Amsterdam Times

Shell's European Strategy Faces Diverging Paths as Renewable Assets Move to TotalEnergies

Shell's sale of European renewable projects to TotalEnergies comes alongside continued share buybacks and a reported review of its US chemical assets, highlighting the energy group's broader effort to reshape its portfolio around its mos...

Dutch Air Force Stages Final Expected F-35 Flyby at Zandvoort Grand Prix

The Royal Netherlands Air Force flew F-35 Lightning II fighters, a Chinook helicopter and a C-130 Hercules over the Zandvoort circuit before the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix, with officials saying the event will likely be the final low-a...

ProRail Replaces Passenger Elevators at Amsterdam Amstel and Muiderpoort Stations

ProRail has begun replacing heavily used elevators at Amsterdam Amstel and Amsterdam Muiderpoort as part of a broader accessibility effort intended to improve access for passengers with reduced mobility and international travelers.

The Hague Court Convicts Climate Activist Over Railway Track Blockade

A twenty-one-year-old climate activist has been convicted for coordinating a physical blockade of railway tracks at Den Haag Centraal, in a case highlighting growing judicial scrutiny of protests that disrupt transport infrastructure and...

Dutch Council of State Temporarily Suspends Lower Court Ruling in Closely Watched Asylum Case

The Netherlands' highest general administrative court has granted a preliminary injunction allowing the Minister of Asylum and Migration to temporarily suspend implementation of a lower-court ruling favoring an asylum seeker while the ca...

Shell Loses Final Legal Challenge Over Offshore Oil Exploration on South Africa's Wild Coast

South Africa's Constitutional Court has permanently blocked Shell from conducting seismic surveys and hydrocarbon exploration along the environmentally sensitive Wild Coast, overturning a previous lower-court decision.

Netherlands Faces New Road Closures Around Brainport Industries Campus to Expand High-Tech Transport Links

Authorities in Eindhoven and Best are introducing major diversions and closures around the A58 as part of a multi-year project to improve access to Brainport Industries Campus North and ease transport constraints affecting the region's h...

Dutch Housing Funding Targets Eindhoven Region as Brainport Workforce Continues to Grow

A 33.7 million euro regional housing fund will support faster residential construction around Eindhoven, where demand is rising alongside the international workforce supporting ASML and the wider semiconductor supply chain.

Dutch Government Uses Automated Text Messages to Remind Businesses About Value Added Tax Deadlines

The Dutch tax authority has begun sending automated SMS warnings to thousands of small and medium-sized businesses about second-quarter Value Added Tax filing deadlines, aiming to improve compliance and reduce the need for penalties afte...

Dutch Unemployment Benefit Claims Rise Unexpectedly in July to Nearly 200,000

The UWV reported a one point four percent monthly increase in active unemployment benefit claims at the end of July, with the rise concentrated in the Twente region amid manufacturing layoffs and seasonal job losses in education.

ProRail Removes Asbestos During Rail Works Ahead of European Train Control Upgrade

Engineers are removing asbestos from the foundations of old overhead-line structures during the Lage Zwaluwe-to-Roosendaal shutdown, clearing a regulatory obstacle before the railway can be upgraded for the next-generation European Rail ...

Shell Expands Three Billion Dollar Share Buyback as Oil Profits Support Capital Returns

Shell is continuing to repurchase and cancel shares on the London and Amsterdam exchanges under its three billion dollar buyback program, with the capital returns supported by elevated oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the ...

Dutch Home Prices Rise 4.2 Percent as Average Purchase Price Reaches 490,000 Euros

Average Dutch residential prices increased four point two percent year on year in the second quarter of 2026, slowing from five point two percent earlier in the year, while first-time buyers faced an average purchase price of 407,000 eur...

Air France-KLM Passengers Affected by Cyberattack on Three British Airports

Passenger data belonging to Air France-KLM customers and travelers from other airlines was stolen in a cyberattack targeting IT networks at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, raising concerns about data protection ac...

KLM Restores Direct Amsterdam-Tel Aviv Flights After Earlier Suspension

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines resumed direct passenger services between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Tel Aviv on August twenty-fifth after suspending the route because of the Middle Eastern security environment, cautiously restoring an impo...

Vaca Muerta-Style Growth Debate Emerges in Netherlands as ASML Expansion Drives Housing and Infrastructure Pressure in Eindhoven

The Eindhoven metropolitan region has opened 33.7 million euros in housing funding to accelerate construction as the Brainport technology hub attracts more international workers, while major road works around the A58 aim to improve acces...

Dutch Government Faces Agricultural Backlash Over Planned Livestock Rights Reductions

Agriculture Minister Femke Wiersma is implementing emergency measures that would require dairy, pig and poultry farmers to surrender up to thirty percent of their animal rights when businesses are sold, prompting strong opposition from f...

Rabobank Reports 2.69 Billion Euros in First-Half Profit as Deposits Reach 375 Billion Euros

Rabobank's net profit rose to nearly 2.7 billion euros in the first half of 2026, supported by higher net interest income and deposit growth, while the cooperative bank maintained a core equity tier one ratio of twenty point two percent ...

Adyen Beats Expectations With 334 Billion Euros in Quarterly Payment Volume

Amsterdam-based Adyen reported second-quarter revenue of 682 million euros, up twenty-two percent from a year earlier, while processed payment volume reached 334 billion euros and its adjusted core profit margin stood at fifty percent.

Dutch Summer of 2026 Confirmed as Hottest on Record With Nearly 1,000 Excess Deaths

The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute says average summer temperatures reached nineteen point three degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record from 2018, after the Netherlands experienced its first-ever code red weather war...

Schiphol Security Workers Begin Rolling Strikes Over Workloads and Shift Conditions

Security staff represented by FNV and CNV have begun a series of fifteen-minute stoppages at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, with airport authorities warning that temporary lane closures could cause significant delays and disrupt pre-booked ...

Dutch Trade Union FNV Calls September Strike at Port of Rotterdam Over Early Retirement Rules

FNV Havens has scheduled a September fourth strike at the Port of Rotterdam as part of a wider campaign by workers in construction, manufacturing and logistics to secure a permanent early-retirement arrangement for physically demanding j...

Dutch Logistics Coalition Warns of Infrastructure Crisis as Maintenance Backlog Reaches Tens of Billions of Euros

The Mobiliteitsalliantie says more than eighty bridges and locks already face weight or traffic restrictions, urging the Dutch government to overhaul its infrastructure funding system as deferred maintenance accumulates across national, ...

ASML Accelerates Share Buybacks as Strong Artificial Intelligence Chip Demand Supports Valuation

ASML has been repurchasing about seventy-eight million euros of its own shares per day in late August at prices above fifteen hundred euros, as sustained demand for extreme ultraviolet lithography systems used to produce advanced artific...

United States Pressures Netherlands Toward Near-Total Ban on ASML Semiconductor Equipment Sales to China

Washington is reportedly pressing The Hague through the proposed MATCH Act to force ASML to halt most shipments and servicing of deep ultraviolet lithography equipment to Chinese customers, putting a major ASML revenue stream under press...

TSA Unveils Major Airport-Security Overhaul as It Drops Gold+ Privatization Plan

The new Horizon 25 strategy will expand existing private-screening partnerships, upgrade TSA PreCheck, speed the introduction of new checkpoint technology and strengthen defenses against drones.

Booking.com Expands AI-Powered Trip Planning From Amsterdam Headquarters

Booking.com is expanding artificial intelligence-driven trip-planning tools from its Amsterdam headquarters, integrating large language models into its European and American platforms as it develops more personalized travel services.

Zeeland Accelerates Coastal Defenses Against Rising Sea Levels

Rijkswaterstaat is accelerating coastal defense and dike reinforcement projects in Zeeland, with the works aimed at protecting ports, farmland and residential areas from increasingly severe North Sea storm surges.

Wageningen Researchers Develop Water-Saving Vertical Farming Technologies

Researchers and agricultural technology companies in Wageningen are developing vertical farming systems designed to reduce water consumption by as much as 90 percent, as the Netherlands faces an exceptionally hot and dry summer.

The Hague Hosts Legal Talks on Enforcement of EU Artificial Intelligence Rules

The Hague is hosting legal and technology policymakers to discuss enforcement of the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act, bringing attention to questions surrounding jurisdiction, digital rights and regulation of autonomous syst...

Ahold Delhaize Expands Robotics Across Dutch Distribution Centers

Ahold Delhaize is increasing its use of autonomous robotics and artificial intelligence sorting systems at Albert Heijn distribution centers in the Netherlands as retailers face persistent shortages of manual workers.

FC Eindhoven Prepares for August 30 Eerste Divisie Match Against Heracles

FC Eindhoven is preparing to host Heracles Almelo on August 30 at Jan Louwers Stadium after a mixed opening to the 2026-27 Eerste Divisie season, including a win over Jong AZ and a defeat by FC Den Bosch.

Rijksmuseum Announces Major Autumn Exhibition on Dutch Maritime History

Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum is preparing an autumn exhibition focused on Dutch maritime history, global trade networks and naval engineering, with the showcase expected to strengthen the city's cultural tourism offering.

ASML Concludes Eindhoven Zomerspelen Community Sports Festival

ASML has concluded its Zomerspelen sports program at Eindhoven's Jan Louwers Stadium, bringing thousands of local children into athletic activities led by Dutch athletes as the company expands community initiatives in the Brainport region.

KPN Accelerates Nationwide Fiber Rollout With 2027 Coverage Target

Dutch telecom operator KPN is accelerating its fiber-optic rollout with the aim of connecting nearly all remaining Dutch households by 2027, expanding digital infrastructure for households and businesses.

Amsterdam Housing Pressure Grows as International Demand Outpaces New Construction

Amsterdam is facing intensifying housing pressure as foreign technology workers and international students increase demand faster than new homes are being delivered, fueling debate over investment rules, rents and development across the ...

ProRail Plans Weekend Track Closures Around Schiphol and Amsterdam Zuid

ProRail will restrict train services on busy routes between Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Zuid and southern transport corridors during major weekend maintenance, requiring passengers to use replacement buses and longer alternative routes.

Electric Vehicles Reach Record Share of New Dutch Car Registrations

The Dutch government says fully electric vehicles now account for a record share of new passenger-car registrations, supported by the Netherlands' extensive public charging network and continued growth in electric mobility.

Utrecht Expands Zero-Emission Zone for Deliveries in City Center

Utrecht has expanded its zero-emission delivery zone in the historic center, restricting access for conventional delivery vans and prompting logistics companies to increase their use of electric cargo bikes and other zero-emission vehicles.

Schiphol to Close Buitenveldertbaan Runway for Annual Maintenance

Amsterdam Schiphol's Buitenveldertbaan runway will be closed from August 31 through September 8 for annual infrastructure maintenance, requiring airlines to shift flights to other runways and changing aircraft noise patterns around the a...

Schiphol Security Strikes Cause Passenger Delays as Unions Press Labor Demands

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has faced passenger delays during coordinated 15-minute work stoppages by CNV and FNV security workers, who are protesting working conditions and recent changes to security contracts.

Leyden Labs Raises Funding for Respiratory Virus Nasal Spray Programs

Amsterdam biotechnology company Leyden Labs has secured new financing to advance clinical development of nasal sprays designed to provide protection against families of respiratory viruses, supporting research within the Netherlands' lif...

Fairphone Expands European Presence With New Repairable Smartphones

Amsterdam-based Fairphone is gaining traction in European markets with new modular and repairable smartphones, reinforcing the commercial prospects of its approach to reducing electronic waste and improving product longevity.

AEX Index Holds Above 1,100 as Dutch Technology and Banks Perform Strongly

The benchmark AEX index has remained above 1,100 points on Euronext Amsterdam, supported by corporate results from technology, payments and financial companies despite wider geopolitical uncertainty.

Dutch Online Grocer Picnic Nears $2 Billion Valuation

Amsterdam-based digital supermarket Picnic is approaching a $2 billion valuation as automated fulfillment, artificial intelligence-based route planning and electric delivery vehicles support its expansion in the European grocery market.