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Dutch earnings from exports

Authors: Leen Prenen, Roger Voncken

The Netherlands made 376 billion euros from exports in 2023. Of this, 166 billion euros was the result of domestic exports, 42 billion was from goods re-exports and 168 billion was from services exports. Dutch export earnings (2023*) Total Dutch exports € 0.40 Re-exports € 0.12 € 352 billion € 42 billion Domestic exports € 0.51 € 325 billion € 166 billion Services exports € 0.63 € 268 billion € 168 billion Export earnings Value added per euro of exports Export value € 376 billion € 945 billion
Dutch export earnings (2023*)
Goods Re-exports Services Total
Export value 325 billion euros 352 billion euros 268 billion euros 945 billion euros
Value added per euro of exports 0,51 euro 0,12 euro 0,63 euro 0,40 euro
Export earnings 166 billion euros 42 billion euros 168 billion euros 376 billion euros

The Netherlands benefits greatly from exports. Over one-third of the country’s prosperity is due to the export of goods and services. Exports also account for many jobs – from port workers to IT professionals. How much did the Netherlands earn from exports in 2023? And who saw the benefit of these earnings? This chapter examines the Netherlands’ earnings from exports in 2023, compares these with previous years, and outlines the sectors and industries, countries and products that were most important. It also zooms in on the people behind exports. How many men and women are employed as a result of exports? In which sectors and industries do they work, what types of job do they do, what is their employment status and what is their level of education?

6.1Key findings

Contribution of exports to GDP

  • Dutch goods and services exports amounted to €945.2 billion in 2023, down 1.4% from 2022.
  • The value of goods exports fell by 4%. More specifically, the value of re-exports fell by more (almost 5%) than the export value of domestic exports (3%). This was due to lower volume and prices.
  • The export value of services actually increased in 2023 compared to 2022: by almost 6% to a value of €268.3 billion. This was mainly due to price increases.
  • Despite the smaller total gross export value, earnings from exports were €375.9 billion in 2023: almost 6% higher than a year earlier.
  • After a decline in export earnings per euro of gross exports in 2022, the relative export earnings from domestic exports, re-exports and services rose again in 2023 to 51, 12 and 63 cents per euro of exports, respectively.
  • 35.2% of Dutch GDP was earned from goods and services exports in 2023, down slightly from 2022 (35.7%).
  • In 2023, the Netherlands’ GDP grew by just 0.08%. Lower production and lower exports of natural gas played a major role in this. Domestic exports from industries such as chemicals, agriculture and metals also made a negative contribution to GDP.
  • Business sectors that traditionally earn a great deal from exports are manufacturing, business services and trade. They saw their earnings rise further in 2023. The mineral extraction, chemical and petroleum industries saw their earnings decline due to the normalisation of prices following the spike of 2022.
  • Specialised machinery remains the largest category in domestic exports. Compared to a year earlier, earnings from specialised machinery originating from the Netherlands rose by 22% in 2023.
  • The Netherlands earned the most from exports to Germany, the UK, the US, Belgium and France. After a decline in 2022, the importance of China as an export destination increased again in 2023.
  • 31.4% of employment (or 2.6 million full-time jobs) in the Netherlands is related to exports. This includes 1.2 million direct and 1.4 million indirect full-time jobs. As such, international sales markets were just as important in 2023 as they were in 2022.
  • In 2023, capital-intensive industries such as manufacturing and mineral extraction made a relatively large contribution to export earnings, while their share of export-related employment remained limited. Mineral extraction accounted for 2.3% of total export earnings: however, exports generated few jobs in that industry.
  • Exports create significantly more employment in labour-intensive sectors: in business services, 29.1% of total employment is related to exports. In agriculture, forestry and fishing, exports generated proportionally more employment than earnings. In other sectors, the shares are similar.
  • In business services and trade, a great deal of indirect employment is generated thanks to exports, since exporting firms rely on these services. By contrast, in manufacturing, many jobs are directly dependent on exports.
  • As with export earnings, the top 5 export destinations that provide employment are Germany, the UK, the US, Belgium and France.
  • Most export-related labour hours are worked in business and administrative jobs, followed by technical and commercial jobs. In agriculture, exports account for the largest share of labour hours, with 52% of all agricultural work hours tied to exports. The share is also relatively high for jobs in transport and logistics and in ICT.
  • Men, lower-educated workers, and the self-employed account for the largest share of hours worked for exports in relative terms.

Data sources

  • In this chapter, we use figures from CBS’s National Accounts. This makes it possible to provide an insight into the actual economic revenue of exports. At the time of writing, National Accounts data are available up to and including 2023.
  • The National Accounts focus on the concept of transfer of ownership. These are goods transactions in which a Dutch firm or person transfers economic ownership of the goods to a foreign firm or person, and vice versa.
  • Partly because of this, the figures in this chapter differ from those reported in Chapters 2 and 3, which are based on the concept of border crossing. These are movements of goods where the goods physically cross the border of the Netherlands, even if this does not involve a transfer of ownership.

Benchmark revision of the National Accounts

Once every five years, the Netherlands’ National Accounts are thoroughly revised in line with the policy of the European Commission. Part of this revision involves the introduction of new sources, methods and concepts to ensure optimal alignment between how the Dutch economy is presented with all the underlying statistics and sources, and the international guidelines regarding the compilation of National Accounts.

To avoid breaks in the time series, the definitive figures for previous years are also revised. As a result of this, the figures from previous editions of Dutch Trade in Facts and Figures were calculated differently to the figures in this edition. In order to provide full transparency regarding those differences, a conscious choice has been made in this chapter to present not only the figures for the most recent reporting year, but also those for previous years.

International trade according to the concepts of border crossing and transfer of ownership

Enterprises, and therefore also countries, are integrated within global value chains. From a business economics perspective, this is often the most financially viable choice. At a macroeconomic level, however, it can result in unfavourable economic dependencies. Such dependencies are difficult to analyse based on traditional trade statistics.

Traditional export figures take the concept of border crossing as a basis, meaning they indicate which goods physically enter or exit the Netherlands. These figures are indicators of the size and direction of trade flows, but they do not directly show how much the Netherlands ultimately gains from trade with other countries. After all, no account is taken of the costs associated with output and trade, such as imported raw materials, and the profits that ultimately remain in the Netherlands.

In this chapter, therefore, we make use of the figures from the National Accounts of Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The concept of transfer of ownership takes a central position in the National Accounts, which means that certain transactions that take place abroad can be classified as Dutch imports and exports even if the traded goods do not physically enter the Netherlands. This makes it possible to provide an insight into the actual economic return on exports to other countries.

Partly as a result of this, the figures in this chapter differ from the figures reported in Chapters 2 and 3 of this edition, which are based on the concept of border crossing. At the time of writing, 2023 is the most recent full year for which data are available in the National Accounts. For more information about the different concepts within statistics on the international trade in goods, see CBS (2025a).

Outline

This chapter is structured as follows. Section 6.2 covers the Netherlands’ earnings from exports in 2023. We present export earnings as a share of Dutch GDP and the types of export flows that contributed most to this. We then proceed by breaking down these earnings by sectors and industries as well as by products, and we present the countries that are our key markets in this respect. Section 6.3 highlights export-induced employment, distinguishing not only between direct and indirect employment, but also by different types of exports, the number of jobs that are attributable to exports and the sectors and industries in which exports play the most important role. We also analyse the hours worked on exports by the Dutch labour force, and the characteristics of the workers concerned.

6.2Contribution of exports to GDP

Value of Dutch exports down

Dutch goods and services exports amounted to €945.2 billion in 2023, down 1.4% from the previous year (see Figure 6.2.1).

The total exports of goods amounted to €676.9 billion in 2023, including both domestic exports and re-exports. Enterprises in the Netherlands exported €324.5 billion worth of domestic goods. These goods have either been produced or undergone significant processing in the Netherlands. Re-exports are goods that are imported by enterprises in the Netherlands but are then exported again with hardly any processing on Dutch territory. Re-exported goods are, however, temporarily owned by a Dutch-based enterprise while they are in the Netherlands. Re-exports had a total value of €352.4 billion in 2023. The value of goods exports was down by 4.0% compared to 2022, but the value of re-exports fell at a faster rate (down by 4.9%) than that of domestic exports (down by 3.0%).

The export value of services actually increased by 5.9% in 2023 compared to the previous year, to reach a value of €268.3 billion. If a person in the Netherlands is paid for services provided to a person based abroad, this represents an export of Dutch services. For example, if an engineer flies to China on behalf of a Dutch construction company to provide advice on construction activities, this is described as an export of engineering services to China. Similarly, payments for intellectual property, also referred to as royalties, and payments for software licences are also included in the trade in services (CBS, 2017).

6.2.1 Gross export value, by export category (billion euros)
jaar Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports
2023* 324.5 352.4 268.3
2022 334.6 370.6 253.3
2021 279.2 281.0 210.5

Value of goods exports down due to both volume and price decreases…

An increase or decrease in trade values does not necessarily mean that a higher or lower volume of goods is being traded. After all, the value of trade is the result of the quantity of goods and services exported and the prices paid. Table 6.2.2 shows that the decrease of the total Dutch export value in 2023 was a direct effect of both a decrease in volume and a fall in prices, by 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively. However, there are clear differences between export categories.

In 2023, prices of exported goods fell compared to the previous year, particularly for re-exports.

The volume of re-exports grew only minimally in 2023, while fewer domestic goods were exported abroad. This is very different to the picture in 2022, which was characterised by strong increases in the value of goods exports, driven by sharp price rises in both consumer goods (CBS, 2025b) and manufactured products (CBS, 2025c).

… services exports on the rise mainly due to price increases

The increase in the value of Dutch services exports was largely attributable to price rises in 2023. In 2023, services were on average 5.2% more expensive than one year earlier, while the export volume grew by 0.6%. This means that, even after the strong increases in volume and prices seen the previous year, services exports continued to grow in 2023 across value, volume and price, albeit at a different rate.

6.2.2Changes in export value, volume and prices
2022 2023*
change in value change in volume change in price change in value change in volume change in price
Type of exports %
Exports of goods and services 24.4 4.4 19.1 –1.4 –0.5 –0.9
Goods exports 25.9 1.6 23.9 –4,0 –1,0 –3.1
Domestic exports 19.8 –1.9 22.1 –3,0 –2.2 –0.9
Re-exports 31.9 5.1 25.5 –4.9 0.1 –5,0
Services exports 20.3 11.9 7.5 5.9 0.6 5.2

Price changes can have many causes, such as increased costs of raw materials, labour and/or transport, exchange rate fluctuations, changes in international supply and demand, and – especially recently – import tariffs or export restrictions. In turn, these price changes may affect volume. When prices rise, the quantity demanded may fall, especially if suitable alternatives are available. Sometimes, the volume may also increase temporarily, as foreign customers build up their inventories in anticipation of future price increases or in response to uncertainty. Conversely, they may postpone purchases if they expect prices to fall.

5.9% rise in earnings in the Netherlands’ earning from exports in 2023, year on year

Dutch earnings from exports increased, despite declining export value

As noted, the total value of Dutch exports was down in 2023. But what did that mean for the Netherlands’ export earnings? From the €945.2 billion of Dutch goods and services exported in 2023, the Netherlands earned €375.9 billion. We also refer to this as the value added generated by exports. This means that firms in the Netherlands earned an average of 40 cents for every euro of gross exports. In 2022, that figure stood at 37 cents and the Netherlands earned a total amount of €355.0 billion from exports of goods and services.

The Netherlands therefore earned 5.9% more from exports in 2023, year on year, despite the decline in total gross export value.

The value generated from each euro of services exports has been steadily increasing

We do not earn the same amount from each euro of gross exports. Figure 6.2.3 shows that services exports yielded nearly 63 eurocents per euro in 2023, and domestic exports yielded 51 eurocents. Each euro of domestic exports generated 3.2 eurocents more in earnings in 2023 than in 2022. This was largely due to falling prices of imported raw materials and fuels, which also reduced the import content of exports (see Chapter 7 of this edition). Lower import costs meant that less import value was required to produce those exports in 2023. The contribution of re-exports, by contrast, is much more limited. These exports require a relatively high level of imports, which keeps earnings from this type of exports considerably lower. In 2023, earnings were 12 eurocents for every euro of re-exports. Nevertheless, since re-exports were the largest type of exports by value, they still generated €42 billion for enterprises in the Netherlands.

Services exports continued to generate more income, rising from nearly 59 eurocents per euro in 2021 to almost 63 eurocents in 2023. In 2023, enterprises in the Netherlands earned, on average, slightly more from goods exports than in the previous year. This increase applied to both domestically produced goods and imported goods destined for re-export.

6.2.3 Earnings per euro, by type of export (cents per euro of export value)
type 2021 2022 2023*
Domestic exports 50.8 47.9 51.1
Re-exports 13.3 10.9 11.9
Services exports 58.9 61.0 62.6

Export contraction weighs on GDP growth

In addition to earnings from exports of goods and services, Dutch GDP is composed of earnings from domestic expenditure. Domestic expenditure represents the demand for goods and services within the Netherlands and consists of household and government consumption expenditure, investments, and inventory movements. In 2022, total export earnings accounted for 35.7% of GDP. This stood at 35.2% in 2023.

In 2022, the economy benefited from a strong rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2023, that temporary boost had worn off. At an average of 10%, inflation was exceptionally high in 2022, though many households and enterprises were able to accommodate the price rises temporarily (Schovers, 2023). In 2023, the structural impact of reduced purchasing power became more pronounced, even though inflation fell to 3.8% (CBS, 2025d). Although the Netherlands’ GDP did grow again in 2023, the increase was very modest at just 0.08%. Figure 6.2.4 shows that domestic expenditure made a positive contribution of 0.42 percentage points and services exports contributed 0.07 percentage points. These were also the drivers behind the growth of Dutch GDP in 2022. The contribution of domestic exports fell, with lower production and exports of natural gas playing a major role. Domestic exports from industries and sectors such as chemicals, agriculture and metals also showed a decrease in growth (CBS, 2024). Re-exports did not contribute to the change in GDP.

6.2.4 Contribution of exports to economic growth (GDP growth (in percentage points))
Jaar Domestic expenditure Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports
2022 2.721 -0.156 -0.075 2.517
2023* 0.42 -0.415 -0.001 0.070

More than three-quarters of earnings in manufacturing due to exports

Table 6.2.5 shows that there are significant differences in the extent to which economic sectors benefit from the domestic market and the international market. The export earnings shown in the table include both earnings from a sector’s direct exports and earnings generated indirectly by supplying exporting industries and sectors.

As might be expected, the public sector depended the most on domestic expenditure as a source of earnings. In 2023, only 2.5% of earnings originated from the export of goods and services in this sector. At €204.7 billion, public administration, education and health care saw the highest revenues from the domestic market by a long way. Domestic expenditure was also a very important source of earnings for construction and for the culture and recreation industry.

Dutch manufacturing, business services and trade earned the most from the export of goods and services, in absolute terms. These three sectors together accounted for almost two-thirds of the Netherlands’ earnings from exports. Mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and agriculture, forestry and fishing were the most dependent on other countries for their earnings.

6.2.5Value added by sector or industry, broken down into foreign and domestic, 2023*
Domestic expenditure Exports % of exports in total value added
billion euros %
Public administration, education and health care 204.7 5.3 2.5
Business services 75.5 86.1 53.3
Financial services and real estate activities 106.6 27.6 20.6
Trade 61.3 65.2 51.5
Manufacturing 29.2 88.3 75.2
Transportation and storage 14.5 30.3 67.7
Information and communication 22.7 24.3 51.8
Construction 44.6 4.6 9.4
Energy supply, water companies and waste management 15.3 9.7 38.8
Accommodation and food services 15.5 4.4 22.1
Culture, recreation and other services 20.9 3.3 13.6
Mining and quarrying 2.5 8.7 77.9
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 5.6 13.4 70.6

Transportation and storage sector and mining and quarrying industry saw export earnings decline

Figure 6.2.6 focuses on the sectors and industries that generated at least half of their earnings from exports in 2023, differentiating between the different types of exports: domestic goods, goods destined for re-exports and services exports. It also shows changes in export earnings since 2021.

Five of the seven sectors that generate at least half of their earnings from exports saw their earnings increase in 2023, year on year. Only the transportation sector and mining and quarrying reported lower export earnings. The strong growth in export earnings from mining and quarrying in 2022 was largely due to the rise in the price of mineral fuels (Prenen et al., 2024). Figure 6.2.6 also shows that a substantial part of earnings in the manufacturing sector came from domestic exports, that the trade sector earned a significant share from re-exports, and that the services sector, unsurprisingly, earned a great deal from services exports. The transportation and storage sector and business services sector earned more from goods re-exports than the manufacturing sector did.

6.2.6 Sectors with the most added value due to exports (billion euros)
Bedrijfstak Jaar Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports
Manufacturing 2023*, Manufacturing 74.6 1.5 12.2
Manufacturing 2022, Manufacturing 67.3 1.3 10.7
Manufacturing 2021, Manufacturing 64.8 1.3 8.1
Business
services
2023*, Business
services
18.5 5.4 62.2
Business
services
2022, Business
services
17.6 4.9 55.7
Business
services
2021, Business
services
16.2 4.7 46.9
Trade 2023*, Trade 27.8 25.1 12.3
Trade 2022, Trade 27.1 24.2 11.4
Trade 2021, Trade 25.9 23.4 11
Transportation
and storage
2023*, Transportation
and storage
6.0 3.7 20.7
Transportation
and storage
2022, Transportation
and storage
5.8 3.6 22.9
Transportation
and storage
2021, Transportation
and storage
5.1 3.1 17.1
Information and
communication
2023*, Information and
communication
3.3 1.2 19.8
Information and
communication
2022, Information and
communication
3.1 1.1 19.1
Information and
communication
2021, Information and
communication
3.0 1.1 15.1
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2023*, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
12.6 0.3 0.6
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2022, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
11.3 0.3 0.5
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2021, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
11.1 0.2 0.3
Mining and
quarrying
2023*, Mining and
quarrying
7.2 0.2 1.3
Mining and
quarrying
2022, Mining and
quarrying
12.4 0.2 1.3
Mining and
quarrying
2021, Mining and
quarrying
4.6 0.1 0.7

The machinery sector and the food, beverages and tobacco industry earn the most from domestic exports

Figure 6.2.7 focuses on the earnings generated in the manufacturing sector from domestic expenditure and exports. As shown in table 6.2.5, in 2023 three-quarters of manufacturing earnings were generated from the direct or indirect export of goods and services. The significance of exports for this sector is also reflected in figure 6.2.7.

The machinery sector and the food, beverages and tobacco industry earned the most from exports, particularly domestic exports. In absolute terms, these sectors of manufacturing also earned the most from domestic expenditure. The two smallest manufacturing sectors in terms of value added were the most dependent on domestic earnings.

Services exports played a limited role in most manufacturing sectors, except for the pharmaceutical industry and other manufacturing and repairs. Goods re-exports did not constitute a major source of revenue in any sector of Dutch manufacturing.

Sharp fall in earnings in chemicals industry

In 2022, chemicals industry still ranked third in Figure 6.2.7, with a total value added of €15 billion. Traditionally, this industry has had high energy consumption and was also faced with a sharp rise in import prices: the prices of imported goods for the chemical industry rose by no less than 40% in 2022 (see Chapter 7). The industry also had to contend with lower investment and competition from abroad (Schalkwijk, 2025). All this resulted in a decline in production capacity (CBS, 2025e), which led to a decline in both export volume and the corresponding revenues in 2023.

6.2.7 Earnings in manufacturing sector, by industry, 2023* (billion euros)
A66_2digit Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports Domestic expenditure
Machinery 17.4 0.2 1.5 5.0
Food, beverages
and tobacco
14.6 0.2 1.0 7.3
Metal products 4.5 0.2 1.2 4.1
Pharmaceuticals 5.4 0.1 2.8 0.5
Electrotechnical 5.5 0.1 0.5 1.5
Chemicals 6.1 0.1 0.5 0.6
Other manufacturing
and repair
2.6 0.2 2.8 1.6
Timber, paper
and graphic
2.5 0.1 0.7 2.1
Motor vehicles
and trailers
3.2 0.0 0.1 0.7
Electrical appliances 3.0 0.1 0.3 0.5
Rubber and plastics 2.4 0.0 0.2 1.1
Building materials 0.9 0.0 0.1 1.7
Petroleum 1.9 0.0 0.1 0.2
Basic metals 1.7 0.0 0.1 0.3
Furniture 0.6 0.0 0.0 1.3
Other transport
equipment
1.4 0.0 0.2 0.3
Textiles, clothing
and leather
0.9 0.0 0.1 0.4

Earlier price increases were partly corrected in 2023, though not uniformly across all sectors and industries

Table 6.2.2 showed that the decline in the aggregate Dutch export value in 2023 was a direct effect of falls in both volume and prices, by 0.5% and 0.9% respectively. The table shows a clear difference between goods and services exports. For goods, export volume fell by 1%, while prices declined on average by over 3%. By contrast, the volume of services exports actually increased by 0.6%, and prices rose by a total of 5.2%.

With this in mind, how are we to interpret the export earnings of the various sectors and industries in the Netherlands? Table 6.2.8 presents the changes in value, volume and prices of exports in 2022 and 2023 relative to the previous year. It only involves domestic goods exports (the export of goods manufactured in the Netherlands), shifting the focus back to Dutch manufacturing.

The year 2022 was marked by sharp price rises (CBS, 2025d). These exceptional rises were the result of an unusual combination of global economic and geopolitical factors, with the energy crisis, the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and ongoing disruptions to global supply chains being the main contributors.

This led to higher costs across virtually all sectors and industries – costs which were largely passed on in export prices. In 2023, this was partially reversed, particularly in sectors and industries that had experienced the highest price rises in 2022, such as the mining and quarrying industry and the oil-refining industry. Also, the food, beverages and tobacco industry, the timber, paper and printing industry, chemical industry, commercial services, and other manufacturing and repairs saw price rises exceeding 20% in 2022 followed by price drops in 2023, albeit of a lesser magnitude. In other sectors and industries, prices continued to rise, as was the case in agriculture, the textile, clothing and leather sector, and the electrical equipment industry.

While price changes are often influenced by inflation and raw material prices, volume changes provide a better indication of the actual economic activities and how trade has actually changed across the different sectors and industries. Dutch forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying, timber, paper and printing industry, chemical industry, building materials industry, furniture industry and the miscellaneous category ‘other’, covering non-commercial services and personal services, including institutions operating outside the market mechanism, all experienced a decline in their export volume in 2023 of at least 10% compared to the year before. Mining and quarrying topped the list, with a decline in export volume of 31.7%. This was partly because the Netherlands’ total natural gas production dropped by one-third in 2023 compared to the previous year, largely as a result of the scaling back of production from the Groningen gas field (Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, 2024). This also means that exports of the Groningen low-calorific gas to our neighbouring countries will fall to almost zero at the end of this decade (Gasunie, 2024). The Dutch machinery and motor vehicle and trailer industries, on the other hand, experienced an increase in export volume in 2023, at 16.0% and 10.5% respectively.

6.2.8Changes in export value, volume and prices in domestic exports by sector and industry
2022 2023*
change in value change in volume change in price change in value change in volume change in price
Sector and industry %
Agriculture –1.6 –8.7 7.7 8.1 –1.4 9.6
Forestry and fishing –16.9 –28.7 16.5 –20.8 –11.8 –10.2
Mining and quarrying 134.9 –24.9 212.8 –46.6 –31.7 –21.8
Food, beverages and tobacco industry 23.9 0.2 23.7 –0.1 –5.6 5.8
Textile, clothing, leather and shoe industry –12.3 –18.4 7.4 3.8 –4.4 8.7
Timber, paper and printing industry 10.8 –10.6 23.8 –15.7 –12.8 –3.3
Oil-refining industry 66.1 –1.9 69.2 –8.6 8.1 –15.4
Chemical industry 20.1 –4.8 26.2 –20.1 –13 –8.1
Pharmaceutical industry 8.3 4.8 3.3 –2.7 –6.5 4.0
Rubber and plastics industry 5.6 –9.6 16.8 –8.4 –8.1 –0.3
Building materials industry 13.3 3.9 9.0 –5.6 –12.6 8.1
Basic metal industry 19.1 –3.9 24.0 –15.9 –7.6 –8.9
Metal products industry 10.1 –4.4 15.2 0.8 2.0 –1.2
Electrotechnical industry 7.3 –2.0 9.6 –3.2 –6.5 3.6
Electronics industry 7.2 0.4 6.7 8.6 1.9 6.6
Machinery 8.8 5.3 3.3 21.0 16.0 4.3
Motor vehicle and trailer industry 14.6 8.3 5.8 15.2 10.5 4.2
Other transport equipment 3.1 –0.5 3.6 10.3 5.4 4.6
Furniture industry 8.0 –2.7 11.0 –11.0 –12.4 1.6
Other manufacturing and repairs 1.4 0.8 0.5 15.5 11.2 3.9
Commercial services 24.6 –4.0 29.9 –0.5 3.1 –3.5
Public administration, education and care 20.7 –2.0 23.3 –5.9 0.3 –6.2
Other 47.8 42.4 3.8 –19.9 –16.9 –3.5

Exports of specialised machinery are the largest source of earnings for the Netherlands

Figure 6.2.9 shows the fifteen most important types of goods in 2023 in terms of export earnings from domestic production. It also shows the aggregate export value, providing an insight into how much value added a product generates relative to aggregate export value.

Specialised machinery remained the largest source of earnings from domestic exports in 2023. This category includes equipment for the semiconductor industry, agricultural machinery, medical devices and installations for the food industry. Compared to the previous year, earnings from specialised machinery originating from the Netherlands rose by 22% in 2023. These earnings comprised 65% of gross export value. In relative terms, most earnings per gross export value were made in natural gas, raw animal and vegetable materials, and fruit and vegetables. Natural gas yields high earnings because it is extracted on Dutch territory, so exports of natural gas require few imports.

In terms of value, crude oil and petroleum products are the most important domestic export products. However, these products yield relatively low earnings as they require substantial imports. The Netherlands hardly extracts any crude oil on its own territory and therefore has to import almost all of it. The imported crude oil is then processed in refineries in the Netherlands into, for example, fuels and raw materials for the chemicals industry. Plastics also require a relatively large amount of imports.

6.2.9 Value added in domestic goods exports by product category1) (billion euros)
SITC2 Jaar Value added Gross export value
Specialised
machinery
2023*, Specialised
machinery
19.4 10.6
Specialised
machinery
2022, Specialised
machinery
15.9 9.5
Specialised
machinery
2021, Specialised
machinery
14.8 7.7
Fruit and
vegetables
2023*, Fruit and
vegetables
7.9 3.7
Fruit and
vegetables
2022, Fruit and
vegetables
6.3 3.6
Fruit and
vegetables
2021, Fruit and
vegetables
6.1 2.8
Road transport
vehicles
2023*, Road transport
vehicles
7.5 6.4
Road transport
vehicles
2022, Road transport
vehicles
6.7 6.1
Road transport
vehicles
2021, Road transport
vehicles
6.1 5.2
Raw animal and
vegetable products
2023*, Raw animal and
vegetable products
7.1 2.8
Raw animal and
vegetable products
2022, Raw animal and
vegetable products
6.8 3.1
Raw animal and
vegetable products
2021, Raw animal and
vegetable products
8.1 2.8
Various machinery 2023*, Various machinery 6.8 3.4
Various machinery 2022, Various machinery 5.4 2.9
Various machinery 2021, Various machinery 5.4 2.7
Crude oil and
petroleum products
2023*, Crude oil and
petroleum products
6.3 33.8
Crude oil and
petroleum products
2022, Crude oil and
petroleum products
7.5 37
Crude oil and
petroleum products
2021, Crude oil and
petroleum products
4.4 22.2
Dairy products
and eggs
2023*, Dairy products
and eggs
6.0 3.6
Dairy products
and eggs
2022, Dairy products
and eggs
5.6 4.1
Dairy products
and eggs
2021, Dairy products
and eggs
4.1 2.9
Meat and
meat products
2023*, Meat and
meat products
5.1 3.7
Meat and
meat products
2022, Meat and
meat products
4.7 4.0
Meat and
meat products
2021, Meat and
meat products
4.2 3.4
Electrical
appliances
2023*, Electrical
appliances
4.6 3.7
Electrical
appliances
2022, Electrical
appliances
4 3.6
Electrical
appliances
2021, Electrical
appliances
3.3 3.2
Natural gas 2023*, Natural gas 4.2 0.6
Natural gas 2022, Natural gas 8.1 0.8
Natural gas 2021, Natural gas 3.2 0.7
Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
2023*, Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
4.1 2.1
Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
2022, Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
3.4 1.9
Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
2021, Medicaments and
pharmaceutical
products
3.1 1.7
Various
manufactured goods
2023*, Various
manufactured goods
3.9 2.2
Various
manufactured goods
2022, Various
manufactured goods
3.4 2.3
Various
manufactured goods
2021, Various
manufactured goods
3.7 2.2
Metal products 2023*, Metal products 3.8 2.2
Metal products 2022, Metal products 3.5 2.3
Metal products 2021, Metal products 3.3 2
Plastics in
primary forms
2023*, Plastics in
primary forms
3.1 4.8
Plastics in
primary forms
2022, Plastics in
primary forms
3.8 6.6
Plastics in
primary forms
2021, Plastics in
primary forms
3.9 4.9
Other chemical
products
2023*, Other chemical
products
2.8 2.6
Other chemical
products
2022, Other chemical
products
2.9 3.1
Other chemical
products
2021, Other chemical
products
2.7 2.7
1) Top 15 product categories

The Netherlands continues to earn the most from exports to Germany, UK and US

As noted, Dutch export earnings increased by 5.9% reaching €376 billion in 2023. But from which countries did firms in the Netherlands earn the most? Figure 6.2.10 presents the export destinations with the highest export earnings in 2023.

Germany has long been the country that generates the highest export earnings for the Netherlands, and in 2023 these earnings stood at €57.3 billion. The United Kingdom and the United States complete the top 3. In 2023, Dutch earnings grew for nearly all major export markets compared to 2022. Among the ten most important countries in terms of export earnings, only Switzerland saw a decline, driven by lower earnings from services exports, particularly in manufacturing services and maritime transport. Overall, EU countries accounted for 57% of Dutch export earnings, equivalent to €214 billion.

In 2023, earnings from exports to Germany rose by 1.6% compared to the previous year. The decline in earnings from domestic exports, particularly natural gas, was more than offset by the increase in earnings from services exports to Germany, mainly in travel and technical or trade-related services. Among the countries shown, earnings from exports to China grew the fastest. Although the absolute amounts were smaller, Dutch earnings from exports to China grew by no less than 38.3% compared to 2022. Contrary to the general trend, this was primarily due to higher export earnings from domestic products, in particular exports of specialised machinery. At the end of 2023, just before the export restrictions on equipment used in semiconductor production came into effect, the Netherlands exported a substantial volume of such equipment to China (Bloomberg, 2024). With growth exceeding 10%, earnings from exports to the United Kingdom and Spain are also noteworthy.

6.2.10 Top 10 export destinations by export earnings (billion euros)
land Jaar Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports
Germany 2023*, Germany 25.2 7.3 24.8
Germany 2022, Germany 26.8 7.3 22.3
Germany 2021, Germany 22.1 6.9 17.7
UK 2023*, UK 10.5 2.8 18.3
UK 2022, UK 9.8 2.2 16.5
UK 2021, UK 9.1 2.3 15.6
US 2023*, US 9.3 2.7 16.7
US 2022, US 8.4 2.4 16.0
US 2021, US 7.1 2.3 15.3
Belgium 2023*, Belgium 12.5 2.8 10.4
Belgium 2022, Belgium 13.0 2.8 9.6
Belgium 2021, Belgium 11.6 2.7 7.9
France 2023*, France 8.8 3.2 10.7
France 2022, France 8.9 3.1 9.4
France 2021, France 7.7 2.9 6.7
Switzerland 2023*, Switzerland 1.9 0.7 9.6
Switzerland 2022, Switzerland 1.7 0.7 10.1
Switzerland 2021, Switzerland 1.6 0.7 6.9
Ireland 2023*, Ireland 1.7 0.6 9.4
Ireland 2022, Ireland 1.0 0.6 9.8
Ireland 2021, Ireland 0.9 0.5 7.8
China 2023*, China 7.5 1.7 2.0
China 2022, China 4.8 1.3 2.0
China 2021, China 4.7 1.7 2.0
Italy 2023*, Italy 4.2 1.8 4.7
Italy 2022, Italy 4.3 1.7 4.1
Italy 2021, Italy 4.1 1.7 3.1
Spain 2023*, Spain 3.4 1.7 4.3
Spain 2022, Spain 3.1 1.6 3.7
Spain 2021, Spain 2.9 1.4 3.0

6.3Export-induced employment

1.2 million direct full-time jobs and 1.4 million indirect full-time jobs were associated with exports in 2023, broken down by domestic exports, re-exports and services exports. 6.3.1 Export-induced employment (FTE), 2023* 451 thousand 2.6 million Re-exports 721 thousand 60 thousand Services exports Domestic exports 523 thousand Services exports 628 thousand Domestic exports 1.2 million Full-time jobs in exporting sector 1.4 million Indirect full-time jobs suppliers, inputs Full-time jobs due to exports Re-exports 230 thousand
6.3.1 Export-induced employment (FTE), 2023*
Goods Re-exports Services Total
Direct employment 451 dzd 60 thousand 721 thousand 1,2 million
Indirect employyment 628 dzd 230 thousand 523 thousand 1,4 million

Exports also create jobs, both directly and indirectly

Exports are of great importance to the Dutch economy, not only in terms of value added but also employment. Every Dutch export-related product is supported by a network of jobs. This applies not only to factories or offices that trade directly with other countries, but also to suppliers, transporters and service providers. For example, a shipload of machinery exported to Canada also means work for an accountant, a driver, a lubricant manufacturer and a developer of technical components. In this way, exports also indirectly create employment for firms that do not export themselves.

Direct and indirect employment are measured according to whether the enterprise a person works for is itself engaged in exports. An accountant working for an exporting enterprise is therefore counted as direct employment, whereas an accountant working at a supporting enterprise that does not export itself is counted as indirect employment.

Figure 6.3.1 shows that employment attributable to the exports of goods and services amounted to over 2.6 million full-time jobs (FTE) in 2023: 1.2 million direct and nearly 1.4 million indirect. This represented 31.4% of total employment in the Netherlands. As such, international sales markets were just as important in 2023 as they were in 2022. The majority of export-related jobs were not at firms actually trading across borders, but at firms providing supporting activities.

31.4% of employment in the Netherlands is attributable to exports of goods and services

Export-induced employment is closely interconnected with the value added generated by goods and services exports. Figure 6.3.2 again shows the sectors and industries that earned at least half of their value added from exports in 2023.

The share of Dutch manufacturing in total value added due to exports in 2023 significantly exceeded its export-related share in employment. The same applies to mining and quarrying, another capital-intensive industry. Even though mining and quarrying accounted for 2.3% of total export earnings, its exports created relatively few jobs in 2023.

The production of services is generally more labour-intensive, which is clearly reflected in the business services sector. While this sector generated nearly the same export earnings as manufacturing, it accounted for significantly more employment – 29.1% of total export-induced jobs. The agricultural sector, too, created a large number of jobs attributable to exports relative to its share in export earnings. In other sectors and industries, the shares of earnings and employment were more balanced.

6.3.2 Share of value added and employment attributable to exports (%)
NLHL_H6 Jaar Total value added attributable to exports Total employment attributable to exports
Manufacturing 2023*, Manufacturing 23.8 19.5
Manufacturing 2022, Manufacturing 22.6 19
Manufacturing 2021, Manufacturing 24.7 19.8
Business
services
2023*, Business
services
23.2 29.1
Business
services
2022, Business
services
22.3 29.6
Business
services
2021, Business
services
22.6 29
Trade 2023*, Trade 17.6 17.3
Trade 2022, Trade 17.9 17.4
Trade 2021, Trade 20.1 17.8
Transportation
and storage
2023*, Transportation
and storage
8.2 9.1
Transportation
and storage
2022, Transportation
and storage
9.2 9.3
Transportation
and storage
2021, Transportation
and storage
8.4 9.4
Information and
communication
2023*, Information and
communication
6.6 7.2
Information and
communication
2022, Information and
communication
6.7 7.2
Information and
communication
2021, Information and
communication
6.4 6.7
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2023*, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
3.6 4.9
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2022, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
3.5 5
Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
2021, Agriculture,
forestry
and fishing
3.9 5.6
Mining and
quarrying
2023*, Mining and
quarrying
2.3 0.2
Mining and
quarrying
2022, Mining and
quarrying
4 0.2
Mining and
quarrying
2021, Mining and
quarrying
1.8 0.2

Business services exports mainly generates indirect jobs

Figure 6.3.3 shows employment in the same sectors and industries, broken down by type of exports and by type of employment (direct versus indirect). As exports contribute only marginally to employment in mining and quarrying, this category has been omitted.

In the business services sector, it is especially services exports that generate many jobs indirectly related to exports, ranging from accounting and marketing to legal advice. In 2023, these accounted for 486 thousand jobs out of a total of 759 thousand jobs in business services attributable to exports.

In manufacturing, the pattern was reversed: most export-induced jobs were direct, primarily tied to domestic exports. In trade, however, exports mainly created jobs at firms that do not produce goods themselves, such as transport companies or wholesalers, where re-exports play a significant role.

6.3.3 Export-induced employment, by sector, 2023* (1,000 jobs (FTE))
categorie Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports Direct employment Indirect employment
Business services . . . . .
Exports 206.7 49.8 502.8 . .
Employment . . . 273 486.3
Manufacturing . . . . .
Exports 425.7 10.3 73.6 . .
Employment . . . 380.1 129.5
Trade . . . . .
Exports 171.4 168.2 111.5 . .
Employment . . . 141.4 309.7
Transportation
and storage
. . . . .
Exports 53.8 33.4 151.8 . .
Employment . . . 111.8 127.2
Information and
communication
. . . . .
Exports 27 10 150.3 . .
Employment . . . 99.7 87.5
Agrculture, forestry
and fishing
. . . . .
Exports 119 2.8 5.1 . .
Employment . . . 68.5 58.4

Exports to Germany create the most jobs

Earlier, in Figure 6.2.10, we saw how firms in the Netherlands generated earnings from the export of goods and services to various countries in 2023. What does this mean for employment?

Figure 6.3.4 shows that the same ten countries lead to the highest level of export-induced employment. Logically, employment is highly correlated to the countries from which the Netherlands earns the most, including by type of export. The top 10 is therefore almost exactly identical to that in Figure 6.2.10. Only Italy and China swap places. Exports to Germany provided the most employment for the Netherlands: over 407 thousand jobs (FTE) in 2023. That was 5,300 more than in 2022 – an increase of 1.4%. The United Kingdom and the United States complete the top three. While earnings from exports to the US increased in 2023, export-induced employment actually decreased. This decline was seen mainly in financial services (Konietzny et al., 2025).

6.3.4 Top 10 trading partners, by employment created (1,000 jobs (FTE))
land Jaar Domestic exports Re-exports Services exports
Germany 2023*, Germany 162.0 50.3 194.9
Germany 2022, Germany 165.8 51.3 184.8
Germany 2021, Germany 171.3 51.1 159
UK 2023*, UK 73.7 19.3 139.6
UK 2022, UK 71.9 15.5 134.0
UK 2021, UK 73.9 17.3 138.3
US 2023*, US 59.6 18.9 117.3
US 2022, US 56.9 17.1 121.3
US 2021, US 52.4 17.2 136.3
Belgium 2023*, Belgium 84.2 19.7 81.1
Belgium 2022, Belgium 84.6 20.1 78.8
Belgium 2021, Belgium 86.3 20.4 69.7
France 2023*, France 59.3 22.3 75.1
France 2022, France 59.5 21.9 71.9
France 2021, France 61.0 21.9 57.5
Switzerland 2023*, Switzerland 13.5 4.8 72.0
Switzerland 2022, Switzerland 12.6 5.2 76.3
Switzerland 2021, Switzerland 12.6 5.2 57.5
Ireland 2023*, Ireland 11.2 3.9 72.9
Ireland 2022, Ireland 7.7 4.1 79.8
Ireland 2021, Ireland 7.6 3.5 69.2
Italy 2023*, Italy 28.4 12.4 32.4
Italy 2022, Italy 28.3 12.4 29.8
Italy 2021, Italy 30.7 12.4 26.2
China 2023*, China 46.4 11.6 14.9
China 2022, China 34.1 9.4 16.0
China 2021, China 35.6 12.2 16.3
Spain 2023*, Spain 24.1 11.7 28.9
Spain 2022, Spain 22.7 11.4 26.0
Spain 2021, Spain 23.1 10.3 22.9

By linking export data from a sector with information on workers’ personal characteristics within that sector, we can break down export-induced employment by occupation, gender, employment type and education level. Even though these personal details are based on hours worked rather than FTE positions, the interpretation remains the same.

Similar to 2022, 30% of the total hours worked by the Dutch labour force in 2023 were attributable to exports. Figure 6.3.5 shows a breakdown of these hours by occupational class. Most people in the Netherlands work in business and administrative roles, such as accountants, finance specialists, secretaries and transport planners. Next are technical occupations, including engineers, construction workers, machine fitters and assembly workers, but also bakers and butchers (ROA & CBS, 2014). In these occupational classes a relatively large number of hours are spent on activities that support exports. By contrast, occupations that are primarily domestically oriented, such as those in health care and education, involve very few labour hours attributable to exports. More than half of the hours worked in agriculture, an industry with a relatively high share of exports, are devoted to export-related activities.

6.3.5 Hours worked by Dutch labour force for domestic market and exports, by occupation, 2023* (million labour hours)
beroep for domestic market for exports
Business and
administrative
37.1 20.7
Technical 31.0 17.9
Health care
and well-being
37.3 2.4
Commercial 20.34 11.74
Managers 13.5 8.5
Teaching 18.7 1.2
ICT 10.7 7.9
Service-oriented 14.6 3.8
Transport and
logistics
9.2 8.4
Public administration,
security and legal
9.6 1.8
Creative and
linguistic
4.6 3.2
Agriculture 2.9 3.2
Other 0.7 0.6

Men with a permanent employment contract are the group most likely to work in exports

Figure 6.3.6 shows that men consistently dedicate a larger share of their working hours on export-related activities than women, regardless of employment contract type. This difference is most pronounced among those with permanent contracts: men with permanent contracts spend an average of 37% of their working hours on exports, compared to only 20% for women in the same category.

These differences can partly be attributed to the sectors and occupations in which men and women work. Men are more often represented in technical and industrial roles, where output and services are more likely to be export-oriented. Women, on the other hand, are more active in health care, education and administrative occupations, which primarily serve the domestic market. The same pattern is evident among the self-employed: male self-employed workers spend more hours on exports (37%) than female self-employed workers (27%).

6.3.6 Type of employment and hours worked for domestic market and exports, by sex, 2023* (million labour hours)
dienstverb for domestic market for exports
Women . .
Temporary contract 24.4 6.5
Permanent contract 60.6 14.7
Self-employed 12.1 4.6
Men . .
Temporary contract 22.8 11.8
Permanent contract 65.2 38.4
Self-employed 25.4 15.1

Although workers with a higher level of education spend more hours on exports in absolute terms, workers with a lower level of education spend a relatively larger proportion of their working hours on export-related activities. The pattern in Figure 6.3.7 remained the same as in 2022. Among men with lower education, approximately 38% of hours worked were spent on export-related activities, compared with 35% for men with a higher level of education. The same trend holds for women: those with lower education spend over 25% of their working hours on export-related activities, versus approximately 21% for women with a higher level of education.

6.3.7 Level of education and hours worked on exports, by sex, 2023* (million labour hours)
Opleiding for domestic market for exports
Women . .
Lower level
of education
12.5 4.2
Medium level
of education
35.6 8.7
Higher level
of education
48.9 12.9
Men . .
Lower level
of education
21.6 13.4
Medium level
of education
44.4 26.0
Higher level
of education
47.3 26.0

6.4References

Open references

References

Bloomberg (2024, 22 January). China Buys Near-Record $40 Billion of Chip Gear to Beat US Curbs. Bloomberg News. Accessed on 11 June 2025.

CBS (2017). Internationalisation Monitor 2017, second quarter. Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

CBS (2024, 9 December). Domestic exports affected GDP growth negatively in 2023. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 10 June 2025.

CBS (2025a). Statistics International trade in goods by change of ownership and border crossing. Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

CBS (2025b). StatLine – Consumer prices; price index 2015=100. [Dataset]. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 7 May 2025.

CBS (2025c). StatLine – Producer Price Index (PPI); output and importprices by product, 2021=100. [Dataset]. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 7 May 2025.

CBS (2025d, 14 January). Inflation rate 3.3 percent in 2024. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 25 June 2025.

CBS (2025f). Conjunctuurenquête Nederland; bedrijfstakken (SBI 2008). [Dataset]. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 12 June 2025.

Gasunie (2024). Jaarverslag 2023: Bestuursverslag. Gasunie transport services.

Konietzny, R., Notten, T., & Prenen, L. (2025). De verwevenheid van Nederland met de Verenigde Staten in internationale waardeketens. In S. Creemers & R. Voncken (eds.), Internationalisation Monitor 2025, first edition: United States. Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (2024). Delfstoffen en aardwarmte in Nederland. Een overzicht van opsporings- en winningsactiviteiten en ondergrondse opslag. Directoraat- Generaal Groningen en Ondergrond.

Prenen, L., Rooyakkers, J., & Notten, T. (2024 Dutch earnings from exports. In S. Creemers, M. Houben-van Herten & R. Voncken (eds.), Dutch Trade in Facts and Figures 2024: Exports, imports & investments. Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

ROA & CBS (2014). Beroepenindeling ROA-CBS 2014. Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market & Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Schalkwijk, E. (2025). Dit zijn de vijf bedrijven waar ontslagen vallen in de Rotterdamse haven. Rijnmond. Accessed on 12 June 2025.

Schovers, R. (2023, 4 May). De gevolgen van de hoge inflatie in 2022. Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Accessed on 12 June 2025.

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Contributors

Authors

Nieke Aerts

Arjen Berkenbos (DNB)

Melle Bijlsma (DNB)

Timon Bohn

Sarah Creemers

Jurriaan Eggelte (DNB)

Robin Konietzny

Dio Limpens

Tom Notten

Shalane Pijnenburg

Mauro Pinna

Leen Prenen

Pascal Ramaekers

Janneke Rooyakkers

Anne Maaike Stienstra (DNB)

Fons Verkerk (DNB)

Christiaan Visser

Roger Voncken

Manon Weusten

Editorial team

Sarah Creemers

Janneke Rooyakkers

Roger Voncken

Editors in chief

Sarah Creemers

Roger Voncken

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following persons for their constructive contributions to this edition of Dutch Trade in Facts and Figures:

Deirdre Bosch

Anniek Erkens

Loe Franssen

Jan-Pieter Heijmans

Marjolijn Jaarsma

Tim Peeters

Davey Poulissen

Stef Weijers

CBS CCN Logistiek

CBS CCN Redactie en Visualisatie

Translation:

Taalcentrum VU

CBS Vertaalbureau

We would also like to thank the following members of staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their feedback on a draft version of Dutch Trade in Facts and Figures:

Jan Pieter Barendse

Diederik Berghuijs

Vasant Bhoendi

Tom Harmsen

Jeroen Jacobs

Ries Kamphof

Judith Kikkert

Harry Oldersma