2010 Tax Plan: More enterprise, and fewer barriers to enterprise
September 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
More enterprise, and fewer barriers to enterprise’ is the key idea underlying the proposals in the 2010 Tax Plan. ‘Entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy. They are the engine that powers job creation, productivity and growth. That’s why my proposals are all about making enterprise simpler and more attractive,’ explained State Secretary for Finance [...]
Queen Sketches Economic Doomsday Scenario
September 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Speech from the Throne that Queen Beatrix gives annually on the third Tuesday of September was noticeably shorter than in previous years yesterday. With a lack of concrete policy proposals, the monarch had to restrict herself more than usual to a general assessment of the Dutch situation, in which she spoke almost exclusively of [...]
International education predominantly funded with parental contributions
September 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
International education in the Netherlands is much more expensive than regular education and is largely funded with parental contributions. In 2008, there were 18 private schools for international education in the Netherlands and 21 Dutch schools with an international division. 120 million euro worth of parental contributions Last year, nearly 12.5 thousand pupils attended an international school in [...]
Summary of 2010 Budget
September 15, 2009 Leave a Comment
As happens every year, the budget for the coming year has been leaked to various media. A summary follows below of Chapter 1, which was obtained by TV broadcaster RTL4. The cabinet opens with the conclusion that its motto (working together, living together) and the ambitions that it expressed on coming into office in 2007 [...]
Legislative proposal Modern Migration submitted to the Lower House of Parliament
September 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
The legislative proposal entitled ‘Modern Migration Policy’, from Minister Hirsch Ballin and State Secretary Albayrak for Justice, has been presented to the Lower House of Parliament. The legislative proposal comprises a modernisation of the Aliens Act 2000 and is based on the proposals contained in the policy document ‘Modern Migration Policy’, which the House approved [...]
Closure of Islamic schools remains impossible
September 11, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Lower House is accepting the government’s view that it is constitutionally impossible to close down Islamic schools, even if they disseminate apartheid. According to the government, only public (non-religious) schools can be closed down. Special schools (which are based on a Christian, Islamic or otherwise ideological foundation) cannot be sanctioned by closure. The cabinet [...]
NY400: Timmermans accompanying royal couple in New York
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
On 5 September, European affairs minister Frans Timmermans began an eight-day visit to New York City. On behalf of the Dutch Government, he is accompanying HRH Prince Willem-Alexander and HRH Princess Máxima during their programme to celebrate 400 years of relations between the Netherlands and North America. Mr Timmermans is the Government minister responsible for [...]
The Dutch government does not want to change the essence of Queen’s Day
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Dutch government does not want the essence of the open and festive nature of Queen’s Day to change. The Dutch government realises that not all risks can be excluded and will continue its efforts to achieve a balance between festivity and security during national events such as Budget Day, Queen’s Day and Veterans Day. [...]
‘Dutch-Speaking Moroccans the Most Criminal’
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
Moroccan youths in prison are better integrated with Dutch society than other Moroccan youngsters. The conclusion comes from two young researchers at the University of Utrecht. Criminal Moroccan youths speak Arabic or Berber with their family and friends less often than the average Moroccan youngster. Their parents use the Dutch language more often and are [...]
Netherlands slips down global competitiveness index
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Netherlands has dropped to 10th place on the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. Last year, it came eighth. With an overall figure of 5.3, the Netherlands had nine countries above it and 123, below. In 2008/2009 and in 2007/2008, the Dutch scored a 5.4. In 2000, the Netherlands was still running [...]
Netherlands allowed to ban internet gambling
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Netherlands and all other EU member states are allowed to ban Internet gambling sites. The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that a ban can be justified to combat fraud and crime. The EU court acknowledges that a ban is a restriction on the freedom to provide a service. But such a restriction can [...]
Slight growth in internationalization Dutch higher education
September 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
Education Minister presents Internationalization Monitor to Dutch Parliament. The percentage of international students in Dutch government-funded higher education increased slightly in 2008, to about 7.5%. As in previous years Germany, China and Belgium are the three main countries of origin. Dutch students still prefer to go the United Kingdom and Belgium. The number of schools [...]
Nearly 2,000 telephones tapped in Netherlands daily
September 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
The number of telephones tapped by the police in the Netherlands is over 10 times higher than in the US. On average, 1,946 taps were made daily in 2008, Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin says in a letter to parliament. “In 2008, a warrant for tapping was issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) for [...]
Campaign ‘Safe Internet use’ underway
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
Campaign ‘Safe Internet use’ underway Press release | 28-07-2009 People who use the Internet safely will be less likely to fall victim to cyber crime. Minister Hirsch Ballin for Justice today gave the starting signal for the public campaign entitled ‘Safe Internet Use’. The object of the campaign is to increase awareness among people using [...]
Declining church and mosque attendance
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
More than half of the adult Dutch population consider themselves to belong to a church or religious or philosophical movement. One in five – considerably fewer than in the past – are regular church-goers. Proportion attending religious meetings at least once a month Most substantial decline among Muslims In recent years, church and mosque attendance [...]
More men murdered in 2008
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
More men murdered in 2008 Last year, 176 persons died as a result of murder or manslaughter, 12 more than in 2007. The increase entirely consists of men. The number of women killed as a result of murder or manslaughter has declined over the past three years. Victims of murder and manslaughter by gender Most victims were [...]
Netherlands largest manufacturer of bicycles in Europe
July 31, 2009 Leave a Comment
The overall value of bicycles manufactured in the European Union amounted to 1.9 billion in 2008. More than 30 percent were produced in the Netherlands, making it Europe’s largest bike manufacturer. Overall value of bicycles manufactured in the EU, 2008 In 2008, the Netherlands manufactured 577 million worth of bicycles, an increase by more than [...]
The Netherlands has highest rate of part-timers in Europe
July 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Netherlands has the highest rate of part-timers within the European Union (EU). This applies to both genders. Part-timers Nearly half of Dutch working population are part-timers In 2008, nearly half of 15 to 64-year-old Dutch worked on a part-time basis. The proportion of part-timers is much lower in other EU countries. The Netherlands is [...]
Mosques refuse Dutch ‘State Imams’
July 24, 2009 Leave a Comment
Not a single mosque in the Netherlands has to date been prepared to take on an Imam trained in the special government courses. “Mosques have no money and no confidence in the ‘polder Imam,” reported Trouw newspaper yesterday. The Free University Amsterdam, the University of Leiden and Hogeschool InHolland college have developed Imam training courses, [...]
Downward trend in Dutch house prices continues
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
Prices of existing houses sold in the Netherlands in June were on average 3.7 percent lower than in June 2008. Prices fell 0.9 percent compared to May 2009. “For the fifth month in a row, prices of residential property were lower than one year earlier,” the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reported yesterday. It produces [...]
3.6 million one-person households in 2050
July 22, 2009 Leave a Comment
The number of one-person households will have mounted up to 3.6 million in 2050, an increase by 1 million compared to the current situation. Over the next two decades, the annual increase will be 30 to 40 thousand. Most of these people will be 65 or older. Subsequently, the growth will slow down. Types of households Dutch population is ageing [...]
Obama more appreciated than any Dutch politician
July 21, 2009 Leave a Comment
The American President Barack Obama is much more popular in the Netherlands than any Dutch politician. He has support from both leftwing and rightwing voters, pollster Maurice de Hond reports. The US president, who came into office six months ago, scored 7.4 on a scale of 1-10. This is more than a point higher than [...]
Tourism income down in Netherlands
July 21, 2009 Leave a Comment
The first quarter of the year saw foreign visitors to the Netherlands spending less than a year before, figures published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on Monday show. The quarterly figures reveal that while Dutch people spent four percent more abroad (1.7. billion euros) than they did in the same period in 2008, visitors to the [...]
Local Councils: gender-segregated integration only natural
July 20, 2009 Leave a Comment
The local councils association (VNG) condemns any criticism of the fact that 41 municipalities offer Dutch language and culture lessons in classes in which men and women are segregated. “Integration classes for women alone are an automatic consequence of the programmes these women are following,” VNG said on Friday. In 41 of the 443 municipalities, [...]
Cityfilm Maastricht to be available in September 2009
July 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
CityFilm.tv is a new marketing website featuring short films about major cities in the Netherlands and Belgium. Newspaper Trouw reports that Maastricht will be added to the existing list of cities in September 2009. About CityFilm.tv: “CityFilm advises you about the best city hot spots in The Netherlands and Belgium – Learn about the rich [...]
Dutch terrorism databank opens
July 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
The University of Leiden’s Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism is opening a databank this week full of data about national and international terrorism. The databank is accessible on application for a password. The Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism has been working on the research database in the area of terrorism, radicalisation and polarisation since 2007. [...]
Economic growth down in nearly all regions; Poorest results in North Brabant and Limburg
July 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
Poorest results in North Brabant and Limburg Economic growth in four major cities above average Economic growth slowed down in nearly all Dutch provinces last year. Growth in the Randstad provinces was at or above the nationwide average of 2 percent. The province of Limburg recorded the lowest growth figure. According to the latest figures published [...]
Dutch labour participation rate one of the highest in the EU
July 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Dutch labour participation rate in 2008 was among the highest in the European Union (EU). In fact, the rate for Dutch men was the highest in the EU. The labour participation rate in the age category 50–65 was also above the average EU level. Labour market participation 15 to 65-year-olds, 2008 Netherlands has second [...]
Dutch women among the most emancipated in Europe
July 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
Inequality between men and women in the Netherlands is relatively small compared to the other countries of the EU 27. The Netherlands has a relatively high score on the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). It comes fourth behind Sweden, Finland and Denmark. The new member states come in last. The gender empowerment measure The GEM signals inequality [...]
Museum’s Battle of Arnhem resolved
July 1, 2009 Leave a Comment
The location for the Dutch National History Museum has been resolved. A parliamentary majority has voted in favour of the new museum being located next to the current Open Air Museum in the south-eastern Dutch city of Arnhem. Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk had wanted it built next to the famous John Frost Bridge. But this [...]
