The Netherlands is currently experiencing what is known as a tight labour market — there have never been so many unfilled vacancies. In the second quarter of 2021, there were more than 300,000 positions to be filled.
There is unprecedented tension in the labour market, the NOS reports. According to Peter Hein van Mulligen, the chief economist at Statistics Netherlands (CBS), “We have not seen this in 50 years” — wow!
More vacancies than people to fill them
For every 100 people who were unemployed in the second quarter of 2021, there were 106 vacancies. That’s pretty drastic!
There was already a structural shortage in the labour market before coronavirus hit. However, the pandemic exacerbated that problem and led to a temporary extra shortage.
For example, many of these positions are usually filled by people from Eastern Europe. However, Van Mulligen explains that “there is a shortage of migrant workers who have returned to Eastern Europe during the pandemic.”
Wage support from the government has also ensured that there are more vacancies than unemployed people. Without it, many companies would have gone bankrupt — leading to more unemployed people.
Additionally, unemployment has been falling for three quarters in a row. Over the past few months, more unemployed people have started working than those who have lost their jobs.
Looking for a job? These sectors have the most vacancies
Most of the vacancies are in trade, business services and healthcare. In fact, together these sectors account for half of all vacancies. In the hospitality industry, the number of vacancies has doubled as coronavirus restrictions have eased.
Statistics Netherlands showed that the Dutch labour market also experienced its highest ever number of vacancies per thousand employees.
Whilst the total number of jobs has increased significantly in the last quarter due to the easing of coronavirus restrictions, there are still fewer jobs available than during the record high in the first three months of 2020 — you know before Miss Rona came and rocked our world.
The number of jobs for the self-employed has also increased. As a result, more than one in five jobs are now filled by self-employed people. So, it bodes well for you if you have big ideas, can’t stand your boss, and want to venture out on your own.
What are your thoughts on the current Dutch labourmarket? Tell us in the comments below!
While drugs such as cannabis are decriminalised in the Netherlands, when it comes to policy surrounding hard drugs, the Dutch seem to have taken a page out of the United States’ book. In this article, we examine why all drugs should be decriminalised.
Dutch social liberal party D66 (Democrats 66) thinks the war on drugs in the Netherlands is a ‘road leading nowhere,’ but according to the Christian democratic party, ChristenUnie (Christian Union), the battle has not even started yet. Looking abroad for a moment gives us some insight into the Netherlands’ options when it comes to tackling the war on drugs.
The US versus Canadian approach
In the United States, Nixon’s war on drugs which started in 1971 — and also found its way to the Netherlands — has cost billions and, so far, solved nothing.
However, recently in Canada, the Vancouver City Council unanimously expressed its opinion on a controversial hard drug policy: legalising all hard drugs in Vancouver. This means that possessing small amounts of drugs, including cocaine, meth and heroin, will no longer be a punishable offence in Vancouver.
To show just how seriously they’re taking it, a Vancouver city councillor joined activists outside a police station on July 14 to distribute free heroin, meth and cocaine. The councillor tweeted that these ‘safe’ samples of illicit drugs could save users from a poisoned street supply that has caused an overdose crisis on Canada’s west coast.
This raises the question: should the Netherlands be looking at doing the same? And is D66 right about the war on drugs not leading anywhere?
Again, the answer lies in how other countries are faring. Let’s take a look.
An increasingly violent problem abroad
Countries such as Mexico and Afghanistan have been struggling with the devastating effects of the drug trade for years. Also, in countries with many drug addicts, such as Iran and the United States, drugs and crime appear to go hand in hand.
So it’s not really a surprise that after such a long time of waging war against drugs, the idea is now to either decriminalise or legalise them.
And yes, if the measure seems desperate, it suits the moment. It’s not just drug overdoses that cities and municipalities have to contend with, but also the violence, mayhem and death that comes with the trafficking of drugs.
The Economist reports that the British Columbia (BC) health office, where Vancouver is located, declared an emergency over deaths from drug overdoses five years ago. Dealers were lacing street drugs with lethal levels of fentanyl, a cheap and potent opioid. British Columbia’s rate of illicit-drug deaths has more than doubled since then, with around 2,000 people dying from overdoses in the year to May — more than those killed by COVID-19.
By making hard drugs illegal, you leave them unregulated — meaning they are far more dangerous. Image: Mathew T Rader/Unsplash
Since Richard Nixon started the war on drugs in 1971 (which subsequently spread worldwide), billions have been spent, and nothing has really changed. Cartels still exist and are still trafficking drugs; the drug trade has even gotten more violent, cartels have even fortified their modus operandi and have also changed with the times — a lot of them are now heavily and well-armed that they can easily defeat the governments of some small countries.
They also use the latest and most innovative gadgets for drug trafficking, making them more effective and richer. So what exactly has the so-called war on drugs achieved?
Why drugs are illegal in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, some drugs are socially accepted (such as alcohol, nicotine in tobacco, the caffeine in coffee, tea and cola). While cannabis may be illegal, it is decriminalised for personal use.
The truth is that a lot of drugs often have devastating effects on users. While the effects of caffeine are fairly harmless, alcohol leads to serious addiction and diseases such as Korsakoff’s syndrome. Additionally, tobacco smoking leads to a high risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Cannabis can also be addictive and harm lung tissues and cause scarring and damage to small blood vessels.
Hallucinogens such as in some mushrooms and LSD change the way a person thinks and perceives things. They artificially induce psychosis. In general, hallucinogens are not addictive but can be dangerous because the user completely loses contact with reality and, in some cases, can endanger themselves and others.
Additionally, the effects of hallucinogens, such as LSD vary from person to person and depend on the amount taken. In short: given the extremely nasty effects of most drugs, it would be wise to limit their use in some way. This is why drug laws exist in almost all countries (Opium Act in the Netherlands) to make the trade and possession of certain drugs illegal.
The unintended consequences of drug prohibition
Alcohol is a dangerous hard drug, more dangerous than marijuana or LSD. No wonder the United States prohibited it in the 1920s after other hard drugs such as cocaine were banned. However, as history tells us, the consequences of prohibition turned out to be disastrous.
Extensive smuggling operations sprang up, and illegal distilleries were set up all over the country. In the end, most Americans didn’t even feel the ban on alcohol because the substance was everywhere.
Criminals like Al Capone became wealthy by stealing industrial alcohol and processing it into illegal whiskey. To eliminate the problem, the US government decided to make it compulsory to mix industrial alcohol with certain types of lethal poisons.
The result: thousands died. The ban on alcohol also led to an increase in organised crime. It wasn’t such a wonder that President Roosevelt decided to end Prohibition in the 1930s.
Since when has the prohibition of anything ever worked? When Peru drove out its coca growers, they moved to Colombia. When Colombia kicked them out, they went back to Peru? And when the Caribbean cocaine-trafficking route was sealed, new, bloodier ones sprang up in Mexico and Central America.
The big seizure of drugs has still not slowed down cartels and independent traffickers. The violence of drug trafficking and the war on drugs has created widows, orphans, refugees, etc. It’s one of the major reasons why the US southern border is crawling with refugees seeking a haven.
The US and the Netherlands’ cocaine consumption
A similar scenario to Prohibition can be seen in the United States today. The US has the highest cocaine consumption: an estimated 1,000 milligrams per year, five to ten doses per American. About three per cent of the population uses a lot of cocaine— much more than in the Netherlands or Europe.
So it’s basically safe to say that the war on drugs has been nothing but a failed project or experiment. It’s also safe to say that whatever Nixon thought he would eradicate, he only made stronger. Drugs are a bigger problem today than ever.
Cocaine use in the Netherlands is also at an all-time high. Statistics show that in 1997 approximately three per cent of the population admitted to having used cocaine at least once in their lives. By 2018, this had increased to more than five per cent.
The use of cocaine by Dutch people is on the rise. Image: Kzenon/Depositphotos
The illegal status of hard drugs in the Netherlands has also not worked. If there is one thing we have learned from the decriminalisation of cannabis, it’s that the cannabis trade can be regulated, taxed, and new policies developed for the improvement of the sector. We also don’t have (cannabis) drug rings fighting over ‘territories’ anymore.
The same cannot be said of the hard drugs trade in the Netherlands. At this point, decriminalising all drugs in the country seems like the best course of action. And there are precedents for decriminalisation. Portugal is a perfect example.
The Portuguese decriminalisation of all drugs
Portugal had a long and major drug problem. In 1999, no less than 1% of the population was addicted to heroin and other hard drugs. The country also had the highest number of drug-related HIV deaths in Europe.
Portugal decided to change course in 2001 and did the unthinkable. All drugs were decriminalised, which meant that the possession of small amounts of drugs was no longer a criminal offence. Possessing drugs for personal use is instead treated as an administrative offence: no longer punishable by imprisonment and does not result in the user having a criminal record and being stigmatised.
Therefore, drug users are not arrested but must appear before a special committee where a doctor, a lawyer, and a social worker prescribes treatment or issues a fine.
Following Portugal’s example would be so much better for the Netherlands because the American war on drugs — which the Netherlands is obviously copying when it comes to hard drugs — isn’t doing us any favours.
The balloon effect
The premise of this war has always been ‘fewer drugs = fewer (societal) problems’. Or ‘no drugs = no addiction’. Therefore, the focus has been to destroy the supply of drugs. However, a lot of people, especially politicians, find it difficult to understand that destroying ‘supply’ leaves the root cause of drug use untreated. Eliminating ‘supply’ will not make ‘demand’ go away.
There is also the balloon effect to think about. The ‘balloon effect’ draws an analogy between attempts to eradicate the production of illegal drugs and the phenomenon of the same name when a latex balloon is compressed: the air does not disappear but is moved to a place with less resistance.
Pushing down on drug production in one region causes it to bulge somewhere else. All US anti-drug tactics have done is they have forced drug traffickers to search for ‘safer areas’ with less government pressure to eliminate the flow of narcotics.
And this is mostly where the Netherlands and much of Europe come in. When cartels in South America first started trafficking narcotics, their major market was Florida and New York.
When the US kickstarted the war on drugs, they immediately started searching for new markets with less government pressure. Europe became that ‘new market’ or ‘safe area’.
Nowadays, traffickers often use the Netherlands as both a market and an entry point into Europe.
How the Dutch war on drugs is different
It is important to state that drug users are treated much differently in the Netherlands than in the US. Even though there are no talks about the decriminalisation of all drugs yet, the Netherlands focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment. For example, the advent of drug consumption rooms in the Netherlands has been a welcome initiative.
Note: Drug consumption rooms are where (homeless) people struggling with a drug addiction can use their drugs in a hygienic and quiet environment under the supervision of social workers.
However, it still doesn’t solve the stigma and other injustices that go hand in hand with the illegal status of hard drugs. Think about injustices like unlawful and unfair incarceration, racial profiling, etc.
The world is not black or white
Firstly, one must never look at life with a binary mentality. Life isn’t ‘black or white’ or ‘either-or’. You may not believe it, but the writer of this piece has never done drugs in his life. Not even smoked a cigarette, but it doesn’t mean that those who use drugs should be condemned or treated as outcasts.
It is perfectly possible not to be a marijuana user and still want it to be legalised for others. In the same way, you may have never used any (hard) drug but still understand that the so-called war on drugs is bollocks.
An ideal world would be where people stay away from hard/harmful drugs, but that is not a reality. There will always be demand for soft or hard drugs, and punishment instead of rehabilitation is not the right way to handle things.
Some people are also fully aware of the harm that certain drugs pose and are willing to accept all the risks, which in all honesty, is their choice, as long as they are not hurting others. What this group of people need is help, not to be locked up and treated like terrorists.
Time to try a different approach
It’s time to try a different approach in the Netherlands. To support this stance, let us take a closer look at Portugal. The Portuguese policy on decriminalisation has led to the following results:
Drug-related HIV infections have decreased by 90% in 15 years.
The number of drug-related deaths is now the second lowest in the European Union.
Only three people per million die from an overdose, while the EU average is 17.3 per million.
The number of adults who have used drugs in the past year is steadily decreasing.
Fewer Portuguese young people use soft drugs in Europe.
The number of drug-related criminals in Portuguese prisons has fallen from 44% in 1999 to 21% in 2012.
The number of people in drug rehabilitation centres rose by 60% between 1998 and 2011.
The Portuguese model also directly influenced the 2020 decriminalisation policy passed in Oregon and the proposed decriminalisation measures in Norway.
The results of Portugal’s so-called radical plan were clearly positive. From 41% regular drug users in 2001 to 28% in 2012. The use of hard drugs, as well as the crime associated with it, decreased drastically. The number of HIV infections has also drastically reduced, as well as other drug-related problems.
However, decriminalisation is not the same as legalisation. Possessing or using drugs remains illegal in Portugal, but you won’t get a criminal record that stigmatises you for life because of it.
Benefits of decriminalising all drugs in the Netherlands
Regulation One big benefit of decriminalisation would be regulation. It would be better to take the drug trade away from cartels and drug traffickers and move it into licensed pharmacies or drug consumption rooms. This would greatly reduce the violence and bloodshed on the streets, as well as the workload for the police and other anti-drug agencies who spend so much time and effort chasing traffickers. Regulating the drug trade would also make the Netherlands so much safer in the long run. Furthermore, the Netherlands and much of Europe would be able to allocate funds that have long been wasted on the war on drugs to rehabilitation, education, and the provision of healthcare for those battling severe addiction.
No more adulterated hard drugs Another benefit is that ‘adulterated hard drugs’ would become a thing of the past. If all drugs are decriminalised, and addicts can easily access those drugs in pharmacies or drug consumption rooms, where doctors prescribe, for example, untainted, medical-grade heroin, and social workers are present to supervise the users, the number of overdoses and severely addicted people who often die from tainted drugs would greatly reduce.
Room for better education Decriminalisation would also mean being able to openly educate young people and talk to them about drugs and their effects on the human body. These effects of drugs can be taught in schools or through special weekly or monthly workshops organised by the schools and supervised by the ministries of education and health.
Reduced stigma The stigma attached to drugs would also start to dissipate with decriminalisation. For most young people, the first time they tried drugs was either due to peer pressure or wrong information from friends who mostly don’t know much about drugs. The absence of stigma makes talking about drugs and educating young people so much easier.
A safer space to try drugs Additionally, if young people are curious about trying a drug, it would be so much better for them to obtain it from a pharmacist who educates them on the effects and prescribes the proper dosage. This is much safer than getting the same drugs from a roadside drug dealer probably selling a tainted version.
Overdose prevention Ultimately, the most important benefit of decriminalising all drugs is that users can get them from clinics or pharmacies, and the severely addicted would have to be given dosages for use under supervision.
A more comprehensive drug history Another benefit is that huisarts (general practitioners) will have an overview of the kind of hard drugs their patients use or have used in the past so they can take this into account during treatments of minor or chronic illnesses.
Would decriminalising all drugs in the Netherlands work?
The fact is, not everyone is convinced that the decriminalisation of all drugs in the Netherlands (or anywhere) will save lives. The initiative often doesn’t work if not managed properly. But the truth is that the war on drugs has not borne any fruit. The collateral damage is way too much.
The decriminalisation of all drugs in the Netherlands and much of Europe would, in principle, mean that drug use would only have one victim: the user. By regulating drug use, the damage is limited, and time, effort, and funds are directed towards helping users overcome their addiction.
The Netherlands is moving away from punishment and towards treatment. Image: photographee.eu/Depositphotos
The point is, in the long run, decriminalisation will do more good than harm and make for better regulation. Drug dealers will also be less incentivised because why put so much energy into selling something legal, especially when the legal version is of better quality?
Decriminalisation also doesn’t mean that people are being encouraged to use drugs; instead, it’s all about trying to understand that addiction isn’t a sin. Addicts are not terrorists who should be thrown in prison and left to rot. They need help.
Society needs to understand that the demand for drugs is never going to disappear. People will try drugs either out of curiosity, peer pressure, the search for an escape from a difficult reality, recreational purposes, or just because they are addicted. And also that getting rid of the drug trade would still not get rid of the demand for drugs.
To summarise
The idea behind this article is not to support the use of drugs but that we should at least start the conversation on how the war on drugs has not helped anyone. It’s a conversation that many politicians are afraid to start or engage in.
Think about the fact that alcohol is legal in the Netherlands but LSD is not. This is absurd because alcohol is so much worse than LSD. So why demonise the use of LSD while allowing the populace free access to something much worse? It’s even more absurd that conservative parties like ChristenUnie always throw out decriminalisation without mentioning its benefits or disproving the relevant arguments against the war on drugs.
“It is high time we replaced punishment with aid,” Norwegian Health Minister Bent Høie said in February when talking about his country’s efforts to decriminalise all drugs. “Punishment for the possession of hard drugs leads to stigma and social exclusion.”
Oregon moved ahead in 2020 with the decriminalisation of all drugs, a trend that already exists in more than thirty countries, with more than fifty different models of decriminalisation policies. The war on drugs makes no sense, and Uruguay was brilliant to have stayed out of it. They never joined the war on drugs: this can be seen in the fact that they were the only country that never had the need to decriminalise or legalise the personal use of cannabis because it was never a criminal offence to start with.
Maybe it’s high time the Netherlands joined the decriminalisation trend. There’s a lot to learn from the progress of countries like Portugal. And even more we can learn from countries and cities that are following in their footsteps.
Do you think that decriminalising all drugs in the Netherlands would save lives or make things worse? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Yesterday, a number of Dutch persons were evacuated from the fallen Afghan city of Kabul by Ukrainian planes. The Dutch Minister of Defense announced that military air crafts would be sent to bring remaining Dutch citizens to safety.
However, the aeroplane sent by the Ministry of Defense from the Netherlands wasn’t able to land in Kabul due to the unsafe situation at the airport, reports RTL Nieuws.
Dutch government is “seriously concerned”
In a letter to the House of Representatives, the outgoing ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Asylum (Sigrid Kraag, Ank Bijleveld, and Ankie Broekers-Knol respectively) wrote they are “seriously concerned” about the Dutch people currently in Afghanistan.
Their concern also extends to Afghans who have worked for the Netherlands as well as Dutch allies in Kabul.
Nevertheless, they have assured the public that they’ll do everything they can to complete the evacuation from Afghanistan.
Onderweg is de toestemming om te landen uitgesteld. Ter plaatse wordt prioriteit gegeven aan het invliegen van versterkingen voor de beveiliging van het vliegveld.
“The military plane for evacuation from Kabul is delayed until further notice. This has to do with the local circumstances at Kabul airport.” and following up: “En route, the permission to land has been postponed. On the ground, priority is given to flying reinforcements in for airport security.”
Emergency team will be flown to Kabul today
The plan is that the embassy team currently stranded in Kabul will be replaced by an emergency team later today. The ambassador will fly in, together with the emergency team and military security personnel, to help with evacuations.
Preparations for this are currently being carried out in The Hague.
The Netherlands welcomes Afghan employees and asylum seekers
The letter also explains that paperwork for Afghans who’ve worked as interpreters for the Netherlands has been simplified to make their entry to the Netherlands smoother.
This means that, if the Ministry of Defense confirms they’ve worked for the Netherlands, the interpreters can enter the country by only showing their passport.
There have also been attempts to issue ‘laissez-passer’ documents (embassy issued certificates granting unrestricted movement) for people trying to leave Afghanistan. However, the Afghan authorities did not agree to these.
The Dutch Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) is also prepared to receive asylum seekers from Afghanistan and have made locations and barracks ready.
Agreements with the EU and NATO
In the letter, the ministers also confirm agreements made with the EU. In accordance with these, the Netherlands will receive Afghan employees of the EU delegation in Kabul, along with their families.
They’ve also extended a similar offer to NATO, confirming that the Netherlands is willing to accept local NATO employees from Kabul.
Debate in the Dutch House of Representatives and the EU Foreign Affairs Council
Today, the three ministers authoring the letter will attend a debate in the Dutch House of Representatives. They say “the events require reflection and raise many questions that must be answered in the coming period.”
In addition, the Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister, Sigrid Kraag, is discussing the situation in Kabul with the Foreign Affairs Council. The Council brings together the foreign ministers of all EU member states.
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Mark Rutte and Hugo de Jonge went on the podium once again last Friday to talk about the future of coronavirus measures in the Netherlands.
But with a mere 2.6 million viewers, it was the least-watched press conference ever. However, it was also the press conference we’ve all been waiting for — the one where they announce the end of restrictions!
Soin case you missed it, here’s the lowdown of Friday’s presser.
From August 30: higher education opens without social distancing
Earlier in the summer, Dutch universities insisted they should receive first priority next time the government decided to ease restrictions in the Netherlands — and to the great relief of students and staff, they listened.
Already before the press conference, news that higher education would reopen with physical classes after the summer was well-known outside the Parliament.
But here are the details: from August 30, Dutch universities and HBO education can open their doors to full on-campus teaching without the one and a half metre distance requirement.
After the press conference, it’s clear that letting go of social distancing within these institutions is a first step towards the total abandonment of the one and a half metre rule.
From September 20: no more social distancing in the Netherlands
While all other current measures will stay in place until September 19, the government is hoping for big changes towards the end of September. Namely, they want to end the one and a half metre rule for the rest of society.
The aim to end social distancing on September 20, does not mean the end of restrictions though. Nightclubs will still remain closed and all events with more than 75 participants will continue to require a QR code from the CoronaCheck app.
From November 1: the end of all coronavirus measures in the Netherlands
And that’s it, folks! (or so we hope). The government intends to end all measures on November 1 — yes ALL.
Before we get too excited it’s important to note that the easing and eventual end of coronavirus measures depends completely on the number of infections and hospital admissions in the Netherlands.
Outgoing Health Minister, Hugo de Jonge, also emphasised the importance of vaccinations in reaching the goals set for November 1. At the press conference, he urged all those who wish to get vaccinated to book their jab as soon as possible.
De Jonge also mentioned the possibility that testing for access to events won’t continue to be free in the long term.
Do you think the Netherlands should end restrictions by November 1? Tell us in the comments below!
Today, most people woke up to more than the regular Monday dread as news of the Taliban takeover of Kabul continues dominating papers and social media.
The much earlier than expected fall of Kabul is a tragedy for the Afghan people. Throughout yesterday and today, locals and internationals alike have been trying to leave Afghanistan, reports the NOS. Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and the Dutch’s role in Afghanistan.
Dutch evacuated by Ukraine
Early this morning, the Ukrainian foreign minister reported that his country had helped evacuate a number of Dutch people from the capital. In addition to Dutch people, Ukrainian planes flew out Ukrainians, Afghans, Croats, and Belarusians.
Ukrainian aircraft stationed in Afghanistan took citizens of Ukraine, the Netherlands, Croatia, Belarus, Afghanistan out of Kabul. They’re safe now. We don’t abandon our people & help others. In case of further requests, will do everything possible to help Ukrainians & foreigners
It’s not known exactly how many Dutch people were evacuated or what their function in Kabul was. They could be embassy staff or employees of aid organisations operating in Afghanistan.
The outgoing Minister of Defense for the Netherlands, Ank Bijleveld, said yesterday that a plane will be sent to pick up the remaining Dutch in Kabul. She also said the Netherlands is taking some other action, but wouldn’t elaborate due to security reasons.
Situatie in Afghanistan is nu heel fragiel en onzeker. We doen er alles aan om tolken, ambassade personeel en gezinnen in veiligheid te brengen. Daarbij zetten we ook militair luchttransport in.
“The situation in Afghanistan is now very fragile and uncertain. We are doing everything we can to bring interpreters, embassy personnel and families to safety. To that end, we are also deploying military air transport.”
The Dutch mission in Afghanistan was “not in vain”
Yesterday, Bijleveld explained that the almost 20-year long Dutch involvement in Afghanistan hasn’t been in vain — despite the recent developments. According to RTL Nieuws, she emphasised that international intervention has shown the Afghan people that “things can be done differently.”
In that sense, the fall of Kabul should not be seen as a return to square one. Although it’s “very sad,” according to Bijleveld, the past 20 years has given Afghanistan a new perspective on life and government. For example, the life expectancy in the country has increased from an average of 40 years to 60 years.
Bijleveld believes that there’s no longer a military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. Rather, the people will have to work for democracy themselves as “you simply cannot give a country democracy.”
Her hope is that Dutch and international involvement has given the Afghan people an image of how things could be and that they’ll take action to “do things differently.”
What was the Dutch mission in Afghanistan?
Like most missions to Afghanistan, the Dutch involvement is a story of unclear goals and complicated actions.
The Netherlands first sent soldiers to Afghanistan in 2002 as part of NATO forces under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to help fight insurgent groups and rebuild the country.
However, the Dutch were most active in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2010 with a mission in the province of Uruzgan. Technically, the mission was about providing stability and security to the region but there was also a lot of fighting. From 2006-2010, the Dutch saw quite a lot of combat and 25 soldiers were killed.
There was talk of extending the mission past 2010 but instead, the Netherlands shifted to an ‘integrated police training mission‘ in 2011. This was not without controversy and the mission was phased out in 2013 — a year earlier than planned.
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Dutch weather seems to have skipped to the end of the chapter titled ‘Summer.’ From now on, we can expect the forecast to take a page out of autumn’s book.
Yup, that was it. We hope you spent the past few days soaking up the sun because summer weather is about to become as scarce as toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.
Today will see temperatures plummet by up to 9 degrees compared to yesterday with the average temperature expected to reach 18 degrees. As Thomas Vermeulen of Buienradar puts it, things are about to “feel more autumnal” in the Netherlands.
While the sun may make an occasional appearance to remind us of what once was, the vibes will be very much pumpkin spice latte — without the beautiful changing of the leaves.
Strong winds to lead to code yellow in parts
In fact, while the leaves haven’t yet started to turn yellow, Dutch weather will make up for it with a code yellow wind warning in parts of the country.
According to the KNMI, winds will pick up significantly this evening with gusts of up to 100 km/per hour expected in the north of the Netherlands.
Anyone holidaying up in the Wadden Islands, Groningen or the coast of Friesland can expect to take the brunt of this weather.
Mixed weather ahead — but nothing too great
As for the rest of the week, we can expect a bit of a mixed bag. While the sun will occasionally reappear, it won’t have balmy temperatures to accompany it. Instead, we can expect periods of sunshine and rain with temperatures lingering between the high teens and low twenties.
Are you ready to get autumnal? Tell us your thoughts on Dutch weather in the comments below.
The annual figures of Fairtrade Netherlands show that Dutch folks are increasingly buying “fair products”. Sales of Fairtrade cocoa products increased by 16% last year. A further 89,5% of Dutch households also bought a Fairtrade product in 2020.
Too many people who make the food we eat are being exploited. They work under dire conditions or earn too little to escape poverty. That is why many people are increasingly opting for Fairtrade products. How does that work? Let us discuss fair trade.
What is fair and (un) fair trade?
Fair trade is often not self-evident. This is due to enormous power differences. The stores where you do your shopping are often large companies that turn over millions. That gives them a lot of power.
Too often, large corporations, such as supermarkets, abuse this power to push down their purchasing prices as much as possible, even below the price of making products. They can afford to do this because most of the products they buy in are made through cheap labour. This, in turn, leads to unfair trade.
Organisations such as Fairtrade ensure that products are traded under conditions that are fair, with respect for people and the environment. Under Fairtrade, for example, workers have the right to form and join trade unions, and forced or child labour is also prohibited.
Additionally, farmers and producers receive fair pay for the work hey put in. Fairtrade also ensures long-term trade relations, so that farmers and producers can invest in themselves, their families, and the communities in which they live. Extra attention is also paid to the environment.
Fairtrade isn’t just a quality mark. It is a worldwide movement of many people who bear in mind the people behind a product when they sell it. And who, when buying products, don’t just think about how to buy it as cheaply as possible.
These are people who also pay attention to the two sides that are involved in the trade: the buyer and the seller. And take that into account. Do those who make/grow the products receive a fair price? Do they have reasonable working conditions? Is the trade chain transparent? Is there respect for the environment?
Unfair trade means that many farmers and workers in developing countries live in poverty. Workers often do not know whether they can feed their families, or pay their children’s school fees and afford healthcare for themselves and their loved ones because they earn that little. The income of farmers can suddenly collapse due to changing prices on the world market. That makes it virtually impossible to support their families and grow their businesses.
Fairtrade hopes to put an end to unfettered and unsustainable capitalism: where companies must learn to respect human rights and understand that making a profit should not be at the expense of human beings and the environment.
When people buy products with quality marks, they show businesses, especially clothing stores and supermarkets that they care about sustainability. Fairtrade labels for products such as tea, coffee, and fruit or ASC and MSC for fish and shrimps contribute to consumers paying more and more attention to people and the environment behind a product. Most importantly, it ensures that the farmers and workers behind a product earn more money.
What does the Fairtrade logo stand for?
Fairtrade sets the highest standards for production conditions and prices of all quality marks. It must be sustainable for people and nature. They also monitor the production chains. In addition, they inform consumers about the products they buy with the use of a quality mark on the packaging. The Fairtrade label is an international quality mark.
If you see the Fairtrade logo, for example on coffee, chocolate, or fruits, you know that the supplier:
Pays a minimum price, with which the farmer should be able to comfortably pay the costs of the production. The minimum price should prevent the farmer from making a loss if the price of a product (suddenly) falls.
Has paid a premium to the cooperative of which the farmer is a member. The farmers in the cooperative decide together how they spend that money, such as buying machines or building a (village) school. This distinguishes Fairtrade from many other quality marks.
Respects the environment in the production chain.
Note: While all of these requirements can help prevent poverty, also understand that Fairtrade on its own cannot eradicate poverty.
Government policy is also needed. For example, in a country where capitalism is unfettered and there is widespread corruption, lack of quality and free healthcare and education, and other infrastructure and government policies to lift people out of poverty, there isn’t much that Fairtrade can do. But yes, Fairtrade does help in its own small way.
Is there also criticism of quality marks?
Many new quality marks have been added in recent years. Unfortunately, this does not mean that all labels are 100% exploitation-free.
Sometimes, for example, only the farmers in the production chain are considered, but not the workers in the processing industry. In most cases, not all ingredients in a product are certified.
Fairtrade products ensure proper pay for a product. Image: Maria Orlova/Pexels.
Actually, the more parts are needed to make a (final) product, the bigger the chance that the product will not turn out to be fair. And some brands that certify products do not have enough independent checks. In addition, not all quality marks protect farmers and workers to the same degree.
Are “organic” products always fair trade?
“Organic” is not automatically a guarantee of fair trade and fair trade is not automatically organic. If a product states that it’s organic, it means that it meets strict environmental requirements.
For example, it may mean that the product does not have additives, farmers didn’t make use of fertiliser, and that insects and other diseases that kill crops were eliminated with natural means instead of chemicals. “Organic” does not necessarily mean, for example, that a farmer received a minimum guarantee price.
Nowadays in the Netherlands, there are also products that are both Fairtrade and organic certified, such as bananas, tea, and coffee.
How can you take part in the Fairtrade movement in the Netherlands?
Everyone in the Netherlands can easily buy Fairtrade products in their local grocery stores. You can even take it up a notch and participate in your municipality’s Fairtrade campaign. Most gemeentenin the Netherlands have one. And participation definitely pays off; for you, your local Fairtrade organisation, the small and medium scale businesses that are involved, and especially for farmers and producers in developing countries.
The added value of participating is different for everyone. For some, it means building a larger network and gaining work experience. For others, it could be a means of promotion or being able to proudly show which Fairtrade products they sell or serve. But what they all have in common is that through the campaign they work locally with other companies, shops, residents, and the local government towards more fair trade products.
You participate by selling or using fair trade products yourself and actively promoting the products and businesses. You can also become a member of the core group in your municipality which actively encourages other people and organisations in the municipality to also opt for fair trade.
Fairtrade Gemeenten (Fairtrade in your local Municipality)
Fairtrade Gemeenten or “Fairtrade Municipality” in English, is an honourable title that indicates that in a municipality, shops, catering establishments, companies, organisations, residents, and the local government work together to engage in fair trade.
To earn this title, the local community has to work on six campaign criteria. For example, the criteria stipulate that a local group of volunteers must be active, municipalities must buy their products (such as coffee) sustainably themselves and fair products must be sold in local shops, etc.
By promoting the use of fairtrade products, Dutch municipalities can get involved. Image: Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels
An independent jury then assesses whether municipalities meet these criteria and whether they can be designated as a Fairtrade Municipality. Since 2013, it has also been possible for provinces to obtain the title “Fairtrade Province.”
The campaign aims to increase the demand for, and the supply of, fair trade products. In order to provide more employment and better living and working conditions for farmers and producers in developing countries, more fair trade products must be sold.
This also applies in the Netherlands. The campaign stimulates this by rewarding entrepreneurs, employees, buyers, and consumers with positive attention and publicity for their choice for fair trade.
In 2007, ICCO, the National Association of World Shops and the Max Havelaar Foundation took the initiative to roll out the campaign in the Netherlands as well. In 2009, Goes and Groningen became the first Fairtrade Municipalities in the Netherlands. At the end of 2017, there were approximately 85 Fairtrade municipalities in the Netherlands and more than 2,000 worldwide.
The “Fairtrade Municipality” campaign also exists abroad. In 2001, Garstang, in the UK, became the world’s first Fairtrade Town. And since then, nearly 2,300 municipalities have already followed in their footsteps. For more information, visit Fairtrade Towns.
Fairtrade churches in the Netherlands
One interesting thing about Fairtrade in the Netherlands is that there are also Fairtrade churches in some municipalities. Some churches organise street markets where they sell Fairtrade products as a way of raising funds. Visit Fairtrade Gemeente Gouda for how you can turn your church or religious gathering into a Fairtrade organisation.
A fair trade future for the Netherlands?
If there is one thing the pandemic has shown us, it’s that unfettered and unsustainable capitalism only works for a few rich and privileged people. It destroys lives and is literally poisonous to our environment. This has been the “normal way” for years and it’s time that there’s a new way.
While Fairtrade may not be a new concept, we need it now more than ever. Discounts at our local supermarkets may be nice but most of the discounted products are not fair trade. We may not (yet) know what the “new normal” will be when the pandemic is over, but one thing we can try to do is make sure we buy more fair trade products and take part in the Fairtrade initiatives in our municipalities.
When we buy Fairtrade products, we don’t just support our local fair businesses, we also support fair businesses in other parts of the developing world. If there was ever a time to pay more attention to the businesses we support with our money, it’s now! We can all make a difference, one euro at a time.
Do you buy Fairtrade products and have you ever been to a Fairtrade Municipality or town? Share your thoughts on Fairtrade in the comments below!
In January, it was revealed that the GGD had suffered a data leak. Now, an investigation by RTL Nieuws reports that many victims of the leak weren’t informed — and the breach appears to be larger than initially reported.
Did you receive a coronavirus test or a vaccine through the GGD? Then you will have given over personal information including your date of birth, address, full name, BSN, and telephone number.
This is the information that was leaked during the data breach. Initially, the GGD reported that 1,250 people in their systems had fallen victim to the breach.
Many not informed of the leak
However, criminals are now selling lists with the information of thousands of people online, RTL Nieuws reports.
When journalists obtained a list containing the personal information of 600 people, they decided to call 10 random victims and ask if they were aware that their data was being sold.
And were they? No. The GGD hadn’t contacted them at all. Some had no idea that their information was leaked, one victim asking “Why have I not been informed by the GGD, and why can’t they see that my data has been stolen?”
Others already suspected that their data may have been leaked. One victim said, “But that I haven’t heard anything is really not okay, I expected at least a letter with an apology.”
More victims than initially claimed
Indeed, the list of 600 names was just the beginning of what was offered by criminals online. Based on this, it is expected that there are many victims of data breaches at the GGD.
A spokesperson for the GGD confirmed to RTL Nieuws that the actual number of victims remains unknown, saying “It is not clear when the police will complete the investigation and whether there are any more victims.”
What are your thoughts on the GGD’s handling of the leak? Tell us in the comments below!
Since the Netherlands is likely to be harder hit by rising sea levels, it makes sense that the Dutch are worried about climate change.In a study commissioned by RTL Nieuws, two out of three Dutchies think the cabinet needs to be doing more to combat it.
This research comes out a week after it was revealed that the Dutch government is responsible for 20% of the country’s carbon footprint. It’s not surprising that people think it could be pulling it’s weight a bit more.
It turns out a lot of Dutchies care about the climate. Nearly 80% of those surveyed said they were concerned about climate change. The survey was conducted on a representative group of people aged 15 or older.
Industry also plays a part
More than half of respondents think that the government isn’t doing enough to tackle climate change, and 50% think it hasn’t taken enough action in recent years. But the Dutch government isn’t the only one to blame.
Even though they think the government should lend more of a helping hand, 9 out of 10 surveyed think that large industrial companies need to do more to curb carbon emissions.
There’s still (some) time
On Monday, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their conclusions. Despite noting that the climate has irreversibly changed thanks to human influence, there is still a chance to save it if we act now.
However, reducing global warming means we have to take immediate action on a global scale. We can stabilise our climate if carbon emissions fall drastically.
What do you think? Does the government need to be doing more to tackle climate change? Let us know in the comments!
The end of online education is finally in sight! Students and lecturers are taking a collective sigh of relief after news broke that restrictions in higher education may end. This is yet to be confirmed in the press conference tonight.
Earlier this summer, Dutch universities made it clear to the government that, in their eyes, higher education should be the number one priority when it came to further relaxation of measures. And it seems the government listened, reports the NOS.
What will the new academic year look like?
When higher education begins in September, students can expect a return to pre-corona teaching (almost).
Over the past year and a half, students could only take one or two classes on campus per week. Now, in-person classes are finally back on the schedule as the new academic year is expected to be fully on campus.
Moreover, students won’t have to adhere to the one-and-a-half metres social distancing requirement. Something Dutch universities have described as disruptive to learning.
It’s not just students who are over the moon about this decision:
Het hoger onderwijs mag na de zomer volledig open. @MvP_VanPraag van de VU: “Ik had echt tranen in mijn ogen. Ook om de anderhalvemeterregel laten varen, dat is heel erg belangrijk voor ons om studenten ruimte te geven voor hun persoonlijke ontwikkeling.” #Op1pic.twitter.com/OlCjW34AAM
“I really had tears in my eyes. Also to let go of the one and a half meter rule, that is very important for us to give students room for their personal development,” says @MvP_VanPraag from the VU.
Some measures remain
Not all restrictions are lifted from higher education in the Netherland though. Likely, the capacity in lecture halls will be limited to 75 students and all facilities should be well ventilated. One-way traffic should be enforced in all buildings as well.
Voluntary testing might also be part of students’ new routine when attending university.
What do you think of the new measures for Dutch higher education? Tell us in the comments below!
