Footage of a woman being severely beaten inside an NL Jobs company car went viral across Dutch platforms this week.
The couple at the centre of the case are Romanian, and both had been placed in work by NL Jobs.
The agency mainly supplies foreign labour to horticulture, packing and technical roles across the western Netherlands. According to a spokesperson who spoke to AD, the man is the woman’s partner.
A recognisable car, and a video that spread fast
The attack happened last Sunday in Schagen. A bystander, filmed it from a short distance away.
What the footage captures is hard to watch. The woman tries to get out of the vehicle, and the man drags her back inside to keep hitting her, striking with enough force to visibly rock the car.
By later that day the clip had landed on several platforms, including the Dutch shock site Dumpert, where it passed 125,000 views.
The car was clearly identifiable as an NL Jobs vehicle, tying a private assault directly to a named company.
Woman didn’t want to press charges
The violence happened in one of NL Jobs’ cars, but management is adamant it occurred outside working hours and entirely in the couple’s private life.
Workers who pay bijtelling (a Dutch tax on the private use of a company car) are allowed to drive the vehicles off the clock, the spokesperson noted to AD.
The agency says it knew nothing of any abuse and was shocked. However, when confronted with the video, the couple reportedly stayed remarkably calm, and the woman did not want to report anything herself.
That refusal is the difficult part. Without the victim coming forward, an employer has very little formal footing, which is often exactly where these cases stall.
NL Jobs filed a report anyway
However, the agency didn’t leave it there. The man was dismissed on the spot, and the company took the assault to the police itself.
In a written statement, NL Jobs said it condemns every form of violence, calling it flatly incompatible with the firm’s values. It promised full cooperation with the authorities and acknowledged that what happens next is out of its hands.
The spokesperson also argued that employers need better tools for moments like this, floating the idea of a dedicated platform where such situations could be flagged.
For anyone living in the Netherlands and facing violence at home, confidential advice and support are available through Veilig Thuis (the national point for reporting and advice on domestic abuse), which can be reached free on 0800-2000.
Should agencies that place workers carry more responsibility when abuse surfaces among their staff? Tell us what you think in the comments.
In preparation for my big move from the United States to the Netherlands, I set sail on a Dutch history hunt within the continental US.
But, I couldn’t just buy a book like a normal person — nah, I went for the more expensive, dramatic, and yet romantic route in a jumpy attempt to get familiarized with a culture I was about to be soon part of. 🧳
For my attempt’s itinerary, I booked a ticket to New Jersey and found myself a tiny NYC apartment in the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City (ahem, New Amsterdam) not knowing this would be a mutual housing pattern in both cities.
Let me reminisce for you
I began my journey by visiting The Vander Ende – Onderdonk House located at the border of Queens and Brooklyn, with its charming white stones tucked away from New York’s steel skyscrapers.
It was within the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house from the 1820s in New York City that I encountered the famous Dutch clogs.
And although the remains of Dutch heritage in New York City are not plenty, I refused to give up.
Up next, I took long walks around Breukelen (Brooklyn), Parelstraat (Pearl Street), Haarlem (Harlem), and Waal Straat (Wall Street) — where no one other than Google Maps and street signs bothered to correct my use of the old Dutch names. 🤳
See, within my US life, which preceded my Syrian one, as beautiful as I found New York to be in its unique way, I couldn’t help but wonder if Amsterdam (the city I would be moving to) would feel as scary to me as New York City made me feel.
The metropolitan and constant hustle of New York City scared my inner child. People always run to catch the subway from their first job to the second, just going around the clock and acing it.
Was the populous city of Amsterdam a good fit for me at all?
A whole different story
Well, fast forward to this day, I’m sitting on a window ledge of my gezellig Amsterdam apartment, finally under the same roof as my loved one, thinking about that cone of hot marketfrites I had yesterday and laughing at the idea that I had cold feet about living in Amsterdam or the Netherlands.
Sure, Amsterdam turned out to be a populous city filled with sassy seagulls and busy crosswalks where texting and walking simultaneously is as much of a hazardous activity as it was in New York.
But, the truth is, this city also turned out to be as hearty as a cup of your favourite soup on a rainy day. It’s a spirited, and welcoming city with its own character and style with the occasional pyromaniacal tendencies.
Did you have to go through a big move to or from the Netherlands? Tell us all about it in the comments!
Selling a home quickly in the Netherlands sounds easy enough in this climate — but to get the best price, you need to make sure you go about it in the right way.
Sit back, relax, and let me walk you through seven tips to sell your Dutch home efficiently, quickly, and with top results.
1. Find yourself a realtor
The first favour you can do for yourself is to get the professionals involved. The process of selling a house is no small feat. Especially if you’re new to the various steps involved — or the language!
Trying to sell your own house in the Netherlands without a professional background leaves you with a high chance of falling into various pitfalls — and trust me, that’s not exactly conducive to a quick sale.
To save yourself time, stress, and potentially even money, you should find yourself a highly trained selling realtor (verkoop makelaar). 😉
Ok, you want a realtor — but where can you find one? Krib was made to help people find and choose a realtor that suits their personal situation.
The site compares different realtors, allowing you to reach out to someone with expertise in the area that you are hoping to sell in, the type of house you’re selling, or more.
As a homeowner who really wants their home to sell fast, one of the best things you can do for your case is to make sure that your house is freshly polished, wearing a bow tie, and sporting its best smile for potential buyers.
In order to sell your Dutch home fast, one of the best tips I can give is to make sure it’s looking snazzy. Image: Depositphotos
And how do you do that? Fix that broken skirting board, give the walls a fresh lick of paint, and maybe have the windows cleaned — a little goes a long way.
Of course, balancing the cost of renovations and the value that they’ll bring to your property is a tricky business and sometimes requires a professional evaluation.
3. Ensure that people can find your house (and are impressed!)
It’s all well and good if you’ve made your house sparkle, but it’s equally important that you ensure people actually see it.
So, how do you make sure your house gets the love and attention it deserves?
📸 Get professional photos taken. Sure, your iPhone camera may be good, but it takes more than a good lens to highlight your home’s best features. Many realtors will help you arrange for this.
📣 Make sure that people know your house is on the market. The next step is to take those pretty pictures and share them with the world. Try traditional platforms such as Facebook or Instagram — the more people that know, the better. Your house’s quirky interior could be the dream house for that friend of a friend on Facebook.
🏠 Get it up on Funda. Perhaps one of the best platforms for your home is the Dutch real estate website Funda. Think of it as Tinder for houses for sale. It’s one of the first places hopeful homeowners in the Netherlands will check when they decide they want to buy.
Note: Sadly, you cannot upload your home to Funda by yourself. Only real estate agents have access to the platform.
4. Write down your home’s strongest selling points
Is your home freshly insulated? Does it have a state-of-the-art roof? You may know these things, but potential buyers are coming in blind. It’s time to show off!
Really think about your home’s assets. Buy yourself some fancy stationery if needed and write. Them. Down. If you’re hosting your own viewings, make sure to point these out to viewers.
If you’re unsure what the unique selling points of your home are, it’s always worth getting a professional to take a look.
They will likely see points that you wouldn’t consider, ensuring that you’re ready to wow your viewers and get the bids flowing.
5. Decide exactly what you want from the sale
So you’ve bedazzled your house, put it out there for everyone to see, flaunted its best assets — and now you have interested buyers!
Make sure you know what you want from the sale. Image: Dreamstime
However, one thing that will slow down the sale of a house in the Netherlands is the negotiations.
To ensure that things run as smoothly as possible, you should enter talks knowing exactly what you want in terms of resolutive conditions and knowing where you’re flexible.
What are the resolutive conditions when selling a house in the Netherlands? Simple! When you agree to hand over the keys, both the seller and the buyer may lay out certain conditions.
For example, the seller might agree to make certain repairs, or the buyer might need to secure financing by a certain date. If these conditions aren’t met, one or both parties may decide not to continue with the sale.
6. Know how much your home is worth
While it may be easy to receive an offer on a home in the Netherlands, you need to make sure that it’s a worthwhile one. This takes time, so don’t wait for an offer to come in before determining the true value of your home!
This can be done beforehand by either a taxateur or a trained real estate agent.
Krib also allows you to get a professional opinion on the selling price of your home. When you reach out, realtors can give you a competitive quote in advance, and you can even compare the average selling times and estimation accuracy of different brokers.
7. Set a deadline for potential buyers
It’s important to be clear to potential buyers that you need an answer from them as soon as possible. Image: Freepik
You don’t have to be the only one working under a deadline! In the Netherlands, it’s common practice to set a deadline for potential buyers to speed up the process.
For example, you may decide to sell your home within eight weeks. Let the hopeful buyers know this and hold your ground.
This way, you know when you should expect an offer and can keep the process running smoothly towards a swift sale!
Now, are you ready to have your lovely home loved by others? Good for you! We hope these tips help you reach the finish line swiftly and safely.
Have you sold your home in the Netherlands? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
The Dutch are a no-nonsense sort of people, but don’t you just love the idea of a grown Dutchie getting ready to start their day as a straight-talking businessperson by eating SPRINKLES for breakfast? Something’s gotta fuel that badassery. 🤔
The question of sugar for breakfast seems to mark a dividing line between the Dutch and internationals. Sure, the odd encounter with hagelslag can evoke happy memories of celebrations and being a kid again.
But if you ask me, I’d rather have a poached egg and some bacon!
2. Wish total strangers “eet smakelijk” if they walk past while someone is eating
Have you ever tried to eat something on a train in the Netherlands? Be it your lunch or just a frikandelbroodje you got from the Albert Heijn?
We almost guarantee that the conductor or another well-meaning person who walks past you will say “eet smakelijk” which basically means “enjoy your meal”. Why thank you, kind Dutch stranger, we will!
3. Congratulate everyone at someone else’s birthday party
Have you ever been to a Dutch birthday celebration, aka a “circle party”? If not, you’re in for a surprise. Upon arrival, it’s basically mandatory to greet every guest in attendance and congratulate them for their connection to the person whose birthday you’re celebrating.
In English, it would go like this:
Hey Joost’s girlfriend, congratulations on Joost’s birthday!
Nice to see you, Joost’s father, congratulations on your son’s birthday!
Hey Joost’s neighbour, congratulations to Joost!
You have to congratulate everyone. Image: Pexels
While we think it’s great to spread the love, it can be super awkward to congratulate a distant uncle you may be meeting for the first time. Nevertheless, this is a Dutch tradition that many people love.
Tip: don’t forget the three cheek kisses!
4. Wave at everyone from their boat ride on the canal
Whether it’s a typical Dutch family with two kids and a dog, or a boatload of rowdy frat boys, there’s one thing they all have in common: waving at people on the side of the canal.
And we appreciate that. After all, if you’re not in the boat, you at least deserve a little wave to ease your FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
5. Be a little cat crazy
The Dutch sure do like their feline friends. With between two and three million domestic cats in the Netherlands, you’re likely to see a plethora of different kitties wherever you go.
Many restaurants and shops even have an in-house cat (who acts as a built-in rat-catcher). 🐱
In fact, there are establishments that offer cats as their selling points — cat cafes! Want to enjoy a hot chocolate with slagroom (whipped cream) as a bundle of fur purrs in your lap? The Dutch have just the thing for you.
Are you also dying of a cuteness overload? Image: Depositphotos
There is even an Instagram page called raampoes(which directly translates to “window cat”) in which people share pictures of photogenic cats looking out through windows. Purrrrima!
6. Hang their backpacks on flagpoles when they graduate
Have you ever been strolling through your neighbourhood and suddenly seen a bunch of backpacks mysteriously dangling from flagpoles beside the Dutch flag? It’s nothing sinister — just a much-loved Dutch tradition!
Every year in June or July, when Dutch students graduate from high school, their families proudly hang the student’s school bag on the house flag pole. Happy graduation!
7. Add “je” to everything to make it sound small and cute
While Dutch can sound like a bit of a hard language sometimes, here is a teenie weenie cute thing the Dutch do — add “je” to the end of words!
In English, we refer to this as baby-talk, but Dutchies use this all the time: a bier is a “biertje” and an aardappel (potato) can be an aardappeltje. Imagine walking up to an English bar and asking for “one beerie, please!” 😂
8. Be completely obsessed with flowers
Every weekend, you’re bound to see Dutchies of all ages filling the streets with flowers in hand — no special occasion required. 💐
Just topping up the flower supply. Image: Magnific
Bloemetjes appear to be a great solution to everyday problems in the Netherlands. Had a bad day at work? Flowers. Bad period pain? Flowers.
Did someone steal your bike? Flowers. If you ever have the pleasure of dating a Dutchie, make sure you have more than one vase or you will be judged as your room fills with — you guessed it — flowers.
9. Use funny little sounds to convey intricate meaning
If you’re new to the Netherlands and haven’t picked up any Dutch yet, the language can sound a bit like gibberish. Even more so when the Dutchies use those little words to express themselves.
Truth be told, even if you’ve been here for years, it’s still possible to be surprised by some of the little sounds that Dutch people make, which are widely accepted and understood forms of speech, like:
Saying “zo” after they’ve finished doing something,
Saying “hé hé” to express satisfaction at a job well done,
Saying “nee nee nee” (always three times) before actually replying.
So simple, yet so packed with meaning.
10. Be ultra-enthusiastic when saying “hi” and “bye”
In the Netherlands, saying “hi” and “bye” are very important, and there are very specific ways of doing this.
Saying hello and goodbye sets the tone for your conversation. Image: Pexels
Dutchies often say “hoi hoi” when they greet people, which is adorable. (Reminds us a bit of Santa, actually).
But better yet is the enthusiasm with which groups of friends yell “doeeiiiii” (byeeee) in perfect harmony at each other as they split off and cycle in different directions.
It’s even better when this high-pitched “doeeiiiii” is being yelled out by middle-aged men. (This never fails to brighten up a bike ride).
11. Wave their hand next to their head when eating something yummy
If you’ve ever eaten stamppot with a bunch of Dutchies, you might’ve noticed some people pulling happy faces and waving the palm of their hand around next to their cheek.
Do they have something on their face? Are they choking? Nee! This is the lekker hand gesture. Whilst it can look kinda ridiculous initially, we’ve gotta admit it’s also pretty endearing.
12. Get excited about fancy sandwiches
We know the Dutch love bread and cheese, but fancy sandwiches at lunchtime bring on a new level of excitement. These could be anything from goat’s cheese with rocket and parma ham, to smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers.
You can be sure that will have all the Dutchies’ mouths watering. Pair this with a massive cup of milk, and it could almost be Christmas!
13. Hold hands while cycling
Did you know that most Dutch people actually cycle straight out of the womb? We’re kidding! But it’s safe to say that Dutch children can pretty much cycle better than most of us internationals by the time they start walking. 🚲
Cycling is an important part of the Dutch lifestyle, so naturally, many of the cutest things you’ll see Dutchies doing involve bikes.
The initial sighting of a couple holding hands while cycling towards you can cause a bit of a panic — will they make space? Or do you need to swivel off the cycle path?? — but eventually, you’ll realise their love poses no threat.
14. Decorate everything from their houses to the streets
Confused? Yep, we are too. But decorating houses is just the Dutchie way! What are they celebrating? It could be anything, and we support that.
Only one thing that we know for sure is, at the rate that Dutchies decorate, HEMA will never go out of business!
15. Follow the sunshine (wherever it goes!) 🌞
Let’s face it, the Dutch winter is bleak. But as soon as the sun comes out (even if it’s winter), people will drag chairs outside and follow the sun around their garden.
If they don’t have a garden or balcony, no problem! They’ll just move out to the street and take up the sidewalk or a parking spot — and will they apologise for that? No!
Meanwhile, as soon as summer comes, it won’t be long before the Dutchies have their cheeseboards and white wine out, transforming their doorsteps into alfresco cafes.
Rail operator Arriva has applied for permission to run direct trains from Den Haag Holland Spoor and Amersfoort to Paris starting in early 2028.
If it goes ahead, you’d be able to board in Den Haag and step off in the French capital without a single change and there would be three daily services in each direction.
However, there’s still a fair bit of paperwork standing between the plan and the platform.
What exactly is Arriva proposing?
Arriva has filed an application with the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), the Netherlands’ consumer and markets regulator.
According to RTV Utrecht, the plan covers three daily return trips between Den Haag Holland Spoor and Paris, plus two daily return trips from Amersfoort. Both routes would stop in Antwerp and Brussels.
This isn’t Arriva’s first attempt at a French connection.
As Omroep West reports, the company had already filed plans for a daily Groningen to Paris service, and these new routes from Den Haag and Amersfoort expand that earlier application.
A route to the “city of peace and justice”
Arriva argues a direct link to the political capital fits Den Haag’s role as the “city of peace and justice.” A direct train would make the city easier to reach for global organisations, institutions, and tourists.
The Brussels stop is a selling point too. Arriva points out that travellers could change there for Brussels Airport and the EU’s political heart.
The city of Den Haag is on board. In a statement to Mobiliteit.nl, Arjen Kapteijns, Alderman for Mobility in The Hague, says that the connection is “good news for travellers, it makes international travel easier and more sustainable.”
When can you actually book a ticket?
Arriva wants to launch on February 1, 2028, “or sooner if possible”, but that date is far from guaranteed.
Running a train across three countries means Arriva has to request track capacity separately in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, and coordinate timetables with the rail managers in each.
Until all that’s sorted, there’s no certainty the trains will hit the tracks in early 2028.
Would you swap a flight for a direct train from Den Haag to Paris? Tell us in the comments!
You can legally obtain a weight-loss prescription in the Netherlands without setting foot in a clinic. Licensed, BIG-registered doctors handle the assessment entirely online, delivering your treatment safely and discreetly to your door.
The Netherlands has one of the better healthcare systems in Europe, but for internationals, it can feel like a maze. Language barriers, amongst other things, can make the whole in-person process exhausting before it’s even begun.
It’s worth clearing something up before we go further: modern prescription weight-loss treatments are nothing like the stimulant-based diet pills of decades past.
Older-generation options largely worked by suppressing appetite through the central nervous system, blunt instruments that were often only approved for short-term use and came with a fair number of side effects.
Newer-generation prescription treatments work differently: they interact with the body’s own hormonal signals to regulate hunger, slow digestion, and influence how the body processes blood sugar. The science has moved on significantly, and for eligible patients, so have the results.
Modern weight-loss drugs have come a long way, with fewer side effects and more effective treatments. Image: Wellis
That’s precisely why these medications require a prescription. They’re effective, but they need to be carefully matched to the right person, which brings us to why having a legitimate medical process behind them matters.
A fully regulated alternative to traditional clinics
This is where online medical consultations come in, and no, this isn’t a grey-area workaround. It’s a fully legal, regulated pathway to accessing prescription treatment in the Netherlands.
Wellis is an integrated online health platform that connects patients with BIG-registered doctors and healthcare professionals.
BIG stands for Beroepen in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg, the Dutch register that certifies licensed medical professionals, the same standard applied to your local clinic or hospital.
Wellis operates in full compliance with Dutch healthcare law and AVG (the Dutch implementation of GDPR), meaning your data and your health information are handled to the same standard as any regulated medical provider.
How the Wellis consultation process works
The process is straightforward, and it works in 3 steps:
Step 1: Fill in a health questionnaire. You’ll answer questions about your medical history, current weight, lifestyle, and any medications you’re taking.
Step 2: Online consultation with a healthcare professional. A healthcare professional will contact you by phone. Subsequently, a doctor will assess your application and, if suitable, prescribe the appropriate treatment. It’s a real conversation, not an automated tick-box exercise.
You’ll be in contact with a healthcare professional, who’ll assess your application. Image: Wellis
Step 3: Home delivery and ongoing support. Receive your medication at your home within one to two business days, free of charge and packaged discreetly. You’ll receive a tracking number once it’s on its way.
What kind of medication could you be prescribed?
The treatment options available through Wellis fall into the category of newer-generation prescription weight-loss medications, the kind that work with the body’s hormonal system rather than bypassing it.
What you’re prescribed depends entirely on your individual health profile.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach: Wellis’s doctors assess your situation and recommend what’s medically appropriate for you specifically, taking into account your health history, current weight, and any other relevant factors.
The medication offered will depend on your personal situation. Image: Wellis
Throughout your treatment, you also have ongoing access to Wellis’s healthcare team at no extra charge.
Got questions in a few weeks? Not sure if what you’re experiencing is normal? You can contact a professional at any time.
Is it safe and legitimate?
These are fair questions, and the answers are yes and yes.
All of Wellis’s healthcare professionals are BIG- and EU-registered, and every prescription is issued by a licensed doctor and fulfilled by a registered pharmacist. The platform follows the same laws and regulations that apply to any medical practice in the Netherlands.
Wellis is also trusted by over 60,000 patients across the country (as of June 2026). So while it may feel like a newer way of doing things, it’s well-established in practice.
According to CBS, more than half of all adults in the Netherlands are now classified as overweight, which means having more accessible routes to medically supervised treatment matters more than ever.
If your savings are sitting in a traditional Dutch bank account right now, there’s a very good chance your money is working harder for your bank than it is for you.
Dutch banks have long offered savings rates that make your euro do little more than exist. But one digital bank is currently doing things very differently — and new customers stand to benefit.
Trade Republic, Europe’s largest savings platform, is currently offering new customers in the Netherlands 3% interest per year on balances up to €50,000. The ECB rate will then apply to any amount above this.
It’s paid out monthly, and you can withdraw whenever you like.
How does 3% compare to other banks in the Netherlands?
To put that number in context, it helps to look at what else is on the market right now.
Research commissioned by Trade Republic and conducted by Ipsos I&O found that 59% of Dutch savers are unhappy with the interest offered by their banks, with interest in Dutch savings accounts sitting at just around 1.25%.
Sign up as a new customer to enjoy 3% interest on your savings. Image: Magnific
Among digital banks, the picture is better — but still well short of 3%.
If we look at the current best savings accounts in the Netherlands, the closest competitors currently on offer are Scalable Capital at a variable 2.5%, and Raisin at 2.85% for the first three months only.
To put things into perspective: if you save €10,000 in an ordinary Dutch savings account at around 1.25% interest, you’ll earn €125 in 12 months. At Trade Republic’s 3%, you’d earn €300 in the same period. Open an account now.
What makes Trade Republic’s offer different?
The rate is the headline, but there’s more going on under the hood.
Trade Republic offers a free current account with a Dutch IBAN, meaning you can send money to anyone, add or withdraw funds from other banks instantly, and earn interest on your cash at the same time.
For internationals who’ve just arrived and are still navigating how to open a Dutch bank account, having a single app that handles spending, saving, and investing is a meaningful simplification.
Other features worth knowing about:
1% Saveback — every card payment puts 1% back into your savings or investment plan
Free savings plans for stocks and ETFs, starting from €1
How does the interest actually work?
Trade Republic passes the European Central Bank’s deposit rate directly to its customers, rather than pocketing the difference the way most traditional banks do.
The 3% rate for new customers sits above the current ECB deposit rate of 2.25% and is being treated by Trade Republic as a promotional offer for new sign-ups.
Trade Republic’s offer sits above the current ECB rates. Image: Magnific
The interest is paid monthly, directly into your cash balance. There’s no minimum deposit, and no fixed term on the amount that earns interest.
It’s worth noting that, as with all variable-rate accounts, the rate can change — particularly as the ECB adjusts its own rates.
Trade Republic is currently offering new customers in the Netherlands 3% interest per year on balances up to €50,000, paid monthly, and with no fixed term. The ECB rate will apply to any amount above this. Open a free account with a Dutch IBAN and start earning from day one.
This is the question every expat rightly asks before moving their money somewhere new.
Any amount under €100,000 per account holder per bank is protected by the EU deposit guarantee scheme, regardless of what happens to the bank holding your money.
And with 200,000 customers in the Netherlands alone, Trade Republic has established itself as one of the leading savings platforms in the country.
Trade Republic works particularly well for internationals in the Netherlands who want to consolidate their financial life into one place without paying fees or sacrificing interest.
If a high interest rate is your priority, Trade Republic’s current offer is hard to beat.
Are you currently using a digital bank for your savings in the Netherlands, or are you still with a traditional bank? Let us know in the comments.
From 2027, every child up to and including age 11 will ride buses, trams and metros, for free anywhere in the Netherlands. Theprovinces and transport regions have agreed on one nationwide rule.
Right now, whether your kid rides for free depends entirely on where you live. This change seeks to end this kind of postcode lottery.
There’s just one catch: the national discount for over-65s is being scrapped to help pay for it.
What’s actually changing?
Children up to and including age three already travel free on all Dutch public transport, and those aged four to 11 can ride trains for free when accompanied by an adult through the NS Kids Vrij (Kids Free) product.
Some regions already extend similar deals to buses, trams and metros, but the problem is the patchwork approach.
In Amsterdam, children can already travel for free, but only under a temporary scheme. The Hague offers something comparable, where parents buy a special subscription for their child. Elsewhere, you might get a discount, but in some places kids simply pay full fare.
From 2027, that mess gets replaced by a single national rule covering buses, trams and metros, which are run by the provinces and so-called vervoersregio’s (transport regions) rather than the national government.
Annet Bertram, the CDA (Christian Democrat) state secretary responsible for public transport, has welcomed the plan, saying it introduces children to public transport early and helps families on tight budgets, as RTL Nieuws reports.
Why are pensioners paying the price?
But let’s get back to the pensioners for a second.
Making travel free for families costs money, and this time the bill lands on older passengers.
The national public transport discount for over-65s will be scrapped, with the provinces and transport regions choosing to prioritise what they call the “travellers of the future.”
It’s a straightforward trade-off: younger riders in, an existing perk for pensioners out.
It also fits a wider government push to make public transport more appealing. One example is the €49 unlimited off-peak train pass running this summer, an idea from PRO (formerly GroenLinks-PvdA) that the cabinet took on board.
Do you think free travel for kids is worth ditching the pensioner discount? Tell usyour thoughts in the comments.
Tata Steel is being taken to court over pollution that Dutch prosecutors say the company caused on purpose, following a mass complaint filed by more than 800 residents living near its IJmuiden plant.
The Openbaar Ministerie (OM), the Dutch public prosecution service, announced on Wednesday that it will criminally prosecute Tata Steel IJmuiden. After a years-long investigation, prosecutors say they have found enough grounds to bring the steelmaker before a judge.
The company stands accused of intentionally and unlawfully releasing harmful substances into the air, with possible consequences for public health.
What exactly is Tata Steel accused of?
The charges go beyond the emissions themselves. According to the OM, Tata Steel also failed in its duty of care by not maintaining its factories properly.
Prosecutors say Tata Steel also operated at times without the correct permits, and failed to report a number of pollution incidents to the authorities.
Those incidents centre on the plant’s coke gas factories, where coal is baked at high temperatures to make coke, a basic ingredient in steelmaking. When that process is not completed properly, it can lead to harmful emissions.
Residents in the surrounding IJmond region have complained about these emissions for years, often filming incidents on camera to get them noticed.
The ageing coke gas factories may now be heading for early closure, and the regional environmental service has been pushing to withdraw their permits.
How did we get here?
The case traces back to spring 2021, when lawyer Bénédicte Ficq filed a criminal complaint on behalf of more than 800 local residents. According to Nu.nl, they accused Tata Steel of knowingly emitting substances that damage their health.
Research later backed up those health concerns. A study by the RIVM, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, found that people in the village of Wijk aan Zee live shorter lives because of Tata Steel’s emissions.
Their life expectancy is roughly 2.5 months below the national average, driven by fine particles and nitrogen dioxide.
The OM said the investigation took so long because it was large, technical, and legally complex. It’s still not clear whether individual managers at Tata Steel will be prosecuted too, as that part of the investigation is ongoing.
A first hearing will take place at the Amsterdam District Court on November 20.
The timing is awkward, too. Tata Steel is in the final stretch of talks over up to €2 billion in government support to make its plant greener, with the cabinet initially hoping to sign off in September.
Intertoys has pulled a line of stretchy toy monkeys from its shelves after new lab tests found the sand inside them contains asbestos, one month after the retailer was first warned and promised to act.
The toys, sold under the Orb brand, are squishy monkeys that children can pull and squeeze. The trouble is what’s inside.
When one tears, sand spills out, and that sand isn’t safe.
What did the tests actually find?
As part of an investigation by AD, two monkeys bought from Intertoys were sent to accredited asbestos laboratory Nomacon in IJsselstein.
Both were found to contain chrysotile, a common form of white asbestos, at levels between 0.1 and 2%. As NOS reports, the European legal limit is 0.1%, so even the lower reading sits right at the edge.
This isn’t an isolated scare either. The Orb toys were previously recalled in the United States, where around 120,000 were pulled, and also in Slovenia.
Why did it take Intertoys so long?
Journalists flagged the monkeys to Intertoys and the food safety watchdog, the NVWA (the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority), about a month ago.
Intertoys said it had missed the international fuss and promised to withdraw the toys. They vanished from the webshop, but AD reporters kept finding them in physical stores.
The retailer admitted to AD that the sales stop wasn’t followed through properly. A full recall only started yesterday, Tuesday, July 7.
The NVWA advises against sweeping or vacuuming any spilled sand, and against throwing it in your normal bin.
Instead, experts recommend wrapping the toy in double plastic and taking it to a milieustraat (municipal waste and recycling centre). If a toy has already broken, it’s best to ask a certified asbestos company for advice.
