Economic Overview

For the latest updates on the key economic responses from governments to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the IMF's policy tracking platform Policy Responses to COVID-19.

The Netherlands is the sixth-largest economic power in the Eurozone and the fifth-largest exporter of goods. The country is very open to trade and consequently to the global economic conjuncture. For the past few years, the recovery in Europe had allowed the Dutch economy to grow at a dynamic pace, although trade uncertainty at the global level, the Brexit process and most of all the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Dutch economy to contract. Nevertheless, the country’s GDP rebounded in 2021 (+4.9%) and 2022 (+4.5%), on the back of solid export and investment growth (IMF). For 2023, a set of measures has been announced to mitigate the impact of high energy prices and support domestic demand. However, the decrease in households’ real disposable income, tightening financial conditions and the weak external environment caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict are expected to weigh heavily on growth, which is forecast at 0.8% for the year. Rising investments and a positive contribution from external trade should help the country’s economy grow at a faster pace in 2024 (+1.7% - IMF).

In recent years the government’s fiscal policy has been expansionary; nevertheless, the Dutch public finances remained sound, recording budget surpluses. The trend inverted as a consequence of the fiscal measures taken to contain the Covid-19-induced crisis and then the effects of high inflation prompted by the conflict in Ukraine. Government revenues picked up in 2022 driven by income taxes and Dutch gas fields, contributing to a reduction in the fiscal deficit, which stood at 1.2% of GDP. In light of an expansionary budget that includes a price cap on electricity and gas, a reduction in the excise duty on fuel, and a rise of the minimum wage by 10%, the government deficit is forecast to increase to 1.4% of GDP in 2023 (IMF – 4% according to the EU Commission) and 2.1% next year. Similarly, the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to increase from 50.3% of GDP in 2022 to 52.4% in 2023 and 53.2% in 2024 (EU Commission). Fueled by high energy prices, inflation reached a record level of 12% in 2022. The aforementioned price cap should contribute to a reduction in headline inflation, forecast at 8% in 2023, before the rate returns closer to the ECB’s target by 2024 (2.7%  IMF).

The Netherlands presents a very high income per capita, which is distributed in a relatively equal manner. The GDP per capita is above the EU average and was estimated at USD 69,715 in 2022 (PPP – data IMF). The Dutch labour market remains tight, with the unemployment rate decreasing to 3.5% in 2022 (from 4.2% one year earlier). Nominal wages have been growing, although not as much as inflation. For 2023 and 2024, the IMF expects the unemployment rate to increase slightly to 3.9% and 4%, respectively.

Foreign Trade

Dutch prosperity has always been based on its international trade, and the geographic location of the country makes it a European trade hub, with Rotterdam being the largest European port and the third-largest in the world, handling over 465 million tons of cargo annually. With high-tech industries and services, foreign trade is one of the main pillars of the Dutch economy, representing an impressive 156% of GDP (World Bank – latest data available), one of the most open and outward-oriented economies in the world. According to data by CBS, 24% of exports in 2021 comprised machinery, followed by manufactured goods (21%), chemical products (19%), food and beverages (13%), and mineral fuels (12%). The country is also a major exporter of flowers and plants, with the horticulture sector being a significant contributor to the Dutch economy. Most of the sales are re-exportations as the country plays the role of a European trade hub; therefore, the same product categories led imports (machinery accounting for 25% of the total, against 24% of manufactured goods). In 2021, large enterprises exported over three times as much in terms of value as independent SMEs.

The share of total Dutch goods exports that went to Europe stood at 77% in 2021. As data by CBS show, Germany was the main destination, accounting for 23% of total exports, followed by Belgium (11%) and France (8%). Imports came chiefly from Germany (17%), China (10%) and Belgium (10%).

The country has a structurally positive trade balance for goods and services, which stood at around 10.3% of GDP for 2021 according to the World Bank. The Dutch goods trade achieved unprecedentedly high import and export values in 2021, and by the start of the year the Netherlands’ international trade in goods had already returned to its pre-crisis level. In the same year, the country’s exports of goods were worth USD 836.5 billion (an increase of 23.9% year-on-year), with imports growing at a faster pace (USD 758 billion; +27.1%); whereas for commercial services exports stood at USD 247.5 billion (up by one-third y-o-y), and imports at USD 236.7 billion (+40% - data by WTO). The latest figures from the National Statistical Office show that in the first quarter of 2022 the value of Dutch exports increased to EUR 196 billion (+22%), while the value of imports reached EUR 172 billion (+24%). Trade in services and goods increased by EUR 14.2 billion (+21.4%) and EUR 54.1 billion (+23.2%), respectively. As exports growth outstripped imports in absolute terms, the Dutch export surplus rose to EUR 23.7 billion.

COVID-19 Country Response

COVID-19 epidemic evolution

To find out about the latest status of the COVID-19 pandemic evolution and the most up-to-date statistics on the COVID-19 disease in the Netherlands, please visit the website of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) which provides the official data.
For the international outlook you can consult the latest situation reports published by the World Health Organisation as well as the global daily statistics on the coronavirus pandemic evolution including data on confirmed cases and deaths by country.

Sanitary measures

To find out about the latest public health situation in the Netherlands and the current sanitary measures in vigour, please consult the dedicated pages on the portal of the Dutch government. The website of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is also a useful source for up-to-date information on the containment suggestions put in place in the country and public health recommendations.

Travel restrictions

The COVID-19 situation, including the spread of new variants, evolves rapidly and differs from country to country. All travelers need to pay close attention to the conditions at their destination before traveling. Regularly updated information for all countries with regards to Covid-19 related travel restrictions in place including entry regulations, flight bans, test requirements and quarantine is available on TravelDoc Infopage.
It is also highly recommended to consult COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map provided and updated on the daily basis by IATA.
The US government website of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provides COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination.
The UK Foreign travel advice also provides travelling abroad advice for all countries, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.

 

Import & export restrictions

For the information on all the measures applicable to movement of goods during the period of sanitary emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak (including eventual restrictions on imports and exports, if applicable), please consult the relevant pages on the portal of the Dutch Customs (Belastingdienst).
The “Guidelines for border management measures to protect health and ensure the availability of goods and essential services” issued by the European Commission can be consulted here.
For a general overview of trade restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the section dedicated to the Netherlands on the International Trade Centre's COVID-19 Temporary Trade Measures webpage.

Economic recovery plan

The official governmental portal Business.gov.nl provides detailed information on the economic recovery scheme put in place in the Netherlands to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further details can be found on the portal InvestinHolland.
The information on the EU’s economic response to COVID-19 and the actions to minimise the fallout on the EU member states’ economies of the COVID-19 outbreak is available on the website of the European Council.
For the general overview of the key economic policy responses to the COVID-19 outbreak (fiscal, monetary and macroeconomic) taken by the Dutch government to limit the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the section dedicated to the Netherlands in the IMF’s Policy Tracker platform.

Support plan for businesses

The official portal Business.gov.nl provides comprehensive information on the government measures to help businesses to deal with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on their activity, as well as a FAQ section for entrepreneurs. Another important source of information is represented by the official portal Invest in Holland.
For a general overview of international SME support policy responses to the COVID-19 outbreak refer to the OECD's SME Covid-19 Policy Responses document.
You can also consult the World Bank's Map of SME-Support Measures in Response to COVID-19.

Support plan for exporters

The support package for Dutch exporters during the COVID-19 crisis can be consulted on the dedicated page on the official portal Business.gov.nl. The website of the Dutch Customs (Belastingdienst) is also a useful source of information.
The European Commission adopted a Temporary Framework for State aid measures to support the economy in the COVID-19 outbreak, which enables short-term export credit insurance to be provided by the State where needed.