Exports contribute 29 percent to Dutch economy

Dutch exports contribute 29 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP). The GDP is defined as the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced in the Netherlands. The total value of exported goods and services is equal to 69 percent of the GDP. Goods manufactured abroad and used in export products account for the difference.

Export value

Value of exports grows faster than GDP

In two decades, the value of Dutch exports has grown from 56 to 69 percent of the GDP, but the contribution of exports to the economy hardly changed, because the value of goods manufactured abroad and used in export products, in particular re-exported products, has grown substantially. Dutch merchants, for example, buy Chinese computers, which are subsequently re-exported to Germany.

Value of exported products by export category

Re-exports increased more than fivefold

The value of re-exports grew from 29 billion euro in 1990 to 158 billion euro in 2009. The added value of re-exports, i.e. after deduction of the purchase price on the foreign market, was only 12 billion euro in 2009. The contribution of one euro of re-exports to the economy is approximately 7.5 euro cents. Exports of Dutch-made goods and services are a much more lucrative business: 59 and 76 euro cents respectively for each euro worth of exported goods and services.

Contribution to GDP by sector, 2009

Exports most important for manufacturing industry

In 2009, exports accounted for more than half of the contribution of manufacturing industry to the GDP. Exports are much more important for the sector manufacturing industry than for any other sector. In the services sector, exports contributed for approximately one quarter to the added value. Save exports, domestic consumption and investments also contribute to the GDP.

Fred Kuypers, Arjan Lejour (both CPB), Oscar Lemmers and Pascal Ramaekers