Trade with Israel stagnating
![](https://cdn.cbs.nl/images/33344833657978474b636c65636f334c6636756767673d3d/900x450.jpg)
Dutch trade with Israel did not grow in 2001 compared with 2000. Although the value of exports to Israel rose by two percent to over a billion euro, imports from this country fell by five percent in the same period to 0.8 billion euro. Indeed, the trade deficit turned into a positive balance of 0.2 billion euro. Trade did grow substantially in the five years up to 2001: exports doubled and the value of imports increased by more than forty percent.
Dutch trade with Israel
Exports to Israel slightly up
The Netherlands exported more than one billion euro worth of goods to Israel in 2001, two percent more than one year previously. In the last five years the value of exports rose by 0.5 billion euro in 1996 to more than one billion euro in 2001. This accounts for more than a quarter of exports to the Near and Middle East. Total Dutch exports (241 billion euro) rose by four percent in 2001 compared with 2000 and by 57 percent compared with 1996.
Imports from Israel down
Following an increase of thirteen percent in 2000, Dutch imports from Israel fell by five percent in value in 2001 to 0.8 billion euro. If we look at the last five years, the value of imports has increased by more than forty percent.
Total Dutch imports rose by one half of a percent to 217 billion euro, and are 55 percent higher than in 1996.
Wiel Packbier