New passenger car sales in the Netherlands are expected to fall in 2027, driven by changes to vehicle taxation and a slowing economy. While demand for new cars is forecast to soften, the market for light commercial vehicles is expected to continue its recovery.

Former students may face higher student loan interest rates than previously planned, as rising global borrowing costs make a proposed interest cap increasingly expensive. The government is now exploring alternative measures to limit the financial impact on borrowers.

The number of European patent applications filed by universities, research institutes, and research hospitals has more than doubled over the past two decades. According to the European Patent Office, the Netherlands is among the strongest growth markets, with TNO leading Dutch institutions in patent filings.

Websites and digital services operated by municipalities, provinces, water boards, and national agencies are back online after precautionary shutdowns linked to vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language. Authorities say there is no evidence that the vulnerabilities were exploited or that any misuse occurred.

The PHP Foundation cited internal deadlocks and limited resources as the cause of a delayed patch for a critical security flaw first identified in 2024. Information leaks forced a premature public disclosure, triggering preventive system shutdowns across Dutch infrastructure, including Schiphol Airport and Ahold Delhaize. Emergency patches have now been released, while the foundation overhauled its governance rules to streamline future security responses.

Schiphol Airport has disabled its mobile app as a precautionary measure following a global security vulnerability identified in the PHP programming language. Although saved flights remain visible within the app, live data feeds are currently offline to prevent potential exploitation. The airport's main website remains unaffected, and travellers are advised to check real-time flight details online.

Albert Heijn has begun restoring its digital systems following a major cyber attack, reopening customer service chat and resuming online grocery orders for subscription holders. Although delivery capacity remains at one-third of normal levels, the retailer expects full services and delivery schedules to expand throughout the week. Meanwhile, parent company Ahold Delhaize has filed an official police report as retail experts estimate lost revenue could reach €200 million.

Regional transport employers have made a new proposal to FNV and CNV in an effort to restart collective labour agreement talks. Employers want unions to halt industrial action for six weeks if negotiations resume, while a second nationwide strike is planned for Thursday.