The latest news from the Netherlands

Election first before ratifiying Brussels rescue fund, say voters
22-05-2012 - Six out of 10 Dutch voters think parliament should not ratify the treaty to set up a permanent European rescue fund until after the September general election, according to a poll for television programme EenVandaag on Tuesday. ...more

Rapper faces new trial for threatening PVV leader Geert Wilders
22-05-2012 - A Rotterdam rapper who wrote a text apparently threatening PVV leader Geert Wilders should be retried on the same charges, the High Court ruled on Tuesday....more

Consumer confidence falls again
22-05-2012 - Consumer confidence fell back in May by six points to -38, after a slight improvement in April, the central statistics agency CBS said on Tuesday....more

No change to mortgage guarantee, says minister
22-05-2012 - The national mortgage guarantee scheme will not be limited to those starting out on the housing ladder in the foreseeable future, home affairs minister Liesbeth Spies said on Tuesday afternoon....more

OECD warns the Netherlands on austerity plan
22-05-2012 - The Dutch economy will improve slightly over the next two years, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Tuesday in its half-yearly report....more

Freelance numbers rocket
22-05-2012 - The number of people working for themselves has shot up over the past ten years, from 200,000 in 2002 to 728,000 in 2012, according to the central statistics agency CBS....more

• Dutch and Iraqi ministers to meet to discuss Ter Apel protest camp - 22-05-2012
• DSM to open new research labs - 22-05-2012
• Polish-Dutch freight rail link opens - 22-05-2012
• Police are not more trigger-happy, says research - 22-05-2012
• Shell's remuneration policy in the spotlight - 22-05-2012
• Mexx's owner considers IPO - 22-05-2012