Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

The number of underage drug couriers has risen sharply in recent years, with minors making up over 22% of arrests last year compared to just 1% in 2020. According to Statistics Netherlands, criminal gangs are increasingly targeting vulnerable young people—particularly those under 23 from difficult backgrounds or with existing debts—because they often face lighter legal penalties under newer, stricter smuggling laws. While increased security has seen arrest numbers dip in Rotterdam, many Dutch couriers are now being apprehended in neighbouring Belgian ports like Antwerp instead.

Traffic deaths in the Netherlands rose to 759 in 2025, with cyclists, especially older men, among the most affected. CBS figures show a sharp increase in male fatalities and growing concerns about road safety investment.

CLA wages in the Netherlands rose 4.5% in the first quarter of 2026, CBS reports. Wage growth is slowing, but real wages remain positive for the tenth quarter in a row, with private‑sector employees seeing the strongest increases.

Dutch business investment fell by 2.6 per cent in December 2025, marking a third consecutive monthly decline driven largely by a slump in the aviation and road transport sectors. Despite reduced spending on lorries and vans, growth was recorded in passenger cars, buildings, and defence equipment. Looking ahead, the CBS "investment radar" suggests a less unfavourable climate for early 2026, bolstered by rising industrial capacity and stronger goods exports.