Career

The Dutch Data Protection Authority is calling for urgent government action to regulate artificial intelligence and protect citizens from discrimination. The watchdog warns that current oversight is insufficient to manage risks such as deepfakes, fraud, and the impact of chatbots on young users.

About two thousand ASML employees held a walkout to protest against planned layoffs and a lack of transparency from management. Union leaders and international staff expressed deep concerns over increased workloads and the specific residency challenges facing the expat community. The scale of the protest is intended to pressure the company into reconsidering its current reorganisation strategy.

European email services are gaining popularity as secure alternatives to traditional providers like Gmail. These companies, based in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, offer encrypted communication and strict data protection. Users can choose from various plans that prioritise either personal privacy or professional productivity.

The Veldhoven chip-machine giant ASML is planning to expand its expertise into the field of advanced packaging to support the AI revolution. By developing tools that connect specialised chips, the company aims to secure its position in the semiconductor industry for the next fifteen years.

ASML employees will stage a walk-out on 3 March to protest against the company’s plan to cut 1,700 jobs. Trade unions are organising the action to challenge the necessity of the redundancies and demand better protection for the workforce.

The Netherlands has begun testing GPT-NL, a home-grown artificial intelligence model built to safeguard digital sovereignty. Backed by a €13.5 million government investment, the project aims to provide a secure alternative to foreign AI platforms for Dutch organisations. By using local news archives and forensic expertise, the model is designed to uphold European values and strict privacy standards.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten is attempting to bridge a growing divide with trade unions over controversial plans to raise the state pension age. While the government remains committed to a "sustainable" pension system, unions are furious over what they see as a breach of previous agreements. Early data suggests recent changes have boosted average payouts, but the political battle over future retirement ages continues.