Netherlands raises minimum wage and adds €3 customs fee on Chinese parcels
From 1 July 2024 the Dutch government implements a series of new regulations. The statutory minimum wage rises to €14.99 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, triggering higher entitlements for benefits such as the state pension (AOW), which increases to €1,581.55 per month.
A flat €3 customs charge will be applied to all online orders from China or other non‑EU countries, ending the previous exemption for packages under €150. The fee is levied per product, not per order.
Telemarketing is now prohibited unless the consumer has given explicit prior consent, with only charities, lotteries and press publishers exempted. Social‑housing rents can increase by up to 4.1%, with caps at €932.93 per month; higher‑income tenants may see larger hikes.
Additional measures include mandatory registration for tobacco and vape retailers, waiting lists for residential electricity‑grid upgrades in parts of North Brabant and Utrecht, and a requirement that every new car sold in the EU be equipped with an Advanced Driver Distraction Warning camera system.