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Netherlands Wants Smaller European Commission
THE HAGUE, 16/11/13 - Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans wants the European Commission to be smaller. The Netherlands is also starting an offensive for a charter on 'subsidiarity'. Read More
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Brussels: Netherlands Reforming Too Slowly
THE HAGUE, 15/11/13 - The Netherlands is doing too little to strengthen its economy structurally. The changes on the housing market do not go far enough and the reform of the labour market is proceeding too slowly, the staff of the European Commission write in a working document. Read More
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Senate Introduces Restrictions on Hiring Non-EU Employees
THE HAGUE, 14/11/13 - From 1 January 2014, it will be more difficult for employers in the Netherlands to hire employees from outside the EU. The Upper House has backed a proposed bill from Social Affairs Minister Lodewijk Asscher. Read More
Netherlands Orders Israeli Spy System ahead of Legal Change
THE HAGUE, 12/11/13 - The Dutch intelligence services have ordered systems to enable them to receive and process telephone and Internet traffic on a large scale, even though this is currently still illegal. Read More
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Companies Allowed to Change Pension Conditions Post-retirement
THE HAGUE, 13/11/13 - Pension conditions can still be changed if people are already drawing their pensions, it emerges from a ruling by the Supreme Court. Read More
Minister Working on Special Visa for Foreign Start-ups
THE HAGUE, 09/11/13 - Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp is to introduce a special visa for foreigners who want to start a business in the Netherlands. Read More
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Returning Jihadists not Arrested but Helped
THE HAGUE, 08/11/13 - The Dutch Jihadist fighters who have to date returned from Syria have not been arrested and prosecuted but have been given a job or course and accommodation, TV programme EenVandaag reports. Read More
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Limburg to Take Over Maastricht Airport
THE HAGUE, 07/11/13 - The province of Limburg wants to take over Maastricht Aachen Airport for a symbolic sum and arrange concessions for the operation of the airport. Read More
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Assets no Longer to be Divided after Divorce
THE HAGUE, 06/11/13 - In case of divorce, ex-spouses will in future no longer divide up savings, inheritance and debts. The conservatives (VVD), Labour (PvdA) and centre-left D66 want everything built up before the marriage to remain with the original owner. Read More
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Schiphol Fastest-growing Airport in Europe
THE HAGUE, 06/11/13 - Schiphol was the fastest-growing airport in Europe last year. With over 1 million extra passengers departing from Amsterdam, it overtook Madrid as the fourth largest airport within the EU. Read More
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Economists Give Cabinet a Thumping Failure Mark
THE HAGUE, 05/11/13 - Economists say virtually unanimously that the cabinet has fallen short of success in formulating sensible plans and also in carrying them out subsequently, according to a poll carried out by Het Financieele Dagblad newspaper among 13 leading Dutch economists. Read More
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Biggest Number of Asylum-seekers since 2002
THE HAGUE, 02/11/13 - The number of asylum-seekers entering the Netherlands this year has not been so high since 2002. Read More
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Rutte in Favour of 'EU Member State Contracts’
THE HAGUE, 02/11/13 - Premier Mark Rutte has told the Lower House that he is not opposed to ‘EU member state contracts’ giving the European Commission more influence on the policy of individual EU member states. Read More
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Rapid Growth Forecast for Chinese Tourist Numbers
THE HAGUE, 01/11/13 - By 2025, nearly 16 million foreign tourists are expected to visit the Netherlands, up 30 percent from last year’s 12.2 million foreign visitors, predicted the Netherlands Bureau for Tourism & Congresses (NBTC) Thursday in a report. Read More
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Whistle-blower on Illegal Mosque Schools Sacked
THE HAGUE, 31/10/13 - The Rotterdam public servant who told journalists hat Mosques run illegal boarding schools has been fired by the city council with immediate effect. Read More
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Cabinet Strengthens Coalition with D66, CU, SGP
THE HAGUE, 31/10/13 - The conservatives (VVD) and Labour (PvdA) want to continue to maintain close ties with the three opposition parties with which they concluded an accord on the budget for 2014. Read More
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Housing Shortage Set to Double to 290,000
THE HAGUE, 30/10/13 - The number of building permits issues has landed up at a new low. And because the number of households is simultaneously growing, a big housing shortage is threatened. Read More
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Top Judge: Unacceptable Waiting-lists for Criminal Cases
THE HAGUE, 29/10/13 - Thousands of criminal cases remain on the shelf due to lack of capacity. There is no time for cases such as rapes and assaults, says Leendert Verheij, president of the appeal court in The Hague, on RTL Nieuws. Read More
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Thousands of Companies Threatened by Strict Environmental Rules
THE HAGUE, 26/10/13 - Government authorities are setting absurd environmental requirements within the framework of the Natura 2000 programme. In the province of Gelderland alone, the continued existence of 3,450 companies is under threat, says employer organisation VNO-NCW. Read More
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Much Fewer Jobs to Disappear at Defence
THE HAGUE, 26/10/13 - Some 1,400 fewer jobs are to be axed at Defence than planned earlier. Instead of 2,400 jobs, just 1,000 are now to disappear, writes Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert in a letter to parliament Friday. Read More
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Netherlands Supports German NATO Plan
THE HAGUE, 25/10/13 - The Netherlands is supporting a German plan to give larger countries a leading role within NATO. Together with such a coordinator, other allies can for example develop a military project or buy tanker aircraft. Read More
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Court Rules Preparing for Jihad is a Crime
THE HAGUE, 25/10/13 - A Rotterdam district court has convicted two men of making preparations to participate in the armed conflict in Syria. Read More
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UN Criticism of Black Pete Unleashes Mass Protest among Dutch
THE HAGUE, 24/10/13 - The criticism of the Sinterklaas festival, with as its high point a UN plea for its abolition, has led to a mass people’s protest. Nobody can touch our Zwarte Piet (‘Black Pete’’), the message runs. Read More
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UN Researcher Urges Abolition of Sinterklaas Festival
THE HAGUE, 23/10/13 - The head of the United Nations working party investigating the question of whether Black Piet (Zwarte Piet) is a racist concept considers that the Netherlands should completely abolish the Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) festival. Read More
Minister Sets Limits on Cosmetic Surgery
THE HAGUE, 22/10/13 - Health Minister Edith Schippers wants cosmetic surgery with no medical necessity to be banned for those aged below 18. Additionally, only authorised doctors will still be allowed to carry out certain aesthetic procedures. Read More
Lower House Annuls “Illegals Quota”
THE HAGUE, 19/10/13 - A large majority in the Lower House has asked the cabinet to abolish the ‘illegals quota’. This means that no targets can be set for the number of illegal aliens to be arrested. Read More
Islamic University Dean Supports Stoning
THE HAGUE, 18/10/13 - The rector of the Islamic University of Rotterdam (IUR) values stoning as an appropriate punishment, NRC Handelsblad newspaper reported Thursday. The Lower House is demanding clarification from Integration Minister Lodewijk Asscher. Read More
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More Scope for Quiet Negotiations if Bankruptcy Threatens
THE HAGUE, 23/10/13 - The existing practice of appointing silent receivers in case of threatened bankruptcy is to be given a legal basis. Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten sent a proposed bill on approval for commentary Tuesday. Read More
Telecom Providers Required to Make Credits Transferrable
THE HAGUE, 18/10/13 - Telecom providers are required to offer subscriptions whereby clients can take phoning, sms and data credits with them to the following month, Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp said Thursday in a letter to parliament. Read More
Brussels Investigates Possible State Aid for NS
THE HAGUE, 17/10/13 - The European Commission is investigating whether the Netherlands provided state aid to Netherlands Rail (NS) in awarding it the contract for high-speed trains, a spokesman for the Commission has confirmed. Read More
Row with Russia Escalates
THE HAGUE, 17/10/13 - The Netherlands has termed it “very serious” that the deputy Dutch ambassador in Moscow has been assaulted. This occurred in his residency on Tuesday night. Read More
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'PvdA MPs Feel Ignored by Samsom on JSF Purchase'
THE HAGUE, 20/09/13 - A large number of Labour (PvdA) MPs feel they have been ignored by party leader Diederik Samsom with the cabinet decision to buy Joint Strike Fighters (JSF). The matter is being discussed internally on Friday, De Volkskrant newspaper reported. Read More
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'Gypsy Gangs Underestimated'
THE HAGUE, 19/09/13 - The Dutch underestimate the danger of roaming gypsy gangs from eastern Europe. They are very professional, well-organized and trained criminals who steal to order, Utrecht criminologists say in weekly magazine Vrij Nederland. Read More
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Government Continues to Grow despite Cuts
THE HAGUE, 19/09/13 - Despite record budget cuts, practically nothing of government expenditure has been reduced. Read More
Cabinet Opts for JSFTHE HAGUE, 18/09/13 - The Netherlands is to purchase a total of 37 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Read More
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Soft Drinks Dearer, Tobacco Prices Unchanged
THE HAGUE, 18/09/13 - The cabinet has partly reversed the planned excise duty increases on tobacco and alcohol. Soft drinks will however be more expensive. Read More
Employers Tax Increases Limited next Year
THE HAGUE, 17/09/13 - Due to the cabinet’s policy, taxes and premiums will rise by 8.5 billion euros next year. Of the total, companies will take 2.25 billion for their account. Consumers will have to swallow an increase in the burden of taxes and premiums of nearly 6 billion euros. Read More
PvdA Gunning for ‘no’ to Shale Gas
THE HAGUE, 17/09/13 - Everything is pointing towards Labour (PvdA) pronouncing a definitive ‘no’ to shale gas in the near future, according to a report in Monday’s Het Financieele Dagblad newspaper. Read More
Freezing Tax Brackets to Cost up to 112 Euros
AMSTERDAM, 14/09/13 - Employees will be 16 to 112 euros worse off next year on account of the cabinet freezing the tax brackets. Only the lowest incomes will remain unaffected, according to calculations based on the measure made by ING’s economic desk. Read More
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US Army to Test TenCate anti-Mines System
ALMELO, 13/09/13 - TenCate has signed a multi-year agreement with the research and development programme of the US army for the testing and further development of its so-called ABDS system, the Dutch technical textiles producer announced Thursday. Read More
Govt Supplies Cannabis for Utrecht Psychotics
THE HAGUE, 12/09/13 - The health ministry's Medicinal Cannabis Bureau is to supply cannabis for a Utrecht experiment on the supply of hashish to people with psychiatric problems. Read More
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'Re-Introduce Ethnicity as Education Subsidy Criteria’
THE HAGUE, 13/09/13 - The ethnic composition of the pupils should form the basis for the amount of subsidy that schools receive, advises the Education Council in recommendations presented to the Lower House on Thursday. Read More
Experts Warn of Paralysing AIVD
THE HAGUE, 12/09/13 - The cutbacks announced at the AIVD could result in the paralysis of the intelligence organisation, experts warned on Wednesday during hearings in the Lower House. Read More
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Netherlands Keeps Hammering on Labour Immigration Downsides
THE HAGUE, 11/09/13 - The Dutch government is determined to go on with efforts in Europe to take action against negative consequences of labour immigration from Romania and Bulgaria. Read More
Former PVV Member Starts Islamic Party
THE HAGUE, 10/09/13 - Former Party for Freedom (PVV) politician Arnoud van Doorn is starting a political party based on 'Islamic standards and values,' he announced on Twitter. Read More
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Dutch Drones Fall out of the Sky
THE HAGUE, 11/09/13 - Nine of the 75 Raven drones that the Netherlands possesses have crashed since January, TV programme Pownews has discovered. Read More
Dutch Consumer Spending Lags Way behind Neighbouring Countries
THE HAGUE, 10/09/13 - Consumer spending in the Netherlands has dropped way behind that in neighbouring countries since the outbreak of the economic crisis. Read More
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Party Chairman: PvdA MPs Lack Ideological Knowledge
THE HAGUE, 07/09/13 - Labour (PvdA) representatives in the Lower House and on municipal councils should be better educated in social democratic ideology, suggests party chairman Hans Spekman in the regional newspapers of publisher Wegener. Read More
Netherlands Allowed to Levy Tax on Belgian Cars
THE HAGUE, 06/09/13 - The Netherlands is allowed to levy registration tax (BPM levy) on a car registered in Belgium if the vehicle is used regularly in the Netherlands, the Solicitor-General advised the European Court of Justice Thursday. Read More
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No Change in Own Risk for Health Costs after All
THE HAGUE, 06/09/13 - The own risk (eigen risico) for healthcare costs is not to become income-dependent after all. At the same time, the conservatives (VVD) and Labour (PvdA) have decided to scrap the so-called levy discount (hefingskorting) for people who earn more than 55,991 euros per year. Read More
Defence to Sell off Biggest Navy Ship before It is Finished
THE HAGUE, 05/09/13 - The defence ministry has to find over 300 million euros of extra savings. The Dutch navy's biggest vessel, currently being built n Vlissingen will be sold before it is commissioned, Trouw newspaper reported Wednesday. Read More
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Netherlands and India Plan Closer Cooperation
NEW DELHI, 05/09/13 - The Netherlands and India are to set up a joint commission to look at how the existing trade barriers can be removed, Foreign Trade Minister Lilianne Ploumen announced following a meeting with Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma. Read More
Number of Children’s Schemes to be Cut to Four from 11
THE HAGUE, 04/09/13 - The cabinet wants to cut the number of schemes for parents with children sharply. Of the 11, just four will remain. On balance, this will save 800 million euros. Read More
Dutch Auto Sales Drop to New Low
THE HAGUE, 04/09/13 - Sales of new cars in the Netherlands plunged by 13.3 percent in August to 28,623 units, a new low for this year, according to figures published Tuesday by RDC, processed by Aumacon, an expertise centre for the auto sector. Read More
Fiscal Break for Electric Cars May be Maintained
THE HAGUE, 03/09/13 - Finance State Secretary Frans Weekers is prepared to allow the existing fiscal stimulus for electric cars to continue. Read More
Poll: PvdA at Lowest Level Ever
THE HAGUE, 03/09/13 - If elections were held now, Labour (PvdA) would only win 12 of the 150 seats in the Lower House, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. Read More
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Richer Pensioners to have State Pensions Cut
THE HAGUE, 31/08/13 - In 2015, richer pensioners in the Netherlands will be docked 25 euros per month on their state pension (AOW) payouts, sources close to the cabinet said in response to reporting by RTL Nieuws. Read More
Netherlands to Update Tax Treaties with 23 Countries
THE HAGUE, 31/08/13 - The Netherlands will improve tax transparency and update tax treaties with low-income countries and low middle-income countries, Frans Weekers, State Secretary for Finance, announced on Friday. Read More
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Terrorist Samir Azzouz to be Released next Week
ROTTERDAM, 30/08/13 - Samir Azzouz, sentenced to nine years in jail for terrorism, will be released on 6 September. The district court in Rotterdam sees no reason to postpone the provisional release by one year, as the Public Prosecutor (OM) has requested. Read More
Samir Azzouz
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Lower House Supports Cabinet on Syria
THE HAGUE, 30/08/13 - The Lower House supports the main lines of the cabinet on the Syria question. The government considers that international intervention should not take place before the UN inspectors present there have issued their official report. Read More
Accord with Pension Funds on Mortgage Investments
THE HAGUE, 29/08/13 - Pension funds and insurers are to invest in mortgages. A National Mortgage Institute (NHI) and a National Investment Institute (NHI) are to be set up. Read More
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Definitive Accord on Green Energy
THE HAGUE, 29/08/13 - After months of intensive negotiations, a definitive accord has been reached for more renewable energy. The core of the accord is that the Netherlands will make a big effort on energy savings, and coal-fired power plants will be exchanged for wind turbines. Read More
Tax-Free 100,000 Euro Gift for Mortgage Reduction
THE HAGUE, 28/08/13 - Dutch taxpayers will be able to gift 100,000 euros tax-free next year. The money must be used on the home of the recipient. Read More
Pension Funds have Only
14 Percent Invested in the Netherlands
THE HAGUE, 28/08/13 - Dutch pension funds invest only 14 percent of their capital in the Netherlands, according to research by the Dutch central bank DNB.
At the end of March, of the total capital of nearly 960 billion euros, 134.9 billion euros was invested in the Netherlands. Of this, 12.7 billion euros was invested in Dutch mortgages and 1 billion euros in the small business sector. Read More
At the end of March, of the total capital of nearly 960 billion euros, 134.9 billion euros was invested in the Netherlands. Of this, 12.7 billion euros was invested in Dutch mortgages and 1 billion euros in the small business sector. Read More
No Dutch Protection for Egyptian Christians
THE HAGUE, 23/08/13 - The cabinet sees no reason in the present situation for a special asylum scheme for Coptic Christians from Egypt. “There is no question of an organised religious cleansing.” Read More
Cabinet Wants Stricter Requirements for System Banks
THE HAGUE, 27/08/13 - The government wants the major Dutch banks to hold bigger buffers than specified internationally, under the scenario for the banking sector laid out by the cabinet Friday. Read More
'Netherlands Hardest Hit by Ageing Population’
THE HAGUE, 24/08/13 - In Europe, the Netherlands, along with Luxembourg and Slovenia, will be hardest hit by the ageing of the population, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies concludes. Read More
University of Delft Makes Smallest Drones
DELFT, 27/08/13 - Researchers at the University of Delft have made the smallest auto-pilot to date. Drones can as a result be smaller, carry more cameras and fly for longer. Read More
VVD, PvdA Want to Axe
1 May Public Holiday
AMSTERDAM, 26/07/13 - Labour (PvdA) and centre-left D66 on Amsterdam city council are supporting a call by the conservatives (VVD) in the capital to scrap 1 May as a free day for public servants. Read More
Development Aid Body to Fight ‘Poverty’ in the Netherlands
THE HAGUE, 25/07/13 - Development aid organisation Cordaid is to focus on ‘poverty’ in the Netherlands. On the basis of experience in in Afghanistan and Congo, it wants to bring the unemployed out of their social isolation, De Volkskrant newspaper reported Wednesday. Read More
Dynamic on Dutch Housing Market Definitively Vanished
THE HAGUE, 11/07/13 - The market for housing sales in the Netherlands will not be as dynamic as it was for years in the longer term either. Much more movement could however arise on the rental market, estate agents and Rabobank believe.
A return to the transaction levels of before 2008 is no longer to be expected, said Netherlands Association of Estate Agents (NVM) chairman Ger Hukker on Wednesday. “We will no longer achieve the level of 215,000 housing sales per year in the coming 10 to 15 years. Count on 125,000 to 150,000 transactions per year.” Read More
A return to the transaction levels of before 2008 is no longer to be expected, said Netherlands Association of Estate Agents (NVM) chairman Ger Hukker on Wednesday. “We will no longer achieve the level of 215,000 housing sales per year in the coming 10 to 15 years. Count on 125,000 to 150,000 transactions per year.” Read More
Municipalities Target of Russian Espionage
THE HAGUE, 06/07/13 - Dutch municipalities are the target of espionage activities by foreign intelligence services. The Russians in particular try to extract confidential information from both large and small municipalities, says the deputy head of the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) Marc Kuipers in public administration magazine Binnenlands Bestuur. Read More
Higher Penalties for Corruption, Fraud
THE HAGUE, 06/07/13 - Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten on Friday sent a proposal to the Lower House for higher penalties for corruption. Read More
Terrorist Threat Level in Netherlands Remains "Substantial"
THE HAGUE, 02/07/13 - The level of threat in the Netherlands continues to be "substantial". This means that there is a real chance of an attack against the Netherlands, the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTB) announced on Monday. Read More
'Dutch Cannabis No Longer so Strong’
AMSTERDAM, 27/06/13 - The THC content in cannabis sold in the Netherlands declined last year to 13.5 percent. In the previous year, the content of the active ingredient was still 15.5 percent, Trimbos Institute’s annual THC monitor shows. Read More
Large-Scale Final Exams Fraud Suspected
THE HAGUE, 22/06/13 - Teachers have plenty of opportunities to give their pupils overly high exam marks. The statutorily required check on exams by neutral assessors is generally not carried out, De Volkskrant reported Friday.
"It is downright fraud,” says philosophy lecturer Paul Hirsch. "Every teacher has known this for years, but nobody speaks out about it to the outside world. It is a taboo.” Read More
"It is downright fraud,” says philosophy lecturer Paul Hirsch. "Every teacher has known this for years, but nobody speaks out about it to the outside world. It is a taboo.” Read More
Court Rules Benefit Payments to Turkey Cannot be Cut
THE HAGUE, 24/08/13 - A district court in Amsterdam has ruled that the cut in benefit payments transferred by the Netherlands to persons in Morocco and Turkey infringes international treaties. Read More
First Woman Put Forward as SGP Candidate
THE HAGUE, 22/08/13 - For the first time, a woman candidate has made herself available as a candidate in elections for the smallest Christian party SGP. The 40 year old Lilian Janse wants to be frontrunner for the party in the local elections in Vlissingen. Read More
Government Maintains Private Financing despite Low Interest Rates
THE HAGUE, 21/08/13 - Private financing of public projects has become unattractive due to the extremely low interest rates that the government currently pays. But the cabinet is still pursuing the approach, mainly to polish up the budget. Read More
New Low for Coalition in Poll
THE HAGUE, 20/08/13 - The conservative (VVD) and Labour (PvdA) coalition partners would only have a combined 34 seats in the 150-seat Lower House if elections were held now. Geert Wilders is in the lead, according to a poll by Maurice de Hond. Read More
Saudi Arabia Finances New Islamic Centre in Rotterdam
THE HAGUE, 17/08/13 - The Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has gifted 650,000 euros for the building of a new Islamic centre in Rotterdam, Kamis Gacha, director of the Netherlands Socio-cultural Centre Foundation (SSCCN) says in an interview on de website of the Kuwaiti ministry of charitable and Islamic affairs (AWQAF). Read More
Green Light for Military Equipment Supply to Algeria
THE HAGUE, 15/08/13 - A Dutch company is allowed to sell some 21 million euros of military equipment to Algeria. Thales Nederland has received an export licence, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans says in a letter to parliament. Read More
Cabinet Wants to save 8 Billion Euros, Invest 2 Billion
THE HAGUE, 14/08/13 - The cabinet will likely target some 8 billion euros of extra savings next year, 2 billion more than European Commissioner Olli Rehn demanded of the Netherlands in June in order to comply with Brussels budget norms. By cutting by more than necessary, the cabinet hopes to free up funds to invest in the troubled economy, according to sources in The Hague. Read More
Biggest Dutch Wind Park in Canadian Hands
AMSTERDAM, 03/08/13 - Canadian green energy producer Northland Power is taking a majority stake in Gemini, the biggest Dutch wind park that is to be built offshore, on the North Sea. Read More
PVV Voters Most Loyal to their Party
THE HAGUE, 03/08/13 - Nearly a year after the general elections, about 25 percent of those who voted in the elections regret their choice, the Political Barometer of Ipsos concludes.
The most loyal are those who voted for Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV). Centre-left D66 also gets a high score here. Read More University Medical Centres to Offer Proton Cancer Therapy
THE HAGUE, 02/08/13 - Four university teaching hospitals in the Netherlands will be allowed to offer proton therapy, a new form of radiotherapy which can be used in the treatment of certain forms of cancer. Read More
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Amsterdam Fails to Check Registration of Prostitutes
AMSTERDAM, 23/08/13 - Although Amsterdam sex workers have to register at the Chamber of Commerce as prostitutes by 1 September, the city council has not yet checked up on this. Read More
Cutbacks Cause Unrest at AIVD
THE HAGUE, 22/08/13 - Eighty intelligence officers are to lose their jobs at the AIVD secret service, public broadcaster NOS reported Wednesday.
Due to a 23 million euro cut on the secret service’s budget, 200 of the 1,500 jobs are to be axed. Among these are the 80 officers who collect and analyse information. The disappearance of this latter group of jobs has come as a surprise to a large portion of the AIVD staff. Read More Escaped Prisoner Demands to See Daughter in Court Case
ROERMOND, 21/08/13 - An escaped prisoner has demanded to see his daughter in a court case. His request was turned down Tuesday by a judge in Roermond. Read More
Telegraaf: Only Two Newspaper Companies to Survive
AMSTERDAM, 17/08/13 - The number of newspaper companies in the Netherlands is expected to shrink sharply in the coming year. Telegraaf Media Groep (TMG) interim CEO Cees van Steijn expects only two to survive, he said Friday in Het Financieele Dagblad newspaper. Read More
All Bank Staff to Take Oath
THE HAGUE, 16/08/13 - The bankers’ oath is to be applicable to all staff at banks, under a draft bill from Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem. He is thereby adopting an important recommendation by the De Wit parliamentary inquiry committee. Read More
'Right to Flexible Working Hours in 2014'
THE HAGUE, 16/08/13 - The Christian democrats (CDA) and leftwing Greens (GroenLinks) have put forward a proposed bill to give employees the right to more flexible working hours from 2014. Read More
Dutch Economic Outlook Worsens
AMSTERDAM, 15/08/13 - The outlook for the Dutch economy has worsened since June. GDP will contract faster than expected this year and the recovery in 2014 will lag behind earlier expectations, according to the latest forecasts from the Central Planning Bureau (CPB) published Wednesday. Read More
Dutch Embassy in Yemen Still Closed
THE HAGUE, 14/08/13 - The Dutch embassy in Yemen will remain closed until further notice, a foreign affairs ministry spokesman in The Hague has announced. Read More
Netherlands Will Not Boycott Olympic Games
THE HAGUE, 13/08/13 - The Netherlands is no supporter of a boycott of the Olympic Winter Games in Russia next year.
It is better for homosexuals and lesbians in Russia for the Netherlands and other countries to participate in the Winter Games in Sochi and speak out there for the rights of homosexuals. “With this approach, we will on balance achieve more” than with a boycott, said a spokesman for Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans. Read More Capital Markets Punish Netherlands for Slow Economic Recovery
AMSTERDAM, 13/08/13 - International investors are divesting Dutch state bonds because The Hague is braking growth with a one-sided focus on cutbacks. Additionally, the Netherlands is struggling with fundamental weaknesses, Het Financieele Dagblad newspaper concludes. Read More
Criminals’ Union Angry about Photos of Thieves
THE HAGUE, 31/07/13 - Criminals have warned the government that it must not allow photos of suspected shop thieves to be put on the Internet.
The Union of Lawbreakers (BWO) said Tuesday that Justice State Secretary Fred Teeven must guard against the dangers and consequences. Read More 
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Former Top Civil Servants Incriminate Demmink
THE HAGUE, 21/06/13 - Two former top civil servants at the justice ministry have made incriminating depositions on child abuse against Joris Demmink, De Volkskrant newspaper reported on Thursday. Demmink was until recently the Secretary-General at the ministry.
This is the first time that staff members of Justice have spoken out on the Demmink question without anonymity. The witness statements were drawn up by a Haarlem notary on 17 May. Read More Netherlands Introduces Trilateral Approach to Human Rights
THE HAGUE, 18/06/13 - The protection of human rights activities and defence of gay and women’s rights have been designated as the three spearheads of Dutch human rights policy. The Netherlands is also introducing a trilateral approach.
The cabinet has backed the Human Rights Memorandum of Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans. The memorandum had already come up two weeks ago, but postponement followed then because the conservatives (VVD) were concerned about the possible consequences of the memorandum for companies. Read More Housing Bubble Deflated
THE HAGUE, 18/06/13 - House prices in the Netherlands have fallen to the level of its immediately neighbouring countries due to the crisis. Only in the UK are prices still higher, according to a survey by Het Financieele Dagblad. Read More
Tougher Tackling of Forced Marriages
THE HAGUE, 08/06/13 - Women and girls that want to go and live in a different country will in future have to de-register themselves at the municipality in person. As a result of this measure, Social Affairs Minister Lodewijk Asscher hopes to be able to reduce the number of forced marriages. Read More
Dutch Start-Ups Pioneer in 3D Printing
AMSTERDAM, 08/06/13 - Dutch companies are in the vanguard on 3D-printing. In a short period, three companies have been started in this new market.
The newest shoot in the Dutch 3D print sector is 3D Hubs. Read More PvdA Urges Norwegian Model for Medicine Prices
THE HAGUE, 06/06/13 - Labour (PvdA) MP Tunahan Kuzu is to put forward a private member’s bill in the Lower House to tighten up the Medicines Prices Act (WGP) in line with the Norwegian model. As a result, he says medicine prices would decline.
In his private member’s bill, Kuzu proposes introducing a different calculation than that used now for fixing the maximum price of medicine. This price, for which pharmacies can buy a medicine, is currently based on the average prices of comparable medicines in Belgium, Germany, France and the UK. Read More 'Tripling Wind Energy Capacity a Big Mistake’
THE HAGUE, 04/06/13 - The Netherlands is making a big mistake by putting a big emphasis on wind energy, warn Labour (PvdA) economists Willem Vermeend and Rick van der Ploeg.
The Netherlands is targeting an enormous expansion in the number of wind turbines. This is an important part of the national energy accord on which the Socio-Economic Council (SER) is currently negotiating, it emerges from a draft accord obtained by various media. Read More Internet Swindling Not a Crime: Court
AMSTERDAM, 01/06/13 - Internet swindling is in many cases not a punishable offence. As a result, swindlers that offer goods via the Internet and fail to deliver them after payment has been made, often remain unpunished, it appears from a ruling by a district court in Haarlem. Read More
Number of Euthanasia Clinic Teams to be Doubled
THE HAGUE, 25/05/13 - From 1 June, 30 mobile teams of doctors and nurses will handle euthanasia requests from throughout the Netherlands. Currently, there are 17 teams. Read More
Netherlands Pulls out
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