Netherlands

Persons subject to integration obligations must integrate within three years and if they do not obtain the integration certificate the government can fine them; the European Court of Justice will assess whether this is contrary to European standards

The Dutch railway company NS is planning a complete reorganisation of its services for next year and aims to add 1.600 extra journeys per week from 2025 onwards; all plans will have to be approved by the government, a shareholder

Last year, people in need of a new organ had to wait slightly less than in previous years, the Dutch Transplant Foundation reported, from 29 months in 2022 to 27 months in 2023 for kidney transplants, with similar decreases for other organs

The life-size paintings of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit by Rembrant will soon be sent to Paris, where they will be exhibited in the Louvre for five years; the two-metre high portraits have been in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for five years

The country should aim for a total population of 19/20 million in 2050, thus having 'moderate growth', as Staatscommissie Demografische Ontwikkelingen believes this will allow to have enough housing, healthcare and education and to promote quality of life

Direct Eurostar train services from Amsterdam to London will be suspended for six months when part of the Dutch capital's main train station is closed for maintenance from next July

The two-day Christmas period was the second warmest since records began in 1901; five of the 10 warmest Christmas periods have been recorded since the turn of the century

About 1.360 refugees who have residence permits but cannot yet move into a permanent home will be accommodated in hotels to relieve the pressure on the Ter Apel reception centre

The storage of so-called 'light' consumer fireworks is much more dangerous than previously thought, as revealed by a research team from the University of Twente on behalf of the Tweede Kamer

Dutch banks are making it easier for sex workers to open a business account, having created, with the help of the DNB regulator, a new industry standard, while complying with the Anti-Money Laundering Act

Health insurance premiums will see a rise in 2024, even though less than initially expected; of 29 different packages analyzed, monthly premiums will rise by an average of 5,2% taking the total from just below 142€ to 149,23€ per month

Hundreds of sex workers and Amsterdam residents took part in a demonstration against the municipality's plans to close the famous red light district and create an 'erotic centre' in the suburbs; dozens of them wore masks to hide their identities