Politics

Global oil demand showed signs of recovery in June as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—following a fragile, short-lived peace deal between the US and Iran—helped boost global supply by 4.1 million barrels per day to 98.8 million. The rebound included a record-breaking production high of 4.1 million barrels per day from the United Arab Emirates, though overall Gulf exports remain well below pre-war levels. However, the IEA warns that the market outlook has been clouded once again after US President Donald Trump declared the agreement over this week following renewed hostilities in the region.

Frans Timmermans, Johan Remkes and Thom de Graaf have been appointed as Ministers of State by the King, replenishing the ranks of the prestigious advisory body following a recent decline in numbers. Though primarily an honorary lifetime distinction awarded for exceptional service to Dutch society, Ministers of State remain available to provide high-level counsel to the government and represent the Cabinet on the world stage. The three veteran politicians—spanning prominent careers across the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, the VVD and D66—bring the total number of living Ministers of State to nine.

The European Commission has concluded that Meta breached EU digital rules under the Digital Services Act, accusing the tech giant of employing "addictive" design features—such as infinite scrolling and personalised recommendations—that deliberately hook children and vulnerable adults. According to regulators, these features induce a user urge that effectively places the brain on "autopilot," while Meta has allegedly failed to act on data showing minors using the apps late at night. The firm now has the opportunity to defend its practices but faces a potential fine of up to 6 per cent of its global annual turnover if it fails to implement satisfactory changes.

After a three‑day economic mission to China, Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma says Dutch and European businesses must act faster to keep pace with China’s rapid innovation. While Chinese companies are eager to collaborate, he warns that Europe must strengthen its position amid rising trade tensions.

Dutch provinces say they support new rules that let them act faster when wolves pose a threat. Gelderland plans to prepare a standard permit, while stressing that any culling will still require case‑specific steps. Other provinces also welcome the change, even those without wolves.

The Eurozone economy managed to stabilise in June, avoiding a feared contraction to finish the month flat at the 50.0 growth-threshold mark, according to finalised data from S&P Global. Despite initial fears that Middle East conflict-driven price hikes and supply chain disruptions would trigger a slump, a stronger-than-expected rally in the services sector helped lift the economy from May's contraction of 48.5. Supported by steady growth in manufacturing, Chris Williamson, Chief Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, noted that the data marks a welcome stabilisation for the broader economy after two consecutive months of declining production.

The Ministry of Defence has launched a three-year, €30 million partnership with Intelic, a Dutch firm whose software enables diverse brands of air and ground drones to operate as a unified fleet. Spurred by lessons from the war in Ukraine, the investment aims to keep this vital technology in domestic hands by establishing a "golden share" framework that grants the government veto power over major strategic decisions to prevent foreign takeovers. State Secretary Derk Boswijk described the firm's results—including its current supply chain to Ukraine—as "spectacular," signalling a broader military pivot toward autonomous warfare that could see the ministry taking similar stakes in unique tech companies in the future.

Starting with the 2029 European Parliament elections, the Netherlands will switch to a smaller ballot paper, listing only party names and candidate numbers. Trials during recent elections were largely positive, though they showed a slight increase in invalid votes.