News

Eindhoven is growing rapidly and becoming increasingly international, yet many residents still live alongside one another. The StadsMakers International programme brings locals and internationals together to design practical initiatives that strengthen neighbourhood connections. On 28 June, participants present their solutions during the StadsMakers Expo at Strijp‑S.

The Dutch health ministry has activated its national heatwave plan as temperatures are forecast to reach 39°C. Authorities have issued a code orange warning, which means the extreme heat poses a health risk to the entire population. Official guidance outlines how to stay cool, travel safely, and spot the signs of serious heat-related illness.

Drugstore employees at Etos, Kruidvat, and Holland & Barrett will strike again on Saturday, FNV says. The union is protesting proposed cuts to Sunday pay and stalled collective labor agreement talks.

The Supreme Court has ruled that taxpayers who failed to object to the Box 3 levy on time will not receive compensation, despite the tax later being declared unlawful. The decision affects more than a million people hoping for a refund.

Dutch and European electricity prices are soaring to multi-year highs this Wednesday evening as an intense heatwave triggers record demand for air conditioning. Wholesale prices in the Netherlands will hit 902.47 euros per megawatt-hour at 20:45, driven by high cooling demands, low wind energy output, and French nuclear power limits. The surge will push retail dynamic contracts to an all-time high of 1.203 euros per kilowatt-hour, prompting consumer experts to warn households to avoid using heavy appliances between 19:30 and 22:00.

The KNMI has expanded its code orange extreme heat warning to include the northern provinces of Drenthe, Friesland, and Groningen starting Friday at midnight. While the rest of the Netherlands has been under a code orange warning since Wednesday, the northern region will transition from code yellow, while the Wadden Islands will enter a code yellow alert. Meteorologists have also extended the duration of the national warnings until at least Friday midday, with a strong likelihood that the extreme heat alerts will continue through Saturday.

Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma has rejected a proposed US bill, the Match Act, which threatens to force the Netherlands into cutting off ASML's chip technology exports and maintenance services to China. Following talks in Washington, Sjoerdsma asserted that export controls must rely on voluntary cooperation rather than American coercion, warning that unilateral mandates threaten Dutch economic sovereignty. While the US pushes for sweeping bans, the Netherlands maintains its stance on reviewing semiconductor sales through targeted, case-by-case assessments to protect global supply chains.

Shallow groundwater is more widely contaminated than previously understood, according to new research by Vitens. Hundreds of substances, including some long banned, were detected in protection areas. The findings highlight the need to prevent pollution at its source.