About: Netherlands
EU to tighten export rules to stop one-way flow of vaccines
The European Commission will tighten its export guidelines on Wednesday (24 March) to prevent what it sees as an unfair one-way flow of vaccines, according to a draft seen by AFP.
Problems pile up on AstraZeneca as Irish, Dutch halt shots
Ireland and the Netherlands on Sunday (14 March) became the latest countries to suspend their rollouts of the AstraZeneca vaccine over concerns about post-jab blood clots despite the firm insisting there was no risk.
European police pounce after cracking encrypted phone network
Police said Wednesday (10 March) they had arrested at least 80 people and carried out hundreds of raids in two European countries after shutting down an encrypted phone network used by organised crime groups.
UAE now among world’s top ten tax havens
The UAE has entered the world's top ten tax havens for the first time, research showed Tuesday (9 March), in a report flagging OECD nations and their dependencies for more than two-thirds of "global corporate tax abuse".
Dutch parliament: China’s treatment of Uighurs is genocide
The Dutch parliament on Thursday (25 February) passed a non-binding motion saying the treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority in China amounts to genocide, the first such move by a European country.
Don’t ignore platforms ‘combining services’ in Digital Markets Act, Netherlands says
More attention should be paid to whether platforms offer an 'ecosystem' of many different services, in terms of designating them as so-called 'gatekeeper platforms' and therefore coming under the scope of the proposed Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules, says a position paper published by the Dutch government.
Dutch coronavirus curfew upheld temporarily after legal setback
Appellate judges ruled on Tuesday (16 February) that a night-time curfew would remain in place in the Netherlands pending a government appeal of a lower-court ruling that found the measure lacked legal justification.
Global pandemic: Second night of Netherlands violence, Biden touts herd immunity
The Netherlands has been hit by a second night of riots, as coronavirus curfew frustrations boiled over, even as President Joe Biden said herd immunity could be achieved this year.
Nations tighten virus curbs as Dutch curfew protesters clash with police
Clashes broke out in the Netherlands on Sunday (24 January) as anti-curfew demonstrators protested against coronavirus restrictions, while France imposed new border controls with numerous countries under pressure to slow the spread of new variants. France introduced a requirement for...
Dutch customs seize sandwiches from UK passengers, invoking Brexit rules
Dutch customs officials have been filmed confiscating sandwiches and other food from passengers on a ferry from Britain, blaming new post-Brexit trade rules.
Dutch caught off guard by Pfizer approval, PM explains delay in vaccination
The Dutch government was caught off guard by the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by EU regulators in December and has been unable to start vaccinating due to logistical problems, Prime Minister Mark Rutte told parliament on Tuesday (5 January).
Belgium suspends UK flights, trains over virus strain
Belgium is suspending flight and train arrivals from Britain from midnight (2300 GMT) Sunday (20 December) after the UK detected a coronavirus variant suspected to be more infectious, a government official told AFP.
Dutch ‘Brexit Monster’ warns of port problems
Dutch authorities unleashed a beastly blue mascot on Tuesday (1 December) to warn that the end of the Brexit transition period in one month's time poses a monster of a problem for port users.
In European first, Iranians face trial over suspected bomb plot
An Iranian diplomat and three other Iranians go on trial in Antwerp for planning to bomb a 2018 meeting of an exiled opposition group, the first time an EU country has put an Iranian official on trial for terrorism.
EU should support efforts in Denmark and Netherlands to stop wood-burning
Reversing damaging incentives to burn wood for heat and power is crucial if the EU wants to remain a leader on climate and biodiversity, argue Annika Lund Gade and Peter de Jong.
Paris goes under curfew as Europe ramps up virus restrictions
France on Wednesday (14 October) became the latest European country to toughen anti-coronavirus measures, imposing a curfew in Paris and eight other cities from Saturday, while Germany and Ireland also ramped up restrictions.
EU pandemic survey shows Italy disdain for Brussels
Opinions on how governments handled the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic varies hugely in Europe, a survey showed Thursday (17 September), with hard-hit Italians especially disillusioned with the EU.
The Dutch have decided: Burning biomass is not sustainable
The Netherlands should phase out the use of biomass for generating electricity as soon as possible, the advisory board of the Dutch government said in a report presented earlier this month.
Dutch ‘preachers and salesmen’ lead EU frugality drive
The Netherlands will be at the centre of upcoming talks over European spending on the coronavirus crisis, driven by a mix of traditional Calvinist frugality and political reality, experts say.
Dutch pin hopes on ‘hydrogen valley’ to revive declining gas region
Near-silent buses shift around in a residential neighbourhood in the province of Groningen, home to one of the greenest industrial areas in the world. We’re in 2026 and the Netherlands gives the world a preview of what a “hydrogen economy” could look like.
Macron says EU virus package ‘advancing’, in talks with Dutch PM
French President Emmanuel Macron said talks on a EU coronavirus recovery fund were "advancing" Tuesday (23 June) as he met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a key holdout against the plan.
From hydrogen islands to hydrogen valleys
Small communities are becoming energy self-sufficient with clean-burning hydrogen gas generated from wind power. The question now for Europe is whether it can be replicated on a larger scale.
Taming the ‘Frugal Four’: the challenge facing the German Presidency
The European Commission has presented its proposal for a recovery fund as part of the draft EU budget. Now the member states must be convinced, a task that will fall on Berlin when Germany takes over the EU Council Presidency in July, EURACTIV Germany reports.