The wish of the center-right Dutch government to close cannabis-selling coffeeshops to foreigners took a big turn when a European Court ruled that such actions can be done without violating European Union law. And of course Americans would be banned too.

Is this the end of high times in Holland?

Will the Dutch economy suffer - especially in Amsterdamned?

Will it really become so that 'Auslanders outlawed' signs will be on Coffeeshop doors?

Say it ain't true! Or are the Dutch just blowing smoke?

What the heck is happening in Holland - first the famous Amsterdamned Red-Light District is becoming history - Moslem culture being ruled illegal and now ganja sales for non-Dutch will return to the streets with shady dealers?

Say it ain't ture...

Tot Ziens

Auslanders? What language is that?

I already told you this was going to happen. The European court has just confirmed it is legal to do so.

Amsterdam is trying to get out of it.

I can understand completely why border towns want to introduce the rule.

Holland has never been a liberal country - that is a myth that only "auslanders"(whatever they are) believe.

Buitenlanders Pal - buitenlanders.

Ausländer = foreigner(s) in German?

I think Auslander is German (for foreigner), which they don't speak in the Netherlands AFAIK. Maybe some do.

I remember reading about this quite a while ago, it isn't breaking news, is it.

I have a friend from Amsterdam who lives in the US now and she doesn't trust the US at all (politically or govt), and thinks it is a lot more liberal back home.

I think a lot of countries have to protect themselves from Britons who go to a lot of these countries in Europe and don't behave very well. I've seen appalling behavior from them in Krakow, entire groups of them drunk and bothering people in the outdoor cafes (they were both male and female, also, the ones who were drunk, youngish for the most part).

binnen an buiten in low german. (= innen and außen in high german). It's not about Amsterdam but about places like Maastricht.

And a very good idea! In Bavaria, we've never been that "liberal". Kudos to the Dutch!

Ausländer = foreigner(s) in German?

Yes in places like Maastricht and Enschede they will have "Auslanders Verboten" on the coffeeshops doors - why would they put it in Dutch, a language that only a few million Dutch folks speak (as well as some Afrikaners??

Logos the government want to introduce it throughout the country, not leave it up to local councils.
If they left it up to the councils it wouldn't be a major problem.
It will result in more illegal drug trade and "06"orders (ordering using a mobile phone number) where no-one checks the age of the recipient never mind their nationality.

This is all Wilders work. And he's not even in the Government - just pulling all the strings.

The misery of my life is that a stoned Dutch person is always driving in front of me, wherever I go...

Them Dutch playgrounds are so far away, yet those yellow number plates are everywhere, EVERYWHERE... What can I do..

You think it's Wilders?? Isn't it a rather good thing?

Actually they are more likely to have it in French and English - they are the main problem for border towns. It is the southern border towns which have the most problems with Belgians and French. The Eastern and northern border towns have very little problems with Germans.

Amsterdam has lots of Brits and Yanks so there the signs will be in English as well.

Logos No it's not good - coffeeshops have resulted in lower drug use, and less illegal trading on the street. there was a time when it was impossible to leave Amsterdam Centraal without being accosted and offered drugs. That is likely to return, along with more people turning to harder drugs - it is in the interests of the drug pedlar to get users onto more profitable drugs than weed -ones which make them dependant. So it is turning the clock back thirty years.
Not good.

I remember those days when everybody on the train from Amsterdam was checked by police once it arrived in Munich. It was only a few years ago.

I don't think it's so easy to make anybody change from weed to the bad stuff, but what do I know...

You should try flying from AMS to Ireland some time

Welcome to Ireland, now line up against that wall while our dog gets intimate with you, you drug crazed bunch of heathens.

>drug crazed bunch of heathens
We don't say those words out loud. Not even the police.

Nor did the Irish - they just shouted at us as we got off the plane to line up along a wall, single file, bags on the ground, and then let their drugs dog loose on us.
Very welcoming. Made the welcome the US affords foreigners seem warm and genuine.

The police did check everyone on the Cologne - Ams ICE in September, but they were polite about it.

In catholic territory, you should limit yourself to beer.

This is outrageous! Someone should organize a boycott by tourists. I would suggest staging it during the Easter long weekend next year.

Glen, who is planning a drug and prostitution free Easter long weekend in the Netherlands next year.

Amsterdam has lots of Brits and Yanks so there the signs will be in English as well.>

which brings up a point that perhaps Brits should not be able to go into pubs or buy booze in Amsterdam - after all one reason Mayor said he wanted to close down the Red-Light District was that it drew a lot of British lager louts.

so why not signs on pubs: No Brits allowed. Geschloten to Brits?

Gesloten. If you want to use Dutch use good Dutch.

Not only British lager louts - the main reason is organised crime and particularly the Russian Mafia who took over a lot of the area through Dutch front men.

Given that the vast majority of tourists never go near a coffee shop, or a knocking shop, I can't see it hitting tourism too hard tbh. As I have said, my man concern with it is that it will make street selling and "06" selling more attractive and profitable, and remove the controls which coffee shops have regarding age, experience etc of the user.

Hetismij - I echoe your fear of the return to old days of street selling, underage, etc.

But I do think you may underestimate the number of wealthy Americans and Europeans who do go to Amsterdam as drug tourists - well also as cultural tourists but I myself know several who go to Amsterdam not only because it is one of the world's most beautiful cities and for its museums, etc but also because of the opportunity to go to coffeeshops - and these are well-heeled folk. I know there are a lot of younger Europeans who come also and spend nearly nothing except on pot and booze but I think they may be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.