Business

OPEC oil production has fallen to its lowest level in 36 years due to the war in Iran, which has halted exports and forced shutdowns. Kuwait and Iran saw major declines, while U.S. oil exports hit a record high as global supply routes shift.

Dutch scale-up QuantWare has secured €152 million to build a major quantum processor factory in Delft. Backed by Intel and Invest-NL, the move will increase production twentyfold and solidify the Netherlands' status as a global technology hub.

US tariff plans are intensifying pressure on Europe, with Germany warning of recession risks if trade tensions escalate. The Netherlands is not facing broad US sanctions, but it remains exposed to fallout through ASML export controls, ICC-related measures and weaker trade flows across the region.

The Netherlands has declined to join Canada’s new Defence, Security & Resilience Bank, opting instead to focus on a competing initiative alongside the UK and Finland. While the Canadian-led bank is designed to help less wealthy allies rearm, the Dutch Ministry of Finance is prioritising the Multilateral Defence Mechanism (MDM), which focuses on joint procurement for wealthier nations. By choosing this path, the Netherlands joins Germany and France in bypassing the Canadian project to support a European-centric model aimed at pooling resources and helping smaller supply-chain businesses scale up military production.

Since 1 March, the Tax and Customs Administration has processed a record-breaking 10.7 million tax returns, surpassing last year’s total of 10.5 million. This milestone has been attributed to a smoother digital process and an increase in pre-filled data, though over 53,000 taxpayers still sought free personal assistance to complete their filings. While more than 3 million people have requested extensions—primarily businesses represented by tax advisers—those who met the early April deadline can expect their official assessments to arrive by 1 July.

New car registrations in the Netherlands fell by nearly 5 per cent in April, totalling 25,704 units, as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty prompted the business sector to postpone purchases. This decline follows a volatile start to 2026, largely attributed to a surge in late-2025 sales where leasing companies rushed to beat less favourable tax rules for company cars.

The war in the Middle East is pushing Air France‑KLM’s fuel bill up by 2.4 billion dollars this year, with higher ticket prices and a trimmed growth plan the most visible effects for passengers.

Exports slow and Middle East tensions cloud the outlook, but consumption and several key sectors signal underlying resilience.