Netherlands News in English
Latest netherlands headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Cornald Maas is new jury chair of Annie M.G. Schmidt Prize
Cornald Maas has been named the new jury chairman for the Annie M.G. Schmidtprijs, an annual award honoring the best Dutch theater song. The announcement comes as the organization prepares for its upc...
Buffet van Odette on the Prinsengracht celebrates 25th anniversary: People often ask why we only have one restaurant
Buffet van Odette, a popular family-run restaurant located on the Prinsengracht, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Founder Odette Rigterink credits the establishment's enduring success to its signa...
Austria makes cheap parcels more expensive again
Austria is introducing an additional 2 euro processing fee on small, non-EU packages starting November 1, following a broader EU customs charge implemented earlier this year. These stricter import rul...
Paulien Cornelisse's husband writes about her columns: 'A great gift'
The husband of the late writer Paulien Cornelisse has shared personal tributes to her work and revealed that she left behind a letter with instructions for him before her death at age fifty. Corneliss...
Unions threaten regional transport strikes over lack of collective labor agreement
Regional public transport unions have threatened to strike starting October 12 if a new collective labor agreement is not reached. The FNV union demands a 6 percent pay raise and better working condit...
Cabinet wants to spare small savers and investors after all, plans adjusted again
Finance Minister Eelco Heinen is adjusting tax plans for savings and investments following backlash over the potential impact on 850,000 small-scale savers. The government aims to revise the proposal ...
Musical Christmas program Scrooge Live to be filmed in Drenthe this year
The musical television special Scrooge Live, which highlights the issue of child poverty in the Netherlands, will be filmed in Drenthe this year. The event is scheduled to air on NPO 1 on December 20 ...
No explosives, just clothing found in abandoned suitcases at Haarlem station
Haarlem station was evacuated Tuesday morning after two abandoned suitcases raised suspicions of explosives, leading to a temporary halt in train traffic. Authorities later discovered only clothing in...
Anonymous fireworks drop-off at Haarlem ice rink
Residents in Haarlem-Noord can anonymously hand in illegal or surplus fireworks at a local collection point today. This initiative supports the national fireworks ban that has been in effect since Aug...
Fuel leaked into water possibly by navy vessel at NDSM wharf
Fuel has leaked into the water at the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam, prompting an investigation by local police and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. The spill is suspected to originate from the docked na...
More new passenger cars sold, electric vehicle sales reach record high
New car registrations in the Netherlands have seen a narrowing decline, with signs of market recovery toward the end of the year. Fully electric vehicles have reached a record 52.8 percent market shar...
Amsterdam scraps neighborhood budgets: residents can no longer vote on local funding
The City of Amsterdam is ending its neighborhood budget program, which allowed residents to vote on local improvement projects, due to limited resources and difficulties in reaching a broader demograp...
Spectacular transport across the IJ: VOC reconstruction Batavia leaves Amsterdam in steel support structure
The VOC ship reconstruction Batavia was transported to Amsterdam in September to undergo critical repairs for rot at a shipyard. It has been fitted with a steel support structure to ensure it can be s...
Dutch newspapers put photo of deceased Paulien Cornelisse on front page
Dutch newspapers are mourning the death of writer and columnist Paulien Cornelisse, dedicating front-page coverage to her memory and unique contributions to language. The beloved humorist, who had bee...
Batavia returns to Lelystad after two weeks
The historic VOC ship Batavia has left Amsterdam following a two-week restoration project to address severe wood rot on its hull. The vessel is now being towed back to Lelystad, where it will be perma...
Retail sales rise in August, largest growth in a year
Dutch retailers reported their highest revenue growth in a year during August 2026, with overall sales volume rising by 2.7 percent. The growth was led by the non-food sector and strong online sales, ...
Paulien Cornelisse shows that the sick don't have to end up as discarded ballast
The Dutch writer and comedian Paulien Cornelisse has passed away at the age of 50, leading to nationwide tributes and changes to television programming. Despite battling cancer, she continued her work...
ABN AMRO also expects the housing market to cool down next year
ABN AMRO expects the Dutch housing market to cool next year as mortgage interest rates remain high, leading to a downward revision in price and transaction growth forecasts. While rural provinces are ...
New self-employment law aims to provide clarity and prevent false self-employment
The Dutch government has introduced a new bill to provide legal clarity for the country's 1.2 million self-employed workers and their clients. The proposal establishes two specific tests regarding ent...
Municipality critical of provincial plan putting 10,000 homes at risk
The Amsterdam city council is in conflict with the province of North Holland over new spatial plans that protect industrial land at the expense of potential housing. This policy threatens the realizat...
Employees see slight gain as wages rise faster than prices
Dutch employees are experiencing a modest increase in purchasing power as wages continue to rise faster than inflation for the twelfth consecutive quarter. While growth has stabilized at approximately...
Fewer students are borrowing money, but loan amounts continue to rise
The number of students taking out loans in the Netherlands has decreased, but the average borrowed amount has risen significantly. Although most students report managing their finances well, out-of-ho...
Surgery possible on clitoris after 40 years of being available for penis: ‘We don’t understand why it took so long’
A new surgical procedure now allows for the reconstruction of the clitoris in women who have undergone surgery for vulvar cancer, enabling them to retain sexual function. Medical experts have criticiz...
Minister wants mandatory register for real estate agents to prevent misconduct
The Dutch government is proposing a mandatory professional register for real estate agents to improve transparency and address widespread misconduct in the housing market. The new regulations will enf...
Opinion: E-scooters in Amsterdam? These unstable boards are just asking for trouble here
The introduction of e-scooters in Amsterdam is facing criticism due to the city's uneven pavement and safety concerns regarding their use on busy cycle paths. Critics suggest that the devices are inhe...
Australian Koko (31) bought an Amsterdam apartment on her own after about 40 viewings: ‘I was looking for a special home’
After eight years of renting and attending roughly 40 property viewings, 31-year-old Australian expatriate Koko van de Laak has purchased her own apartment in Amsterdam. She eventually found a unique ...
Amsterdam housing market continues to cool down
The housing market in Amsterdam is cooling faster than the rest of the Netherlands, with price growth significantly lower than the national average. Experts attribute this trend to high interest rates...
Amsterdam museums attract fewer visitors: Tourists stay for shorter periods and spend less money
Museums in Amsterdam saw a 5.2 percent decline in visitors during the first half of this year. Industry experts suggest this trend is driven by tourists staying for shorter periods and spending less m...
Joint frigate contract with Belgium at risk due to delays and high costs of controversial shipbuilder
The joint Dutch-Belgian project to build six frigates is at risk due to significant construction delays and rising costs from the shipbuilder Damen. Belgium is now considering alternative internationa...
Anouk would understand a potential Borsato comeback: 'He was simply acquitted'
Anouk recently expressed that she would support a career comeback for Marco Borsato following his acquittal, though she remains critical of his past behavior toward a teenager. She also commented on t...