The Netherlands exported US$936.2 billion worth of products around the world in 2023, up by 62.3% compared to $576.8 billion during 2019.
From 2022 to 2023, the overall value of Dutch exported goods accelerated by 21.9% from $768.3 billion.
Applying a continental lens, more than three-quarters (78.5%) of the Netherlands’ exports by value was delivered to other European countries while 11.3% was sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 5.8% worth of goods to North America.
The value of exports from the Netherlands to fellow European Union members equaled 69.2% of overall export sales for the Netherlands.
Smaller percentages went to buyers in Africa (2.1%), Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.7%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Netherlands Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Netherlands top trading partners, countries that imported the most Dutch shipments by dollar value during 2023. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Dutch exports.
- Germany: US$210.6 billion (22.5% of total Dutch exports)
- Belgium: $103.5 billion (11%)
- France: $77.4 billion (8.3%)
- United Kingdom: $52.1 billion (5.6%)
- United States: $43.8 billion (4.7%)
- Italy: $37.7 billion (4%)
- Spain: $31.7 billion (3.4%)
- Poland: $27.6 billion (2.9%)
- mainland China: $24.1 billion (2.6%)
- Sweden: $22.3 billion (2.4%)
- Czech Republic: $14.4 billion (1.5%)
- Switzerland: $12.6 billion (1.3%)
- Denmark: $12.5 billion (1.3%)
- Austria: $11.9 billion (1.3%)
- South Korea: $11.3 billion (1.2%)
- Ireland: $10.2 billion (1.1%)
- Türkiye: $10.1 billion (1.1%)
- Hungary: $9.2 billion (1%)
- Taiwan: $8.9 billion (0.9%)
- Norway: $8 billion (0.9%)
- Finland: $7.7 billion (0.8%)
- Portugal: $6.6 billion (0.7%)
- Romania: $5.9 billion (0.6%)
- Japan: $5.7 billion (0.6%)
- Greece: $5.1 billion (0.5%)
Well over four-fifths (82.3%) of Dutch exports in 2023 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
Taiwan was the only top importer that decreased its purchases from Netherlands from 2022 to 2023, down in value by -25.2%.
Among the other 24 countries, gains ranged from a minimum of 3.5% for Türkiye up to an 85.6% upturn for Hungary.
Countries Causing Worst Trade Deficits for the Netherlands
As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.
It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.
Netherlands incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- mainland China: -US$102.9 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2023.)
- United States of America: -$38.2 billion
- Vietnam: -$10.5 billion
- Norway: -$10.1 billion
- Ireland: -$8.9 billion
- Taiwan: -$8.4 billion
- Japan: -$8.2 billion
- Malaysia: -$7.8 billion
- Brazil: -$7.1 billion
- India: -$6.9 billion
Among the Netherlands’ trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Dutch deficits with Ireland (up 121%), Japan (up 105.5%) and mainland China (up 97.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Netherlands’ competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Netherlands to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating Biggest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands
The Netherlands earned an overall US$92.5 billion trade surplus in 2023, a positive trade balance that expanded by 61% over the $57.5 billion surplus recorded one year earlier for 2022.
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
Netherlands earned the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- Germany: US$92.3 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2023)
- France: $54 billion
- Belgium: $36.6 billion
- Spain: $18.9 billion
- Italy: $18.4 billion
- United Kingdom: $17.7 billion
- Sweden: $11.6 billion
- Poland: $10.8 billion
- Austria: $7.4 billion
- Switzerland: $6 billion
Among the Netherlands’ trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Dutch surpluses with the United Kingdom (up 858%), Sweden (up 102.8%) and Spain (up 95.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Netherlands’ competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Netherlands to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Netherlands’ Major Exports Companies
Twenty-seven Dutch corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Dutch export companies headquartered in the Netherlands that Forbes included.
- Ageas (diversified insurance)
- Akzo Nobel (diversified chemicals)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASML Holding (semiconductors)
- DSM (diversified chemicals)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Heineken Holding (beverages)
- Lyondell Basell Industries (diversified chemicals)
- NXP Semiconductors (semiconductors)
- Philips (industrial conglomerate)
- Royal Dutch Shell (oil, gas)
- Unilever (food processing)
According to IMPORTERS.com listings for Dutch suppliers, the following are also examples of relatively smaller companies that ship products from the Netherlands. Shown within parenthesis are products that the Dutch business provides.
- Bless Ya, Inc (young girls apparel)
- Ciparo (paper, plastics)
- Daqso International (toiletries, cosmetics, perfumes)
- Floorkinderkleding (children clothing)
- Holland Metals & Raw Materials (non-ferrous metals, steel scrap)
- King-Boats (inflatable craft)
- Lagwo Trading Inc NV (crude oil, petroleum)
- Powerview Technology BV (surveillance products)
- Raisina Exports (dried fruits, nuts)
- Shipside Tax Free Cars BV (automobiles)
See also Netherlands Top 10 Imports, Netherlands Top 10 Major Export Companies and Netherlands Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on April 28, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 28, 2024
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on April 28, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 28, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 28, 2024
Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on April 28, 2024
Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on April 28, 2024