Growing number of East European hauliers

East European lorries carry more and more goods to and from the Netherlands. Their share grew from 8 to 12.5 percent between 2007 and 2011 and the overall weight they carried increased by more than one third.

Largest foreign market share for Germany and Belgium

In 2011, a total of 166 million tons of freight was carried by road to and from the Netherlands, a share of 58 percent, versus 60 percent in 2007. Within the EU, Germany and Belgium account for the largest foreign market share, but the share of German and Belgian hauliers has been continually in decline in recent years. German and Belgian hauliers still accounted for 63 percent of the overall weight carried by foreign hauliers in 2007, as against 56 percent in 2011. The gap was filled by East European lorries.

Road transport to and from the Netherlands, 2011

Polish hauliers take up third place

Polish hauliers account for a 15 percent share in road transport by foreign hauliers to and from the Netherlands. Their share increased by 4 percentage points between 2007 and 2011. Only 40 percent of goods carried by Polish lorries came from or went to Poland. One third of goods came from or went to Germany, but German and Belgian hauliers mainly carried goods to and from their own countries.

Other East European countries claim bigger share

In recent years, the importance of other East European countries in international road transport of goods to and from the Netherlands has grown. After Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia are the most important East European hauliers. When the country joined the European Union in 2007, Bulgaria hardly played a part in international road transport to and from the Netherlands. Since then, Bulgaria’s share in goods transport to and from the Netherlands has grown most rapidly of all East European countries.

East European hauliers to and from the Netherlands by total weight carried

Paul Ras and Mathijs Jacobs