Sci/tech

The Dutch manufacturing sector faces the risk of disappearing unless it rapidly adopts robotisation and automation to counter an ageing workforce and rising labour costs. According to research institute TNO, the industry’s productivity has stalled, leaving it vulnerable to international competitors like South Korea and Germany, which use significantly more robots. TNO warns that without a national agenda to increase robot density, the Netherlands could see widespread factory closures and job losses within the next decade, shifting the country from a global producer to a dependent consumer.

Former ASML CEO Peter Wennink and KPN CEO Joost Farwerck warn that the Netherlands’ digital infrastructure is falling behind. They argue that rapid technological developments demand new investment, European collaboration, and government procurement that values digital sovereignty.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten has met with ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet to discuss the future of the Dutch semiconductor industry. The talks focused on maintaining a world-class business climate and the strategic importance of the Eindhoven region.

The Dutch Cabinet has approved a new bill granting police expanded powers to collect and monitor personal data from public social media accounts to prevent public order disturbances. Minister David van Weel argued the legislation "brings the police into the 21st century," pointing to recent violent riots at the Malieveld as evidence that authorities need better tools to track online-organised unrest. While current rules only allow officers to view public information, the new law will permit the formal extraction and use of this data; however, the powers do not yet extend to private or closed groups, though future plans to include them are already under consideration.

Six vocational colleges in the southern Netherlands are offering 500 euro vouchers to help new engineering and technology students buy necessary laptops. The initiative is part of a wider national plan to train thousands of new professionals for the growing microchip industry. This financial support aims to remove barriers for students entering a sector with a high demand for skilled workers.

VDL Groep has seen its profits bounce back despite a challenging year for the high-tech and automotive sectors. With a record-breaking order book and a new focus on the defence industry, the Eindhoven-based giant is preparing for a period of renewed growth.

The research institute Imec has received a groundbreaking new machine from ASML that will allow for the development of the world's smallest chips. This installation in Leuven aims to pioneer the next generation of hardware for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Experts expect the system to be fully operational by the end of 2026.

With municipal elections taking place across the Netherlands, researchers and regulators are raising fresh concerns about AI-generated disinformation, biased voting chatbots, and foreign interference targeting local politics for the first time. The tactics are new, but the goal is familiar: to shape what voters see, feel, and ultimately decide. Whether this digital pressure changes the result remains to be seen, but the infrastructure behind it is already in place.