Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Put simply, the state pension row is about 2.7 billion: these are the alternatives for Jetten
Prime Minister Rob Jetten is considering alternatives to raising the state pension age while still needing to secure 2.7 billion euros for the national budget. Although several options for cutting cos...
Writers demand Meta stop using their work for AI
Representatives of Dutch writers, translators, and journalists have formally demanded that Meta stop using their copyrighted works to train artificial intelligence models. The group calls for an immed...
The Housing Crisis Sightseeing Tour takes you past 'expensive yuppie flats and exploited rentals'
Protesters in Amsterdam will hold a "Wooncrisis City Sightseeing Tour" this Sunday to highlight the city's ongoing housing shortage and rising living costs. The event marks five years since the first ...
More 18-year-olds in Haarlem bought a car in 2025 than in 2010
In 2025, more 18-year-olds in Haarlem purchased cars compared to 2010, with all transactions involving second-hand vehicles. Data from RDC indicates that Peugeot was the most popular brand among these...
Transition pays off, pensions to rise significantly
Retirees switching to the new pension system are seeing an average increase of 14 percent in their payouts, with some increases reaching up to 20 percent. However, these higher incomes may lead to a r...
Netflix pulls out of fight for Warner Bros. Discovery
Netflix has withdrawn from the acquisition bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery after deciding not to match a superior offer from competitor Paramount Skydance. This move marks the end of the streaming ...
Majority back state pension motion that unions say doesn't go far enough
A majority of the Dutch House of Representatives has passed a motion to soften proposed increases to the state pension (AOW) age. While supported by coalition parties and some opposition, trade unions...
Parliament wants to offset losses in revised Box 3
The Dutch House of Representatives has passed a motion to allow the offsetting of investment losses from previous years within the new Box 3 tax system. Supported by a majority including the VVD, Chri...
Three takeaways from the new cabinet's first debate
Prime Minister Rob Jetten's minority cabinet must re-evaluate several policy areas following its first debate with the House of Representatives. Adjustments are required for plans concerning state pen...
Scapino is back on Lange Nieuw: 'There were many leaks; downstairs was completely underwater'
The Scapino store on Lange Nieuwstraat in IJmuiden has reopened following a two-month closure for renovations and repairs. Branch manager Bonito van Joolingen noted that the building required signific...
Czech Republic distances itself from NATO agreement on higher defense budget
The new Czech government, led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, is distancing itself from NATO defense spending targets by implementing budget cuts. Babiš stated that the country is currently not on t...
Italian woman who broke her ankle while working from home receives compensation
An Italian woman has been awarded compensation after breaking her ankle while working from home. Although the insurance company initially denied the claim because the accident occurred at her residenc...
Could a new crisis loom, as a top US banker warns? ‘The odds are rising’
A top US banker has warned that the current market optimism could lead to a financial crisis similar to the 2008 crash. Dutch economists are evaluating these risks to determine if the Netherlands shou...
Odido hackers also stole citizen service numbers after all
Hackers involved in a cyberattack on telecom provider Odido successfully stole citizen service numbers (BSNs) belonging to some business customers. This contradicts previous statements from the compan...
Jetten won't say if Sjoerdsma can join trade mission to China
Minister Rob Jetten has not confirmed whether Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma can participate in trade missions to China due to Sjoerdsma's presence on a Chinese sanctions list. Jetten stated that Sjo...
Cabinet will no longer provide promised extra money for Ukraine
The Dutch government will not provide an additional 2 billion euros in aid to Ukraine this year, despite a previously passed motion in the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced...
Civil servants to strike, DUO and Tax Administration less accessible
National civil servants across the Netherlands are staging a 24-hour strike this Tuesday to protest the lack of a pay raise this year. The industrial action is expected to make services such as DUO an...
Controversial plan proceeds: free abortion care for millions of women in Europe
The European Commission will provide funding to support women from EU countries where abortion is illegal by subsidizing care in other member states. Countries like the Netherlands will be able to acc...
Orbán says in letter he won't lift blockade on Kyiv loan
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has indicated in a letter to EU Council President António Costa that he will not lift his blockade on a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. The refusal remains fir...
Heat pumps mandatory again? Seeing is believing, say manufacturers
The Dutch government proposes making hybrid heat pumps mandatory starting in 2029 as part of its climate strategy. Heat pump manufacturers remain skeptical, citing previous financial losses and high i...
Zandvoort theater renovation spirals out of control: €600,000 extra costs and noise problems
Theater De Krocht in Zandvoort reopened in mid-February following a major renovation that exceeded its budget by 600,000 euros. The local municipality has also expressed concerns regarding the buildin...
Jetten sees little room to phase out mortgage interest deduction
Prime Minister Rob Jetten stated during a debate on the government's policy statement that there is little chance of further phasing out the mortgage interest deduction. He noted that while the topic ...
Instagram to warn parents if child shows interest in suicide
Instagram's parent company, Meta, announced that it will notify parents if their children under the age of sixteen frequently search for content related to suicide or self-harm. This new measure is in...
Fishermen's Union chairman calls for fund for disasters at sea
The chairman of the Dutch Fishermen's Union has proposed that shipping companies and other stakeholders on the North Sea establish an emergency fund for maritime calamities. This initiative aims to en...
Norwegian WEF chief Brende resigns after investigation into Epstein ties
Former Norwegian minister Børge Brende is stepping down from his position as a top executive at the World Economic Forum. The resignation follows an internal investigation into Brende's past contacts...
Tackling social tenants who own a home 'complex', priority given to those with two homes
Housing corporations in Amsterdam are prioritizing enforcement against social housing tenants who own multiple properties, following the eviction of a tenant who was renting out two owned homes. Housi...
Parties accuse Jetten of 'false start' in cooperation with Parliament
Several political parties have criticized Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten for a "false start" in his cooperation with the House of Representatives due to his rigid stance on pension plans. Critics arg...
Owner of Telegraaf and NRC surpasses one million digital subscribers
Mediahuis, the publisher of Dutch newspapers De Telegraaf and NRC, reached a milestone of one million digital subscribers in 2025. This growth in digital subscriptions has successfully offset the decl...
Jetten acknowledges need for movement on coalition state pension plans
Prime Minister Rob Jetten has acknowledged that the Dutch government needs to make a concession regarding its state pension plans to restore relations with labor unions. Unions FNV, CNV, and VCP have ...
Poland: Defense costs pale in comparison to trillions after Russian attack
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski warned that the cost of defending NATO's eastern flank against a Russian attack would reach hundreds of billions of euros. He emphasized that these potential cos...