International Trade

The Netherlands has traditionally had an open economy and the level of trade with other countries is very significant. According to the research carried out by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, the Netherlands earns more than 30% of its income from the export of goods and services. In 2010, the value of exports is expected to be 72, 6% of the Netherlands’ GDP.

As the fifth largest exporter of goods in the world, the Netherlands occupies a prominent position when it comes to world trade. In 2009, the Netherlands exported goods worth a total of more than 498 billion US Dollars, which is 4% of the world’s total exports. The Netherlands is also a significant exporter of commercial services.- exports of commercial services amounted to 92 billion US dollars in 2009, which placed the country ninth in the world rankings.

As well as being a major exporter, the Netherlands also imports large quantities of goods: almost 446 billion US dollars worth in 2009. With a 3,5% share of the global total, the country is the seventh largest importer of goods in the world. The Netherlands is also a significant importer of commercial services – imports of commercial services amounted to 87 billion US dollars in 2009, which placed the Netherlands ninth in the world rankings.

The role of the Netherlands as a key distribution location is also indicated by the volume of import and export activities. Almost 82% of Dutch exports remain within Europe, especially Western Europe. Germany is easily the Netherland’s most significant trading partner, followed by Belgium, the United Kingdom and France.

The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products worldwide, after the United States. Horticulture is by far the most important segment in the agricultural sector. Other substantial Dutch export products include chemical goods (e.g Sikkens paint), machinery (e.g ASML lithography systems) and vehicles (e.g DAF Trucks and Scania Trucks). The Netherlands is also a well-known exporter of high-quality aircraft parts (Fokker Aerospace), ships (IHC Merwede) and yachts (Royal Van Lent Shipyard).

Source: Statistics Netherlands, the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, WTO, 2010

***For further information on the Dutch economy and trade, please refer to www.hollandtrade.com/business-information/holland-information/