Economy News in English
Latest economy headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
From 'grand dame' to hypermodern: Extracting fertilizers, energy, and chemicals from Haarlem's wastewater
A hypermodern wastewater treatment plant is being constructed in the Waarderpolder district of Haarlem to replace older infrastructure. The facility aims to recover raw materials like fertilizers and ...
Prison sentence for man from Opheusden who abused two minor employees
A 40-year-old man from Opheusden has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 10 months suspended, for sexually abusing two minor employees. The court found him guilty of abusing the boys during th...
Russia recalls ambassador to Armenia over country's ties with EU
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia as the country seeks closer ties with the European Union. President Vladimir Putin has warned of significant economic consequences if Armenia continues to...
Trucks take priority over terraces in Haarlem city center, clear majority says: 'Take your coffee elsewhere'
A survey of 600 respondents indicates that approximately 60 percent prioritize shop deliveries over early morning terrace seating in Haarlem's city center. Most participants believe that leisure activ...
New elite education with deep pockets: who is paying for the Leiden master's?
The private Pascal Institute is launching a new master's program at the Leidse Zeevaartschool this fall, targeting students seeking alternatives to traditional universities. The elite educational init...
A GVB bus in Albania or Cuba: why you see Amsterdam’s cast-offs all over the world
Former Amsterdam city buses are being repurposed in countries worldwide, such as Albania and Cuba, as the city works toward a fully zero-emission fleet by 2028. These retired diesel vehicles are sold ...
Plans and more plans, and ultimately the state pension panic is for nothing, concludes Jan-Kees Emmer
The Jetten cabinet has scrapped its controversial plans to scale back the AOW state pension less than 100 days after taking office. Social Affairs Minister Vijlbrief stated that the government will re...
Marian Mudder (68) saw the city change from the Jordaan: ‘Money has taken over everything’
A beer in Amsterdam, what should it cost? '6 euros – then no one will come anymore'
From strawberry jam to lip balm: how expensive oil is driving up prices in every household
The ongoing conflict between Iran and the U.S. is driving up oil prices, which will result in higher costs for various household items like jam, shampoo, and printer ink. Experts warn that consumers c...
Scenario where Moerdijk remains more prominently in focus
The Dutch cabinet is increasingly considering a scenario where the village of Moerdijk is preserved by opting for a smaller expansion of the local port and industrial cluster. State Secretary Jo-Annes...
Housing Alderman Van Weyenberg: New coalition must provide more funding or adjust ambitions
Amsterdam's Housing Alderman Steven van Weyenberg has warned that the city's depleted housing fund requires the incoming coalition to either increase municipal funding or adjust housing targets. He em...
New train between Amsterdam and Paris, journey via Ghent takes seven hours
A new train connection between Amsterdam and Paris has been launched, offering a journey time of approximately seven hours. The service travels via Ghent rather than Brussels and includes stops at nin...
Geesterduin residents speak out against building plans: ‘It will be just like Amsterdam’s Zuidas’
Residents in Castricum expressed significant opposition to the Geesterduin 2.0 development, which consists of a new shopping center and 215 housing units. During a packed council meeting, critics comp...
Second-hand bookstore in Kinkerbuurt faces closure due to steep rent hike
The second-hand bookstore Sterre der Zee in Amsterdam's Kinkerbuurt faces closure after the death of its owner and a proposed tripling of the rent by the landlord, Stadgenoot. A group of volunteers is...
New homes from old buildings: alternative financing gains ground
Converting vacant buildings into housing offers a fast solution to the housing shortage, but developers often struggle to secure traditional financing. This challenge has led to the rise of alternativ...
Water board tax to double by 2050: Can the bill be shared more fairly?
Water board taxes in the Netherlands are projected to double by 2050 due to rising operational costs. This increase has sparked discussions on whether the tax burden can be redistributed more equitabl...
Cabinet 'impressed' by citizens' climate advice, but sets half aside
The Dutch cabinet has responded to recommendations from the Climate Citizens' Assembly, adopting dozens of suggestions while rejecting about half of the proposals. Key rejected measures include a CO2 ...
Number of tourist overnight stays increases again to 23.7 million
Tourist overnight stays in Amsterdam reached a record 23.7 million in 2025, exceeding the city's self-imposed limit of 20 million. Residents have initiated a lawsuit against the municipality for faili...
Number of tourist overnight stays rises again to 23.7 million
Amsterdam recorded a new high of 23.7 million tourist overnight stays in 2025, surpassing the city's self-imposed cap of 20 million. Although the growth rate is slowing, the municipality anticipates n...
Central Station renovation in full swing: second worn-out railway bridge replaced
ProRail has successfully installed the second of five replacement railway bridges at Amsterdam Central Station, marking a key milestone in the station's large-scale renovation. The original structures...
More female status holders must find work: special approach in municipalities
The Dutch cabinet is launching a targeted initiative in ten municipalities to help female status holders find employment more quickly. This approach aims to improve labor market participation among wo...
Labor Inspectorate closes two souvenir shops for repeated violations
The Dutch Labor Inspection has closed two souvenir shops in Amsterdam's city center for one month after the owner repeatedly failed to track employee working hours. Despite previous fines totaling 21,...
Brussels pledges 16 billion in EU funds to new Hungarian Prime Minister
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the release of 16 billion euros in EU funds to Hungary. This follows a meeting in Brussels with the new Hungarian Prime Minister, Péte...
German inflation cools on temporary fuel tax cut
Inflation in Germany decreased slightly to 2.6 percent in May. The cooling trend was primarily driven by a decline in energy prices and a temporary reduction in fuel excise duties.
Jetten also shocked by cost of ministers' private jets
Dutch Minister Rob Jetten expressed shock at the nearly 2 million euros spent by the government on private jet rentals for ministerial travel over the past five years. According to reports, the Minist...
Cheap but slower train connection to Paris announced: ‘Expect this to go through the roof’
Monitoring of municipal bridge conditions falls seriously short: ‘Keeping this bridge open would be negligent’
A joint investigation has revealed that the safety of 66,000 municipal bridges across the Netherlands is uncertain due to a lack of national legislation and oversight regarding inspections. There are ...
European industry must be better protected against Chinese imports
The European Commission has declared that the current trade relationship with China is unsustainable and requires stronger protection for European industry. While Brussels still considers China an imp...
Cheap train connection to Paris announced: ‘Expect this to go through the roof’
Starting late this year, Dutch company GoVolta will launch a new daily train service from Amsterdam to Paris via Brabant. Tickets for the route will be available starting at 19 euros.