Amsterdam Times

American Express Opens First Continental European Centurion Lounge at Schiphol

American Express has opened its first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, expanding its premium passenger facilities at the Dutch international hub.

ECB Seeks Dutch Online Retailers for Digital Euro Pilot Programs

The European Central Bank is encouraging Dutch e-commerce companies to participate in early digital euro trials as it develops a European digital-payment system for consumers and merchants.

ING to End Physical Scanner Use for iDEAL Payments in October

ING will disable its physical scanner devices for online iDEAL transactions from October, requiring remaining private customers to use smartphone-based authentication for digital payments.

United Airlines and Neste Extend Sustainable Aviation Fuel Partnership at Schiphol

Neste and United Airlines have extended their agreement to supply sustainable aviation fuel for flights departing Amsterdam Schiphol as the aviation industry works to reduce emissions.

Amsterdam Court Upholds Relocation of Pro-Palestinian Counter-Protest From Dam Square

An Amsterdam court upheld the mayor’s decision to move a planned pro-Palestinian counter-demonstration away from Dam Square after authorities cited concrete concerns over potential disorder and public safety.

Dutch Senate Advances Updated Human Trafficking Legislation

The Dutch Senate has debated legislation designed to modernise and broaden criminal provisions against human trafficking as authorities seek stronger tools against international trafficking and smuggling networks.

Dutch Prosecutors Reach €5 Million Settlement With UBS Over Historical Tax Evasion Case

The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service has reached a €5 million settlement with UBS over allegations that the Swiss bank historically facilitated offshore tax evasion by Dutch clients.

Eindhoven’s Morphotonics Raises More Than €40 Million for AR Manufacturing

Dutch deep-tech company Morphotonics has secured more than €40 million from investors including Innovation Industries, 3M Ventures and Invest-NL to expand automated production of optical components for augmented-reality displays.

Netherlands Begins Major A27 and A59 Highway Closures for Upgrade Works

Rijkswaterstaat has started a series of weekend closures on the A27 and A59 motorways for widening and safety improvements, requiring significant detours along important passenger and freight routes.

Amsterdam Centraal Faces Near-Total Shutdown During Major October Rail Works

ProRail says Amsterdam Centraal will be almost entirely closed during the first weekend of October for major track and infrastructure upgrades, disrupting domestic and international rail services serving the Dutch capital.

Schiphol Reaches Union Agreement to Avert Security Staff Strikes

Schiphol Airport has reached an agreement on pay and working conditions with unions representing security personnel, avoiding strike action that had threatened disruption at the Amsterdam aviation hub.

Netherlands and EU Step Up Action Against Low-Cost Asian Steel Imports

Dutch industry groups and the European Commission are intensifying efforts against allegedly dumped Asian steel imports, arguing that subsidised competition threatens European producers needed for major electricity-grid expansion.

Dutch Government Debates Housing Reforms and Higher-Income Social Tenants

The Dutch government is confronting disagreements over housing reform and the issue of higher-income households remaining in social housing as severe shortages and construction constraints continue to pressure the market.

Dutch Labour Shortages Persist in Technology, Construction and Healthcare

Critical Dutch sectors including technology, construction and healthcare continue to face significant worker shortages even as overall unemployment begins to edge higher, highlighting persistent mismatches in the labour market.

Shell Agrees to Sell Dutch Renewable Assets to TotalEnergies

Shell has agreed to sell a European onshore renewable-energy portfolio to TotalEnergies that includes five solar parks and a hybrid facility in the Netherlands as the energy company reshapes its clean-power holdings.

Port of Rotterdam Upgrades Harbour Coordination Centre

The Port of Rotterdam has opened an upgraded Harbour Coordination Centre designed to improve real-time vessel traffic and maritime logistics management at one of Europe’s most important shipping hubs.

ASML Deepens Partnership With Tata Electronics on India Semiconductor Expansion

ASML has reached early agreements with Tata Electronics to supply advanced chipmaking equipment and support the development of India’s emerging domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry.

WSP Global Abandons Takeover Pursuit of Dutch Engineering Group Arcadis

Canadian engineering company WSP Global has ended its attempt to acquire Arcadis after the Dutch group rejected two unsolicited multibillion-euro approaches that its board said undervalued the company.

Diesel Inventories at ARA Hub Fall to Lowest Seasonal Level in Years

Diesel stocks across the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp storage and refining hub have dropped sharply as Middle East supply disruptions and attacks on Russian energy infrastructure tighten European fuel markets.

Prosus Acquires Amsterdam-Born File-Sharing Platform WeTransfer

Technology investor Prosus has completed its acquisition of WeTransfer, bringing the globally recognised file-sharing company founded in Amsterdam into its international technology portfolio.

KLM Faces Potential Job Cuts and Restructuring as Costs Rise

Air France-KLM management has warned of possible job reductions and significant restructuring at KLM as higher operating costs, nighttime noise penalties and aircraft supply-chain problems weigh on the Dutch carrier.

Dutch Central Bank Eases Mortgage Capital Rules for Domestic Lenders

De Nederlandsche Bank will not extend the minimum risk-weighting floor for Dutch mortgages, freeing billions of euros in bank capital and potentially affecting lending capacity in the country’s tight housing market.

ASML Begins Construction of Major New Brainport Eindhoven Campus

ASML has started construction of a large new campus in the Eindhoven Brainport region designed to accommodate as many as 20,000 employees and expand the semiconductor company’s Dutch research and development base.

Dutch Economy Grows 1% in Second Quarter After Sharp Upward Revision

The Netherlands economy expanded 1% in the second quarter, revised up from an earlier estimate of 0.6%, as stronger service exports and the addition of 15,000 jobs eased immediate concerns over a downturn.

ASML Chief Warns European Semiconductor Investment Has Stalled

ASML Chief Executive Christophe Fouquet said the Dutch chip-equipment maker is selling almost no machinery in Europe as regional semiconductor investment stagnates despite European Chips Act ambitions, even as global demand driven by art...

AZ Alkmaar Moves Top of Eredivisie After FC Twente Comeback Against PSV

AZ Alkmaar moved to the top of the Dutch Eredivisie standings after a weekend that included FC Twente recovering from a deficit to secure a late comeback against defending champions PSV Eindhoven.

Rijksmuseum-Led Consortium Acquires Previously Unknown Dutch Golden Age Painting

A group of Dutch cultural institutions led by the Rijksmuseum acquired a previously unknown Golden Age work for the national collection with substantial support from private donors.

Dutch Military Police Investigate Fatal Vehicle Crash in Aruba

The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee sent investigators to Aruba after a vehicle collision killed a Dutch woman, prompting scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Amsterdam Blocks New Cruise Terminal Development as City Seeks to Curb Overtourism

Amsterdam has moved to prevent additional cruise terminal development near the historic centre as the city pursues measures aimed at reducing tourism pressure and environmental impacts.

Dutch Researchers Report Promising Early Results From Personalised mRNA Cancer Trials

Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute reported encouraging early-stage trial results using personalised mRNA vaccines designed to target mutations specific to individual tumours.

Rijkswaterstaat Deploys AI-Based Flood Prediction Technology

Dutch water authority Rijkswaterstaat has integrated artificial intelligence into flood forecasting systems to improve real-time predictions as the low-lying Netherlands prepares for more extreme weather.

Utrecht Approves Affordable Housing District With Vehicle-to-Grid Energy System

Utrecht has approved a new residential development in which affordable homes will be linked to vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing parked electric cars to help store and return electricity to the local network.

Amsterdam Tightens Holiday-Rental Rules as Housing and Tourism Pressures Grow

Amsterdam is imposing stricter limits on holiday rentals in parts of the city as authorities seek to protect housing availability and reduce tourism-related pressure on residential neighbourhoods.

Gelderland Introduces Tougher Nitrogen Rules for Farms Near Vulnerable Nature Areas

Gelderland has adopted new restrictions on agricultural activity in designated nitrogen-reduction zones, including limits on new livestock operations and future restrictions on nitrogen fertiliser use.

North Sea Port and Antwerp-Bruges Launch Digitised Cross-Border Customs Corridor

North Sea Port in Zeeland has introduced a digital customs and logistics connection with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges aimed at reducing border friction and speeding industrial freight movements between the Netherlands and Belgium.

Netherlands Invests €50 Million in Cultivated Meat and Alternative Protein Innovation

The Dutch Agriculture Ministry has launched a €50 million fund supporting cellular agriculture and alternative protein development as the country seeks to expand food technology while reducing pressure from traditional livestock production.

Adyen Expands Payment Partnerships Across European Logistics Sector

Amsterdam-based payments group Adyen is integrating its services with European freight and logistics platforms as digital payment processing expands further into business-to-business supply chains.

ING and Rabobank Drive Surge in Green Bond Issuance in Amsterdam

Dutch lenders ING and Rabobank placed billions of euros in green bonds on Euronext Amsterdam, reflecting strong institutional demand for investments linked to environmental and decarbonisation projects.

Dutch Venture Capital Funding Reaches Record High on Climate Tech and Fintech Investment

Venture capital investment in Dutch startups reached record levels during the third quarter, led by international funding for financial technology companies and climate-focused businesses.

Rotterdam Port Reviews Safety Measures After Deadly Petrochemical Explosion

Port authorities are reviewing industrial safety procedures after an explosion at a Rotterdam-area facility killed one person and injured six, with attention focused on maintaining safe operations across the major European maritime hub.

Dutch Court Sentences Man to Life Over Role in 1994 Rwandan Genocide

A court in The Hague sentenced a man to life imprisonment for participating in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, including preventing Tutsis from escaping and throwing a grenade into a crowd.

International Criminal Court Expands Digital Forensics Capabilities in The Hague

The International Criminal Court has expanded its digital forensics operation to process satellite imagery and social media evidence more rapidly in investigations of alleged war crimes and other international offences.

India Rejects Hague Arbitration Ruling in Indus Waters Treaty Dispute With Pakistan

India rejected findings from a Hague-based arbitration panel concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, intensifying a long-running dispute with Pakistan over water sharing and hydroelectric development.