Upward trend in trade with Rumania and Bulgaria

Romania and Bulgaria contribute only marginally to total Dutch international trade: 0.2 and 0.1 percent respectively but trade with these East European countries is increasing considerably.

Upward trend

Trade with Romania and Bulgaria is expanding. The value of imports from Romania grew by 60 percent in the period 1999-2003. The value of exports to Romania doubled over the same period. The value of imports from Bulgaria grew by 22 percent, exports by 71 percent.

Trade with Romania

Imports from Romania up by a quarter in 2003

In 2003 the Netherlands imported goods from Romania worth 437 million euro, a 25 percent rise on 2002. Furniture, clothing and shoes accounted for more than 40 percent of total imports from Romania.

Exports to Romania up by six percent

Exports to Romania grew by more than 6 percent last year to reach 574 million euro. Computers were the most important export product, accounting for 11 percent of total exports to Romania. Other export products were television sets, medicines, cars and yarns.

Trade with Bulgaria

Mainly clothes imported from Bulgaria

Clothes accounted for more than one third of total imports from Bulgaria. In 2003 the import of clothes from Bulgaria was worth 44 million euro, 3 percent down on the previous year. Total imports were worth 112 million euro in 2003, an 11 percent decrease on 2002.

Exports to Bulgaria: yarns, PCs and tobacco products

Exports to Bulgaria mainly consisted of yarns, computers and tobacco products. These products accounted for almost 40 percent of total exports. Total exports to Bulgaria amounted to 232 million euro in 2003, a 10 percent increase on 2002.

Wiel Packbier