Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
More seniors receive supplementary benefits due to lower state pension: 'A struggle'
The number of elderly people in the Netherlands with incomplete state pensions is increasing, often due to time spent living or working abroad. The Sociale Verzekeringsbank reports that managing the r...
Oil prices rise sharply on Middle East unrest
Oil prices surged on Monday, recording their largest daily gain in four years as a result of US and Israeli military strikes on Iran. This significant increase is expected to lead to higher gasoline p...
Costs of stranded package travelers in Middle East reimbursed by fund
Package travelers stranded in the Middle East will have their additional expenses reimbursed by the Calamity Fund due to the ongoing armed conflict in the region. The fund officially declared a calami...
EU ministers: Middle East escalation must be prevented
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, representing the 27 EU foreign ministers, stated on Sunday that events in Iran must not be allowed to escalate. She warned that such an escalation could bring unpr...
Protest march against housing shortage: You can't live in bullshit
Protesters in Amsterdam held a "Wooncrisis City Sightseeing Tour" march to demonstrate against the housing crisis, high rents, and building vacancies. The march highlighted the contrast between 22,000...
KLM suspends flights to Dubai and Saudi Arabia until Thursday
KLM has cancelled all flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until Thursday due to escalating conflict in the Middle East. The decision follows recent attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions,...
New car sales in the Netherlands down nearly a fifth from a year ago
New passenger car sales in the Netherlands fell by nearly 20% last month compared to the same period last year. Industry associations BOVAG and RAI Vereniging reported that this decline continues the ...
Fine words on creative housing shortage solutions in local elections
Ahead of upcoming municipal elections, political parties are proposing creative solutions like splitting or adding floors to homes to address the housing shortage. However, critics argue that these el...
Macron calls Belgian ship seizure blow to shadow fleet
French President Emmanuel Macron shared footage of an oil tanker being boarded in the North Sea by Belgian authorities. Macron described the operation as a significant blow to the shadow fleet used to...
This empty plot in Heemstede will feature a two-story building with 18 homes in two weeks
Eighteen modular, fully furnished homes are being prepared for transport from Beverwijk to the former Princehof site on Glipperweg in Heemstede. The two-story residential building will be assembled wi...
The greenhouse | Getting off gas is difficult, but here geothermal energy makes it possible
Climate reporter Jeroen Kraan discusses the complexities of transitioning homes to gas-free heating systems in his weekly column. He highlights that despite general difficulties, some projects are suc...
Hackers post stolen Odido customer data online again
The hacker group ShinyHunters has released stolen customer data from the telecom provider Odido for the fourth consecutive day. This latest leak appears to contain a significantly larger volume of inf...
Dutch tax authorities expect busy first day of tax season
The Dutch Tax Service expects a busy start to the tax season as over 9.6 million taxpayers have been invited to file their 2025 income tax returns starting March 1. The filing period, which applies to...
Costs for disabled parking permits still vary significantly
The cost of disabled parking permits varies significantly across the Netherlands, ranging from free to 333 euros depending on the municipality. According to an ANP analysis, price increases in 123 mun...
Tax office expects rush: 'First day of filing always a bit tense'
The tax filing period in the Netherlands has officially opened today, with authorities anticipating a high volume of activity because the first day falls on a weekend. There are ongoing concerns regar...
Attack on Iran could further drive up already high fuel prices
Recent violence in the Middle East threatens to disrupt global crude oil supplies, potentially leading to a significant increase in prices. In the Netherlands, this situation could result in even high...
State pension plan seems like a lightning rod
Labor unions are questioning whether the Dutch cabinet's long-term AOW pension plan is a political distraction from other immediate budget cuts. Reporter Hans van Soest highlights concerns that focusi...
Why ministers cheered when Mona Keijzer broke away
Dutch labor unions are questioning whether a government pension plan is a strategic distraction from other budget cuts currently being implemented. Political reporter Hans van Soest examines the impli...
Box 3 saga continues: search for a fair wealth tax
The Dutch government is revising its wealth tax system, known as 'box 3', following significant criticism and legal challenges. While the House of Representatives aims to establish a fairer taxation m...
KLM avoids Middle East airspace Saturday, Sunday still unknown
KLM has suspended flights over Middle Eastern airspace and cancelled several routes to cities such as Tel Aviv and Dubai as a precaution following attacks on Iran. The airline is currently monitoring ...
Heat networks lead to higher energy bills for many households
Households connected to heat networks face significantly higher annual heating costs compared to those with traditional gas connections. The increased expenses are attributed to both higher fixed rate...
Bitcoin falls after attacks on Iran
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies experienced a sharp decline in value following Israel's announcement of a preemptive attack on Iran on Saturday. The market drop highlights the sensitivity of digita...
Fien is afraid of viruses at the office but isn't allowed to work from home: ‘You’re not made of porcelain, I’m told’
Legal assistant Fien, who has lung emphysema, is facing difficulties as her employer refuses to allow her to work from home despite her high health risks at the office. Employment expert Anne-Marije B...
Screen Time | The Odido hack is also a bit of a tightrope walk in the reporting
Tech reporter Rutger Otto reflects on a turbulent week for the Dutch telecom provider Odido following a security breach. The article examines the complexities and challenges of reporting on the hack w...
Iraq closes airspace after attacks on neighboring Iran
Iraq and Iran have closed their airspace indefinitely following Israeli and American military strikes on Iranian territory. These measures were implemented as a security precaution in response to the ...
Bolivian military plane carrying banknotes crashes
A Bolivian Air Force plane crashed on Friday while attempting to land in El Alto, near the capital of La Paz. The aircraft was transporting banknotes to the country's interior, leading to chaotic scen...
Failing grade, friction but ultimate goodwill: how GVB still secured the concession
The Dutch public transport operator GVB secured a new concession to continue operating in Amsterdam despite significant friction and a poor initial evaluation from transport authorities. Negotiations ...
How contaminated oil tainted baby food worldwide: new production line misled Nestlé
A Nestlé factory in Nunspeet contaminated baby milk powder with toxic substances due to issues with a new production line and contaminated oil. Despite implementing extra quality controls, the compan...
It often remains a mystery who is discharging polluting chemicals into the sewer
Chemical pollutants are being discharged through sewer systems, making them difficult to detect and impossible to filter out of the water supply. This practice is causing a decline in water quality an...
Pregnant women to lose out significantly under cabinet plans: ‘Affects 25,000 women’
The Dutch government plans to significantly reduce the maximum daily wage for social security benefits, impacting approximately 25,000 women. This measure will lead to lower payouts for maternity and ...