The Netherlands is a densely populated nation of 17 million inhabitants on the Northwestern coast of Europe.
International trade is a critical aspect of the Dutch economy, comprising 77.9% of the nation’s GDP.
The Netherlands’ 2019 import flows exceeded $514 billion, with imports primarily coming from Germany, Belgium, China, USA, and Ireland.
While the Netherlands as a whole is heavily involved in international trade, the bulk of trade volume is conducted by the nation’s larger firms.
The Netherlands appears to be very comfortable with digitalisation and the notion of digital banking.
Notably, SMEs in the Netherlands rank in the upper range of their OECD counterparts on all aspects of digital readiness.
Official Name (Local Language) | Koninkrijk der Nederlanden | Capital | Amsterdam | Population | 17,016,967 | Currency | Euro | GDP | $773.9 billion | Languages | Dutch | Telephone Dial In | 31 |
450,076
4,501
225
Country
Trade
% Partner Share
Germany
83,106
18.47
Belgium
48,176
10.70
China
40,594
9.02
United States
34,436
7.65
United Kingdom
24,011
5.33
Export Product
Number
Petroleum oils, etc, (excl. crude); preparation
6.3%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminou
6.3%
Transmission apparatus, for radioteleph incorpo
4.5%
Parts and accessories of automatic data process
4.2%
Other medicaments of mixed or unmixed products,
2.2%
%
Product List
1.6%
Vegetables, ornamentals, dairy, poultry and livestock products; propagation materials
%
Industry List
17.8%
Agro industries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
%
Services List
70.4%
Trade finance is a revolving facility which lenders offer – it enables businesses to purchase stock supplies and can help ease working capital issues.
Typically, a trade financier will fund up to 100% of the cost of the products, including charges (e.g. VAT taxes).
Trade finance offers benefits over more traditional bank finance such as invoice finance or business loans.
Businesses are provided quick funding without it affecting existing relationships with banks.
If a company is importing or exporting stock worldwide, then a trade finance facility would help fund this by offering a letter of credit or some form of cash advance.
If an enterprise is looking to export inventory to other markets, it may require export finance, which is an agreement between the exporter and the importer.
A trade finance bank would advance the cost of producing the stock supplies that are being exported (as a loan), either once the goods have been sent, or before they have been produced.
Once a foreign importer has received the stock and pays for the import, the advance loan will then be repaid from the export lender over an agreed period.
Information
Exporting to Netherlands? Contact our local experts
Netherlands Economic Statistics
https://www.overheid.nl/
https://countryeconomy.com/ratings/netherlands
De Nederlandsche Bank
0.9214
6%
8.8%
0.3%
0%
$773.9 billion
$50,800
Euro
EUR
High Income
4/138
8/180
36/190
2/136
Currency in Netherlands
Natasha Roston is Head of People and Growth at Trade Finance Global (TFG).
Natasha builds partnerships with Universities and external stakeholders to improve trade education projects. She is passionate about delivering innovative learning experiences to maximize engagement.
In 2022, Natasha led TFG’s Women In Trade campaign on #BreakTheBias, writing an article on the impact of gender stereotypes for gender equality in the workplace.
Natasha is also responsible for TFG careers, culture, and growth. A Level 2 Qualified Coach and Mental Health First Aid Champion, she leads internal training, supporting the holistic wellbeing and professional development of the team.
Natasha worked in education for over a decade before joining TFG. Initially in formal education as a history teacher, and then in leadership roles as a Director of Learning and Head of Classics. Following this, she worked in EdTech as a Learning Design Coach for Aula’s Higher Education platform.
In addition to her work at TFG, Natasha volunteers for the Young Women’s Trust as a Work It Out – CV Volunteer.
She holds an MA from Tel Aviv University, a History PGCE from The Institute of Education and a BA from the University of Nottingham. Currently, she is studying for her Level 3 Certificate in International Trade from the Institute of Export & International Trade.