Trade surplus unprecedentedly high

In November, the volume of goods exports was 11 percent higher than in November 2006. In the first ten months of 2007, the volume of exports was on average 8 percent up on one year previously. The volume of imports increased by 6 percent in November. The growth rate is in line with the average growth over the first ten months of 2007.

Import prices were up by 4 percent while export prices went up by 2 percent on November 2006. This is partly due to high prices for oil and oil products.

The value of exports was 33.1 billion euro, an increase by more than 13 percent relative to November 2006. The value of imports grew by nearly 10 percent to reach 28.0 billion euro, resulting in a trade surplus of 5.1 billion euro, as against 3.7 billion euro in November 2006. The value of imports, exports and the trade surplus were unprecedentedly high.

The value of food imports and imports of mineral fuels increased significantly. Dutch exports of machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels and chemical products improved markedly. Imports from EU countries grew more substantially than imports from non-EU countries. Exports to non-EU countries, on the other hand, grew faster than exports to EU countries.

Goods exports (volume)