fuel prices. However, employees are unlikely to see immediate changes as it will take si...
Gold is no longer a safe haven for now: 'Markets expect a longer crisis'
Gold prices have experienced a significant decline since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, recording their worst weekly performance in decades. Markets are currently anticipating a prolong...
Oil prices fall slightly after delay in attack on Iran's energy facilities
Oil prices saw a slight decline on Friday, reversing gains from the previous day. This shift followed President Donald Trump's decision to postpone potential military strikes on Iranian energy infrast...
Middle East conflict upends travel industry: Turkey now hundreds of euros cheaper
Political unrest in the Middle East is shifting summer holiday preferences, leading to increased demand for destinations like Turkey, Egypt, and the Caribbean. Consumers are increasingly choosing pack...
Plan for temporary housing on Huibert Pootstraat. Garages to make way for 63 units.
Stichting Care4Good and HDO Groep have proposed a plan to build 63 temporary housing units on Huibert Pootstraat for individuals with limited access to the housing market, such as young adults and the...
Trump signature to appear on US paper money
The United States Treasury Department announced that President Donald Trump's signature will appear on American banknotes. This update is being implemented to mark the 250th anniversary of the country...
Potential major drinks merger: Pernod Ricard and Jack Daniel’s producer confirm talks
French spirits group Pernod Ricard and American distiller Brown-Forman, the producer of Jack Daniel's, have confirmed they are in talks regarding a potential merger. The deal would bring together two ...
Hema wins Gouden Loeki for Christmas commercial featuring Takkie and Siepie cheering up sick girl
Hema and advertising agency Hotel L’Amour have won the Gouden Loeki award for the best television commercial of the year for the third consecutive year. The winning Christmas advertisement, which fe...
Addicted to social media? Ruling against Meta and Google could have major consequences
Meta and Google have been held liable for a 20-year-old woman's addiction to their social media platforms, which she claims led her to become suicidal. This legal ruling is expected to have significan...
Hook of Holland fishmonger prosecuted for refusing woman with face veil
A fishmonger in Hoek van Holland is being prosecuted for discrimination after refusing to serve a woman wearing a face veil. The Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled that the man must stand trial for th...
Jetten: High oil prices prompt countries to tackle shadow fleet
Dutch Minister Rob Jetten stated that rising oil prices are increasing the pressure on nations to crack down on the shadow fleet used by Russia to bypass oil sanctions. Speaking after a meeting with N...
US removes Belarusian state bank and fertilizer companies from sanctions list
The United States has lifted sanctions on several Belarusian companies, including a state bank and major potash producers essential for fertilizer production. These measures, which included import ban...
Heavy damage to homes after Slotermeer ATM bombing: "My son was too scared to go to school"
An ATM explosion at Slotermeerlaan in Amsterdam caused significant damage to residential buildings and injured a teenager early this morning. Local residents reported being in shock from the blast, wh...
Construction of Bolstoren in Nieuw-Vennep halted by enforcement, developer: 'We want to hurry for the buyers'
Construction on the Bolstoren in Nieuw-Vennep, which is being converted into nearly 100 apartments, has been halted by authorities because the environmental permit is not yet finalized. Developer De R...
Judge bans undressing feature in Grok chatbot
A court in Amsterdam has banned the "undressing function" of the Grok chatbot in the Netherlands following a summary judgment. The legal challenge was brought by victim support organizations and safet...
Judge rules Grok may not undress people online with AI software
An Amsterdam court has ruled that the AI chatbot Grok is prohibited from generating and distributing AI-generated 'undressing' images and child pornographic material in the Netherlands. This decision ...
Advisory council links housing construction and circular economy goals
The Dutch Scientific Climate Council (WKR) suggests that transforming, splitting, or adding floors to existing buildings could create tens of thousands of homes while significantly reducing CO2 emissi...
Limburg wants to significantly expand Einstein Telescope test center
The Dutch province of Limburg plans to allocate 4 million euros for research into expanding the ETpathfinder prototype in Maastricht into a world-class research facility for low-frequency gravitationa...