Environmental Goods and Services Sector, industries; national accounts

Environmental Goods and Services Sector, industries; national accounts

Environmental domains Industries (SIC 2008) Periods Labour input of employed persons (1 000 full time equivalents) Output at basic prices (mln euros) Gross value added at basic prices (mln euros) Export at basic prices (mln euros)
Environmental domains, total M-N Business services 2021* 16.2 4,097 1,720 1,047
Environmental domains, total R-U Culture, recreation, other services 2021* . . . .
1. Total environmental protection M-N Business services 2021* 12.7 2,349 1,243 289
1. Total environmental protection R-U Culture, recreation, other services 2021* . . . .
2. Management of natural resources, tot. M-N Business services 2021* 3.4 1,748 477 757
2. Management of natural resources, tot. R-U Culture, recreation, other services 2021* . . . .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table presents economic data for the environmental goods and services sector by industry. It contains data on labour volume, output and gross value added of the environmental goods and services sector. Output and gross value added are measured in basic prices and labour volume is measured in full time equivalents (fte). The environmental activities can be subdivided to industries and assigned to an environmental domain; environmental protection and/or management of natural resources. In this table only those business that execute environmental activities as primary or secondary activities are classified to economic industry.

The economic data are presented in the following quantities:
-Labour volume, 1000 fte
-Output at basic prices, mln Euro
-Gross value added at basic prices, mln Euro
-Export at basic prices, mln Euro

The environmental goods and services sector consists of companies and institutions that are involved in activities with respect to measuring, preventing, limiting, minimalizing or correcting environmental damage to water, air and soil as well as problems related to waste, noise and ecosystems (OECD, 1999; Eurostat 2009). This definition includes 'cleaner technologies 'and 'cleaner goods and services' which reduce environmental risk and minimize the use of natural resources and pollution. The definition of the environmental goods and services sector is determined on European level and it is used by EU-countries accordingly.

The environmental goods and services sector is part of de Dutch system of environmental account, which brings together economic and environmental information in a common framework. The Dutch environmental accounts are compiled following the general concepts, definitions and classifications as described in SEEA 2012 and the 2008 SNA. As it is in line with de definitions and classifications of the national accounts system, there exists a small difference between environmental accounts and environmental statistics. More information on the methodology can be found elsewhere on the website of CBS.

Data available from: 2001

Status of the figures:
Provisional figures.

Changes as of 4 July 2023:
Year 2020 and 2021 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 2 April 2021:
Year 2017, 2018 and 2019 has been added. The figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 16 November 2018:
Year 2014 has been added. Figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

Changes as of 5 October 2017:
Provisional figures for 2015 have been added. The time series has been updated according to the most recent estimates. A new variable, Export basic prices, has been added.

Changes as of 25 August 2016:
Year 2014 has been added. Figures about earlier years have been adjusted following a change in the business population belonging to the environmental goods and services sector.

When will new figures be published?
New provisional figures are published annually in March.

Description topics

Labour input of employed persons
The input of labour that is deployed in a certain period. The labour input can be expressed as jobs, years of employment and hours of employment.
Employed persons are all individuals working at a company that is settled in The Netherlands or at a private household in The Netherlands.
Employed persons are considered all individuals performing paid labour, even if it is for just one or a few hour a week, even if they:
- perform labour that is legal, but which from the payment is withdrawn from registration by the treasury and social security authorities ('black labour');
- do not perform any labour temporary, but still get payment (e.g. in case of illness or hold-ups due to frost;
- are on holiday temporary, without payment.
Employed persons can be categorised in employees and freelancers.
Employees are individuals performing labour for a certain period, in return of payment or salary, in money or in kind.
Freelancers are individuals receiving income by performing labour at their own expenses and risk, for the company or profession they practise independently. Participating members of the family are also considered freelancers, unless they start an employment contract.
Output at basic prices
Output (basic prices) covers the value of all goods produced for sale, including unsold goods, and all receipts for services rendered. Output furthermore covers the market equivalent of goods and services produced for own use, such as own account capital formation, services of owner-occupied dwellings and agricultural products produced by farmers for own consumption.
The output of such goods is estimated by valuing the quantities produced against the price that the producer would have received if these goods had been sold. Output is valued at basic prices, defined as the price received by the producer excluding trade and transport margins and the balance of taxes and subsidies on products. This is the price the producer is ultimately left with.
Gross value added at basic prices
Value added at basic prices is equal to the difference between production (basic prices) and intermediate consumption.
Export at basic prices
Goods and services sold by residents to the rest of the world (non-residents).