The Netherlands : is this member of the EU still a tax haven ?

Over decades, the Netherlands developed a reputation for being a tax haven. It became infamous as a part of the ‘Double Irish Dutch Sandwich’, Google’s construct to shift profits via Ireland and the Netherlands to Bermuda. Effectively, the Netherlands is a conduit country that helps to funnel profits from high-tax countries to tax havens. Particularly the Dutch Special Purpose Entities attract income, often as interest and royalty payments, and pass it on, effectively untaxed, to tax havens.

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https://www.eur.nl/en/news/netherlands-still-tax-haven

The Netherlands: Sitting on top of major gas reserves.

Despite skyrocketing energy prices and a shortage of natural gas supply in the European Union, the Dutch government has taken the decision to proceed with the closure of natural gas wells in the Groningen region. The field is one of the biggest in the world, worth up to 1000 billion Euros. But for now, it's a treasure that will remain untapped for the forseeable future.

The reason the decision was taken was because of seismic shocks triggered by the gas extraction in the area. Some 1200 earthquakes have been recorded so far, with around 27,000 homes being severely damaged and deemed unsafe to live in. That's according Jan Wigboldus, president of the Groningen Gas Council, an umbrella group representing civil society organisations in the impacted region.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

The Netherlands: Health insurance to rise by €10 a month, government sources say

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The paper bases its claim on government sources, who suggest the €10 monthly rise will be included in the health ministry budget, due to be announced next Tuesday. The government determines the make-up of the basic healthcare insurance policy and insurers are free to compete on price, top up premiums and other issues such as choice of hospital.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

more at: Health insurance to rise by €10 a month, government sources say - DutchNews.nl

Netherlands Inflation Rate

The Netherlands information rate as of the end of August

The Netherlands' annual inflation rate surged to 12.0% in August 2022 from 10.3% a month earlier. It was the quickest rise in consumer prices since the series began in 1971, mainly boosted by higher prices in energy (151.4% vs 108%), largely due to electricity (149.6%), gas (170.1%). Also, prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rising the most on record for second month (13.0% vs 12.2% in July), largely due to oils & fats, milk, cheese and eggs; and coffee, tea, and cocoa. Additional upward pressures also came from prices of housing (22.7% vs 16.8%), clothing and footwear (3.3% vs 1.9%), furnishings & household equipment (8.8% vs 8.6%), and recreation & culture (4.0% vs 4.3%). The annual core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco climbed to a new record high of 5.0% in August from July’s of 4.9%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices were up by 2.0% in August, following a 2.1% rise in July, which was the highest inflation rate since April 1976. source: Statistics Netherlands

Read more at: https://tradingeconomics.com/netherlands/inflation-cpi

  

   

The Netherlands: Record number of vacancies as staff shortages in Netherlands grow

At the end of December, there were 387,000 unfilled vacancies in the Netherlands - 105 vacancies per 100 unemployed. In the third quarter, there were 372,000 vacancies or 93 per 100 unemployed. As in previous quarters, most vacancies were in trade, business services, and care. Together, these three sectors account for half of the open vacancies. 

The number of employees with a permanent contract increased by 34,000 to 5.3 million - the highest since 2013. According to CBS chief economist Peter Hein van Mulligen, this clearly shows the storage in the labor market. "Coronavirus hardly had any effect on permanent contracts. The number of people with permanent jobs has been growing for some time. It may be a strategy of employers to bind people to them if higher wages are not an option. The risk is now limited for them too," he said, according to NOS.

The number of employees with a flexible contract also increased in the fourth quarter, by about 38,000 compared to the previous quarter.

Van Mulligen called the increasing staff shortages striking. "Over 70 percent of the Dutch population between 15 and 75 currently have paid work. That has never been so high, and it is higher every month. We will have to get used to it.

 Read more at: Record number of vacancies as staff shortages in Netherlands grow | NL Times

USA: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes

Uber has been using a complex tax shelter involving around 50 Dutch shell companies to reduce its global tax bill, according to recent research from the Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research.

In 2019, Uber claimed $4.5 billion in global operating losses (excluding the US and China) for tax purposes — in reality, it brought in $5.8 billion in operating revenue, according to CICTAR, an Australia-based research group.

Uber had previously disclosed details about its Dutch tax haven in 2019, when it moved its intellectual property from Bermuda to the Netherlands, but CICTAR's research sheds more light on how the company has structured its network of shell companies.

Read more at: US: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxe...

The Netherlands: The Dutch Rethink the Welfare State

When the Netherlands’ newly coronated king made his first annual appearance before parliament, he turned some heads when he addressed the deficiencies of the Dutch welfare state. “Due to social developments such as globalisation and an ageing population, our labour market and public services are no longer suited to the demands of the times”, the king said in a speech written by Liberal prime minister Mark Ruttes cabinet. “The classical welfare state is slowly but surely evolving into a ‘participation society’”, Willem-Alexander continued. By this he meant that the public systems should start encouraging self-reliance over government dependency.

It is worthwhile to reflect on the challenges faced by the Dutch welfare system. In a knowledge based economy, influenced by strong global competition and dynamic economic development, public policy must encourage thrift, education and build-up of social capital. Discouragingly high taxes and encouragingly high benefits are no way of doing so. Such policies are therefore likely to become even greater obstacles to social and economic development as they are today.

Read more at: The Dutch Rethink the Welfare State | Newgeography.com

The Netherlands: Dutch police are being infiltrated by criminal gangs, report says

Dutch police unions have called for extra training in resisting approaches from criminal gangs after a report concluded that the recent firing of dozens of officers for corruption and security breaches could prove “the tip of the iceberg”.

The Algemeen Dagblad (AD) newspaper said the confidential police report confirmed suspicions that forces around the country were being infiltrated by organised crime, with 19 officers from the mid-Netherlands force alone found to have underworld connections.

Netherlands becoming a narco-state, warn Dutch police

The paper said dozens of officers had been suspended or dismissed in recent weeks over offences and allegations of corruption in office, fraud, professional misconduct, breach of official secrecy, dereliction of duty and misuse of police computers.

Note EU-Digest: Even though the article attached is three years old, problems remain as do cost overruns in the Dutch government's efforts to re9rganize the Dutch police force

Read more at: Dutch police are being infiltrated by criminal gangs, report says | Netherlands | The Guardian

Netherlands heatwawave:Holland to Introduce Orange Weather Alert on Tuesday Due to Heatwave

msterdam- The Netherlands will issue an orange weather alert code due to a heatwave on July 19, the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute said on Monday.

“Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 19, the weather will be very hot. An orange weather code will be introduced throughout the centre and south of the country due to high temperatures,” the Dutch national weather forecasting service said on Twitter​​​.

Temperature in the Netherlands is expected to reach up to 38-39 degrees Celsius, according to the weather service.

Read more at: Netherlands to Introduce Orange Weather Alert on Tuesday Due to Heatwave - Map Ecology

The Netherlands: Dutch government to tackle shortage of workers with national plan

The Cabinet will come up with a course of action to combat the shortage of workers personnel, including Tunspecified "further measures.” But most plans will only take effect in the future, with new policies enacted by the government expected to remain in place for a longer period of time. The shortage on the labor market will still be felt for quite some time as a result.

On Friday, Minister of Social Affairs Karien van Gennip and colleagues wrote an extensive letter to the Tweede Kamer about the shortage of workers. This shortage is acutely visible in everyday life, such as in public transport and at Schiphol Airport. The government must also act, in addition to the important role employers play, the minister acknowledged.

Read more at: Dutch government to tackle shortage of workers with national plan | NL Times

The Netherlands: Farmers blockade supermarket distribution in protest at sustainability policy

Dutch farmers have blocked multiple supermarket distribution centres, in the latest protest against forced farm closures. Police yesterday advised people to work from home after farmers threatened to bring the entire country ‘to a standstill

Protests are also expected around Schiphol airport on Monday, which has called for travellers to come by public transport.

Read more at: Farmers blockade supermarket distribution in protest at sustainability policy - DutchNews.nl

The Netherlands: Dutch police reorganisation to take twice as long, cost twice as much

The reorganisation of the Dutch police network to create a national police body will take twice as long and cost twice as much as forecast, according to current affairs programme Nieuwsuur.

Nieuwsuur bases its claims on a confidential report on progress so far by justice minister Ard van der Steur. In the report, Steur states: ‘The period allocated to organise the basis will be extended from two years to five.’ Nieuwsuur also claims the budget is being doubled from €230m to €460m.

Note EU-Digest: Presently the system is not only plagued by reorganizational problems, but also by what many people describe as incompetence and lazyness.

Read more at: Dutch police reorganisation to take twice as long, cost twice as much - DutchNews.nl

Ukraine War: Germany, Netherlands promise additional howitzers to Ukraine

The latest weapons pledges come after the first delivery of German heavy weapons arrived in Ukraine last week. Kyiv has urged for allies to send more modern weapons as Russia's invasion presses on.

Germany and the Netherlands will deliver six additional self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and her Dutch counterpart Kasja Ollongren announced on Tuesday in Madrid.

The two officials made the announcement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Spanish capital. Each of the two countries will provide three of the artillery weapons.

"We show our resolve and our commitment to Ukraine, and not to give in to this Russian aggression," Ollongren said.

Read more at: Germany, Netherlands promise additional howitzers to Ukraine | News | DW | 28.06.2022

The Netherlands: Fun facts about the Netherlands

Did you know that the Netherlands is the most densely populated country in Europe? Is it true that the Dutch really eat so much cheese? What about the football madness, all those flapping flags on 27 April and the famous 'fight against the water'? Read the facts and trivia about our country, the royal family and things you might notice during your visit.

Internationally, the Dutch are known to be rather direct in their approach. We simply call that honesty and openness. We like to complain, especially about the weather, but we also find creative and innovative solutions for everything. Some 17.5 million people live in an area of 41,5000 square kilometres in the Netherlands. Is that a lot? Yes, the Netherlands is not only the most densely populated country in the EU, but one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Over 40% live in the 'Randstad', the area between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht.

Read more at: Fun facts about the Netherlands - Holland.com

The Netherlands: Russian secret agent unmasked trying to inflitrate war crimes court, Netherlands says

The Dutch secret service revealed details of an operation they carried out to stop a Russian spy from getting inside the International Criminal Court in The Hague — where alleged war crimes in Ukraine are being investigated.

"The AIVD (Dutch secret service) prevented a Russian intelligence officer from gaining access as a trainee to the International Criminal Court (ICC)," the agency said in a statement, adding that the individual was working for the Russian military intelligence agency GRU.

Identified by the AIVD as Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 36, the man was using an extensive Brazilian cover identity to travel from Brazil to the Netherlands, the Dutch secret service said, adding that this kind of deep background story, with documentation, can take years to develop.

Read more at: Russian secret agent unmasked trying to inflitrate war crimes court, Netherlands says | Euronews

The Netherlands Economy is the Most Competitive in Europe

The Dutch economy rivals European and global competitors making it a welcoming, stable and rewarding choice for foreign businesses to invest. The Netherlands’ GDP per capita is above EU averages and ahead of most nations. The Dutch economy has proven time and time again to be a powerhouse on the global stage. The Dutch punch above their weight by ranking as the most competitive economy in Europe and fourth in the world according to the World Economic Forum, the fourth most competitive nation in the 2020 IMD rankings and fifth in the 2020 Global Innovations Index.

Read more at: The Netherlands Economy is the Most Competitive in Europe

Ukraine War: Gazprom to stop supplying gas to Dutch trading giant -

Russian gas company Gazprom is to stop supplying gas to Dutch trading firm GasTerra from tomorrow because of a dispute over payments. The dispute centres on Russian president Putin’s insistence that foreign countries pay for their gas supplies in roubles. Paying in roubles would both break EU sanctions and require GasTerra to open a bank account in Russia and this poses too great a financial and operational risk, Gasterra said in a press release. ‘GasTerra has decided not to comply with Gazprom’s unilateral payment requirements,’ the company said. ‘In response to this … Gazprom has announced that it will discontinue its supply with effect from 31 May 2022.’ -Advertentie- Energy minister Rob Jetten said in a reaction that he understood GasTerra’s position and that the decision would not have an impact on supplies to households or companies. The company had bought in extra supplies and ‘the cabinet is continuing to monitor the situation closely,’ he said. GasTerra’s contract with Gazprom ends on October 1. The company supplies gas to local authorities, energy firms and big industrial customers. New sources The Dutch cabinet agreed at the end of April to try to end the Netherlands’ reliance on Russian gas by the end of the year, replacing the supply by saving energy, better energy efficiency and imports from other countries. The cabinet also said earlier that it has no plans to start using gas from the Groningen fields, which are currently being closed down, to replace Russian gas. European market ‘The European gas market is both highly integrated and large,’ Gasterra said. ‘It is impossible to say in advance what effect the loss of two billion cubic metres of Russian gas will have on the supply/demand situation and whether the European market can absorb this loss of supply with limited consequences. ‘GasTerra has repeatedly urged Gazprom to respect the contractually agreed payment structure and delivery obligations, unfortunately to no avail,’ Gasterra said.

Denmark’s biggest utility company Orsted is also faced with being cut off from Russian gas supplies from May 31. Finland, Poland and Bulgaria were cut off earlier.

The Dutch cabinet agreed at the end of April to try to end the Netherlands’ reliance on Russian gas by the end of the year, replacing the supply by saving energy, better energy efficiency and imports from other countries.- note EU-Digest: the Netherlands imports from Russia are approximately 3 % of the local consumption

Read more at Gazprom to stop supplying gas to Dutch trading giant - DutchNews.nl

The Netherlands:Second case of monkeypox found in the Netherlands: Reports RIVM

The number of monkeypox cases in the Netherlands has risen and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said that "a few patients" have now been found. The virus has also been classified as an A-disease on the advice of the RIVM, which means that infections or suspicions must be reported immediately, according to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

Read more at: Second case of monkeypox found in the Netherlands: RIVM | NL Times

The Netherlands: Chaos at Schiphol Airport continues, staffing issues will take time to fix

he meivakantie - typically one of the busiest times of the year for Dutch airports - kicked off with an unexpected strike amongst KLM baggage handlers on April 23, leading to a number of flights being severely delayed or even cancelled, and leaving families disappointed about disrupted holiday plans.

Even once the strike was called off and unions appeared to reach an agreement with KLM management, the chaos at Schiphol Airport continued. With the airport suffering from considerable staff shortages following the coronavirus pandemic, management called on airlines to scrap flights over the weekend to prevent excessive crowds. At Schiphol’s request, KLM cancelled at least 47 flights, while other airlines - including Transavia, Tui and Corendon - rerouted flights to other airports in the Netherlands.

Holidaymakers face long queues and delays at biggest Dutch airport In spite of these scheduling changes, travellers continued to face excessive queues and long wait times over the weekend. On Saturday, some passengers faced queues of up to two hours for security, while others had to wait outside for their baggage after landing. Firefighters handed out bottles of water to passengers queueing to check in for their flights.

“It was very busy at the airport all afternoon,” a spokesperson said on Sunday, “but the crowds are and were manageable.” The airport expects large crowds on Monday too, but is confident that the worst is over. "It will still be a holiday on Monday, so it is very likely that it will be busy again and people will have to wait longer than usual."

Mark Harbers, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, has recognised the issues staff and travellers currently face at the Netherlands’ biggest airport, but says it’ll take some time before these will be resolved: “Staff shortages are a problem that extends beyond the aviation sector, and which cannot be solved 1, 2, 3."

Read more at: Chaos at Schiphol continues, staffing issues will take time to fix

The Netherlands: Dutch king lays wreath, thousands attend remembrance event

Dutch King Willem-Alexander laid a wreath Wednesday at a war memorial in Amsterdam during the first national commemoration of the country's war dead since coronavirus restrictions were lifted earlier this year.

Thousands of people — including at least one draped in a Ukrainian flag — observed two minutes of silence at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) on the Dutch capital's Dam Square. It was a marked difference from the last two May 4 wreath-laying ceremonies in Amsterdam, which were held without public attendance because of COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Amid the memories of past conflicts, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema alluded to the war in Ukraine when she described in a speech photographs of death and destruction following a bombing raid on the Dutch capital during World War II. “They are old photos, but the imagery is current,” she said.

Read more at: Dutch king lays wreath, thousands attend remembrance event | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source