Trade balance in Netherlands

Summarises the value of goods traded between Dutch residents and the rest of the world over a period, measured as the difference between exports and imports. It is published by the statistics office CBS.

It is calculated as the difference between the value of exports and imports recorded in foreign-trade statistics. A positive balance is a trade surplus and a negative one a deficit; it is usually expressed in millions of euros.

The external balance is a component of GDP, so its path affects growth. The Netherlands runs a large trade surplus, underpinned by its role as a European logistics and re-export hub, and the balance reflects the competitiveness of its open economy.

The figures are not final: each release tends to revise earlier periods and the data come with some lag. The large share of re-exports can distort the reading of genuinely domestic trade.