Netherlands News in English
Latest netherlands headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Live blog: City council debates coalition agreement
The Amsterdam city council is debating a new coalition agreement that includes cutting 2,500 civil servant positions and significantly increasing tourist taxes. Other key measures involve canceling th...
Rijkswaterstaat: road maintenance postponed due to funding shortage
Rijkswaterstaat has postponed maintenance on several roads in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, and Utrecht due to a lack of funding from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Managem...
Lions Club Haarlem volunteers organize health checks for Special Olympics participants: 'They might be in pain, but they don't say it'
Lions Club Haarlem volunteers and national contributors are organizing health checks for athletes participating in the 2026 Special Olympics National Games in Haarlem. The initiative, part of the Heal...
CCTV monitoring at De Blauwe Kikker and Sporthal Beverwijk extended until January 2027
The municipality of Beverwijk has extended camera surveillance at skatepark De Blauwe Kikker and the local sports park until January 2027 to address ongoing safety concerns. Although nuisance levels h...
Court rules Mauritshuis artworks do not need to be returned to heirs
A court in The Hague ruled on Wednesday that the Mauritshuis museum is not required to return 25 artworks to the heirs of former director Abraham Bredius. The judgment confirms that the museum may ret...
Manal Bourahma of D66 Heemstede: 'Want to state my positions clearly'
Manal Bourahma of the D66 party has joined the Heemstede city council as one of six new members. She is among five women starting a four-year term and aims to clearly represent her political positions...
Netherlands will be unable to meet electricity demand by 2030, grid operator TenneT warns
Grid operator TenneT warns that the Netherlands will be unable to fully meet its electricity demand by 2030. This situation increases the risk of energy shortages as the demand continues to outpace th...
TenneT sees risk of power shortages increasing faster: 'Must be prepared'
TenneT, the operator of the Dutch high-voltage grid, warns that the risk of power shortages is increasing more rapidly than expected due to growing demand. Potential shortages could occur on winter ev...
Menstrual and menopause symptoms in cleaning labor agreement: 'Endure the discomfort'
The Dutch cleaning sector has officially included provisions for menstrual and menopause symptoms in its new collective labor agreement. This update recognizes the impact of these health issues on wor...
Heemskerk coalition formed: HL, HvH and CDA reach agreement
A new governing coalition has been formed in Heemskerk after political parties Heemskerk Lokaal, Hart van Heemskerk, and CDA reached a final agreement. The announcement follows weeks of negotiations a...
Van Ark advocated for stricter COVID lockdown in autumn 2020
Former Health Minister Tamara van Ark testified to the parliamentary inquiry commission that she pushed for a strict lockdown in the autumn of 2020 to combat rising COVID-19 cases. Despite her recomme...
SP and D66 question province over three villas next to the Ruin of Brederode: Has the province investigated the impact of the construction?
The SP and D66 political parties have questioned the provincial government of North Holland regarding the potential construction of three villas near the Ruïne van Brederode. The parties are seeking ...
Healthcare came close to code black several times during the pandemic
Former Medical Care Minister Tamara van Ark testified to a parliamentary inquiry commission that the Dutch healthcare system nearly reached "code black" several times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alt...
Community service for Geert Dales for insult, slander and doxing
Former politician Geert Dales was sentenced by an Amsterdam court to 80 hours of community service, with 40 hours suspended, for insulting a taxi driver, defamation, and doxing. The ruling follows an ...
Bust of drug gang with Amsterdam connection leads to discovery of raped woman in Austria
Austrian police dismantled a Hungarian drug gang that was importing large quantities of ecstasy and speed from Amsterdam. During the investigation, authorities discovered that the gang was also involv...
No trains between Central Station and Utrecht due to lightning strike
Train services between Amsterdam Central and Utrecht have been suspended following a lightning strike between Breukelen and Utrecht. Dutch railway operator NS expects the disruption to last until appr...
Van Ark: COVID crisis urgency took precedence over the long term
Former Health Minister Tamara van Ark testified before a parliamentary inquiry committee that the Dutch cabinet rarely had the opportunity to weigh long-term consequences of COVID-19 measures against ...
57 municipal notices on demolition, tree removal and hospitality in Haarlem last week
The municipality of Haarlem processed 57 permit applications last week concerning demolition, tree felling, and hospitality activities. These reports aim to inform residents about various developments...
City council pushes for supermarket beer ban during Heemskerk festivals: 'Things happen there that you don't want to see'
The Heemskerk local government is proposing a ban on supermarket alcohol sales during the annual Volksfeesten to combat public nuisance and underage drinking. Despite previous measures like increased ...
'Make Breesaperhof a public sports park.' Proposal from Velsen-Noord resident to Velsen city council
A local resident has proposed transforming Breesaperhof in Velsen-Noord into a public sports park to revitalize the area. The site is currently described as being in urgent need of redevelopment due t...
Brakes on extra floors for Haarlem buildings: Too expensive, legally complex and parking issues
The Haarlem city government has decided against a city-wide initiative to add extra floors to existing buildings following a two-year feasibility study. While the project aimed to address housing shor...
FC Twente and Ajax matches rescheduled due to European commitments
The KNVB has rescheduled third-round Eredivisie matches for Ajax and FC Twente to September to allow the clubs to better prepare for their European obligations. This change was announced as part of th...
Heemstede has its new executive board: What will come of the coalition agreement plans?
On Monday evening, Heemstede's new college of mayor and aldermen was officially inaugurated with the installation of Dimitry van den Berg, Eveline Stam, and Sam Meerhoff. The three aldermen took their...
Fake Europol emails about child pornography accusations
The Fraudehelpdesk is warning against fake emails appearing to be from Europol that accuse recipients of possessing child pornography. These fraudulent messages are being used by criminals to steal pe...
Georgina Verbaan and Soundos El Ahmadi to star in film adaptation of Paul van Loon book
Dutch actresses Georgina Verbaan and Soundos El Ahmadi have been cast in the upcoming film adaptation of Paul van Loon's book, Vampier in de School. They join a production that features a cast of seve...
Dutch Tax Authority to stop including BSN in payments this year
The Dutch Tax Administration will stop including citizen service numbers (BSN) in payment descriptions by the end of this year to improve privacy. This change, reported by the Dutch Data Protection Au...
Judy and Daniel turn red van into first home together in the Netherlands: ‘Campsites can easily cost sixty euros a night’
Judy and Daniel have moved into a red camper van as their first shared home in the Netherlands to avoid high campsite costs. They are currently in the Spaarnwoude area setting up a tent to serve as an...
Watch COVID inquiry: Former minister Van Ark oversaw face mask procurement
Former Dutch ministers Tamara van Ark and Wouter Koolmees are testifying on the sixth day of the parliamentary inquiry into the government's COVID-19 response. Van Ark is being questioned about the pr...
Former Minister Koolmees felt ‘sick’ about curfew: A devil’s dilemma
Former Dutch ministers Tamara van Ark and Wouter Koolmees testified on the sixth day of the COVID-19 parliamentary inquiry. They explained the difficult trade-offs between medical and economic interes...
Watching late-night World Cup matches without getting exhausted? Scientist: ‘Avoid heavy snacking’
Chronobiologist Roelof Hut, an advisor to the Dutch national team, provides tips for fans to stay healthy and awake during late-night World Cup matches. He advises against heavy snacking and notes tha...