Europe Netherlands The Dutch government is pushing ahead with its plan to introduce free childcare - or almost so - for working parents in 2027, despite the growing shortage of staff in the sector
Europe Netherlands At least 3.000 domestic animals are better protected from wolves thanks to the allocation of €95.000 by the Province of Zeeland for the purchase of fences and other protective measures against wolves
Europe Netherlands Half of Dutch Muslims have experienced discrimination at least once in the last year, a higher percentage than the EU average (38%)
Europe Netherlands Contraceptives will not be supplied free of charge for adult women; the Hague Court of Appeal had rejected the request and the Attorney General at the Supreme Court ruled that the decision can stand
Europe Netherlands The Court of Rottdertam sentenced a man for the first time in history for sexually assaulting a woman in the street; the law was amended to make it a punishable offence on 1 July
Europe Netherlands Registration will be open for specialised centres for long-term COVID patients who can register via their general practitioners in just over one month, from 1 November; the first centres to open will be Maastricht UMC+, Amsterdam UMC and Erasmus MC
Europe Netherlands A consortium of municipalities, private investors and industry organisations has warned that if the Council of Ministers applies all measures planned for art and culture, i.e. VAT from 9% to 21%, the sector will lose EUR 350 million per year
Europe Netherlands The new cabinet removed the national nature restoration plan and nitrogen emission policy: provinces are now no longer required to continue the current nature restoration and nitrogen precipitation reduction programme
Europe Netherlands Some solar panels from ECORAN GmbH can cause electric shocks when touched, alarmed the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority by publishing a warning from the manufacturer advising against touching the solar panels
Europe Netherlands A Dutch study suggested testing saliva instead of blood to determine the severity of a respiratory infection in children who suffer from it regularly
Europe Netherlands The amount of land dedicated to cherry cultivation has almost tripled in the last 24 years, but the number of growers has remained the same; due to the high need for pesticides, growers were granted an exemption for the use of chemicals this year
Europe Netherlands Zwolle will probably abandon its plan to ban advertisements for services using fossil fuels, such as long-distance air travel, combustion engine cars and cruise ships, as research has shown that a ban is 'legally impossible'
Europe Netherlands 16 hospitals reported an increase in number of requests for endometriosis examinations, with family doctors increasing referrals to specialists; gynaecologist Klinkert has patients with endometriosis symptoms in first half of 2024 equal to whole of 2023