Economy News in English

Government allocates 30 million euros for district heating network in Watergraafsmeer

SER advises on new organization to meet nitrogen targets

The Social and Economic Council (SER) has proposed the creation of a new organization involving both public and private parties to help achieve national climate and nitrogen goals. The initiative aims...

Health Council deems aircraft emissions carcinogenic

The Health Council of the Netherlands has officially classified emissions from aircraft engines as carcinogenic. This assessment aims to improve occupational health protections for ground staff at air...

Grolsch acquires Limburg brewery Gulpener

Dutch beer brewer Grolsch has acquired the remaining 85 percent of its competitor Gulpener, following an initial 15 percent stake. The financial terms of the deal regarding the Gulpen-based brewery we...

Housing construction remains stalled despite cabinet nitrogen intervention: 'New cities will not be built'

The Economic Institute for Construction (EIB) states that the Dutch government's recent nitrogen intervention will not resolve the ongoing deadlock in residential construction permits. Consequently, e...

Mandatory interim test could make driving lessons even more expensive, industry warns: 'We can charge whatever we want'

Dutch Minister Karremans has proposed making intermediate driving tests mandatory for student drivers. Industry organizations are warning that this change could lead to significantly higher costs for ...

Housing market to cool further, experts expect, with fewer mortgage applications: one group is performing well

Experts expect the Dutch housing market to cool down this year following significant price increases last year. Concurrently, De Hypotheker has reported the first decrease in mortgage applications in ...

Used electric cars popular: sales rise sharply

Sales of used electric vehicles in the Netherlands experienced a significant increase of over 54 percent during the first half of the year. A total of 70,547 secondhand electric cars were sold compare...

First 8.3 million final income tax assessments sent

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has sent 8.3 million final income tax assessments to citizens who filed their returns before April 1, 2025. Out of these, 5.3 million taxpayers are eligible fo...

Online supermarket Crisp acquires Buurtboer to provide company lunches

Housing market cools due to rising mortgage rates

The Dutch housing market is cooling down following a rise in mortgage interest rates. ABN AMRO predicts that home prices will increase by 3 percent this year and 4 percent next year.

ABN AMRO: housing market cools due to higher mortgage rates

The Dutch housing market is cooling down due to rising mortgage interest rates, according to a report by ABN AMRO. While income growth and limited housing supply continue to support prices, the bank e...

Calling a plumber for a leaking roof? You might soon get an AI voice on the line: 'This will quickly become the new normal'

KPN is introducing a new service that allows businesses, such as plumbers, to use AI voices to answer incoming customer calls. While this technology aims to streamline communication, it has sparked a ...

Average holiday home price fell slightly last year, sales also down

In 2025, the average price of a holiday home in the Netherlands fell slightly to approximately 240,000 euros, alongside a decrease in total sales. Research from the Land Registry shows that most new h...

Holiday parks continue to grow: 4,000 parks, 135,000 cottages, and buyers often paying in full immediately

The popularity of holiday parks in the Netherlands continues to rise, with an increase in the total number of parks and vacation homes. According to new data from the Kadaster, property prices are inc...

Van Essen: agriculture must remain possible around nature reserves

Agriculture minister Jaimi van Essen stated that farming should remain possible in areas surrounding nature reserves, despite the need for stricter nitrogen emission reductions in those zones. During ...

Rotterdam port seeks to unlock development and awaits funding for nature

Authorities involved in the Port of Rotterdam are developing measures to restore four Natura 2000 sites surrounding the industrial zone to resume stalled project permits. Permitting has been largely s...

SRO keeps major fixer of multimillion-dollar chaos out of the spotlight: 'All time focused on the work'

EY accountant Luc van Gils has been appointed to address the aftermath of a multi-million euro fraud scandal at the sports and real estate company SRO. The company stated that Van Gils will work in th...

Minister Sterk finds funds to reverse long-term care cuts

Minister of Long-Term Care Mirjam Sterk has secured funding to reverse proposed budget cuts in the long-term care sector. By reallocating resources more precisely, the sector will be able to maintain ...

Shipbuilder Damen unhappy with German withdrawal: 'Part was already finished'

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has expressed dissatisfaction following the German government's decision to cancel a contract for six frigates. The company stated that significant progress had already been ma...

Experts want clearer health agreements regarding state aid for Tata Steel

Experts are urging the Dutch government to establish clear health targets before providing billions in state aid to Tata Steel. They argue that the current agreements lack guarantees that the financia...

New PlayStation games will no longer be released on physical discs

Sony has announced that it will discontinue physical disc releases for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028. The company attributed this shift to the changing preferences of consumers who in...

'While supplies last' does not apply to new energy fund, but not everyone will receive funding

Dutch Minister Hans Vijlbrief announced the new Noodfonds Energie to support households facing high heating costs and low income. However, individuals who limit their energy usage to save money are cu...

We are searching everywhere for lithium, yet we nonchalantly ship 1,184,000 kilos in old batteries to China

Despite efforts to reduce dependency on foreign markets for critical minerals, the Netherlands exported over 1.1 million kilograms of lithium from recycled batteries to China in 2025. This export tren...

Inflation falls to 2.9 percent in June due to lower energy prices

Inflation in the Netherlands fell to 2.9 percent in June 2026, down from 3.5 percent in May. This decrease is primarily attributed to lower energy prices, according to preliminary data from the nation...

Eurozone inflation falls below 3 percent

Inflation in the eurozone decreased to 2.8 percent in June, down from 3.2 percent in May. This data was reported by the European statistical office, Eurostat.

Significant drop in inflation to 2.9 percent in June due to lower fuel prices

Inflation in the Netherlands dropped to 2.9 percent in June, primarily driven by a decline in fuel and energy prices. This unexpected decrease suggests that further interest rate hikes may not be nece...

New power grid rules could delay home renovations or sustainability upgrades

Starting July 1, Dutch homeowners planning to make their homes more sustainable may face delays if their projects require a heavier power connection. This is due to new regulations that prioritize soc...

Fewer new passenger cars registered in the first half of 2026

During the first half of 2026, 174,789 new passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands. This figure represents a 4.2 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2025.

Apple increases MacBook and iPad prices due to memory chip costs

Apple is increasing its global prices for MacBooks and iPads to compensate for the rising costs of memory chips driven by the AI boom. While these hardware prices are set to rise, the price of iPhones...