Benelux & Ireland in September 2026: the most important developments in economy
The economy of Benelux and Ireland in September 2026 was shaped by gold and energy security, disrupted transport and the chip equipment maker ASML.
The Dutch central bank moved 86 tonnes of gold from the United States and Canada to London, citing geopolitical unrest and crisis preparedness. Suspected sabotage halted Dutch rail services on 15 September, and operations at Luxembourg airport resumed after "unauthorised" drones halted flights. A Dutch airline plane returned to Amsterdam after a fire on board.
ASML won top chipmakers for new 400 million dollar EUV machines, and an executive said the company, described as Europe's largest firm, has no sales in Europe. An ASML supplier said China is 15 years behind in top chipmaking tools. Europe's largest carbon capture facility opened in the Netherlands.
On energy, Dutch TTF gas rose 2 percent as the winter storage race heated up, and the European Commission urged member states to reduce gas consumption as prices remain high. ING said supply-side risks remain elevated even as oil prices have pulled back. Belgium rejected a renewed push to use Russian assets for Ukraine and said it would keep blocking expropriation. The Netherlands prepared for possible US sanctions against the International Criminal Court, and Dutch businesses were cutting ties with the court. Brussels doubled down on its Car-Free Sunday.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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