Exports up by 2 percent in November

14/01/2021 15:00

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.

In November 2020, the total volume of goods exports was up by 2.0 percent year-on-year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Exports of chemical products and exports of machinery and appliances increased in particular. The volume of imports was 2.4 percent higher year-on-year.

The CBS Exports Radar indicates that in January circumstances for exports are less unfavourable than they were in November.

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
	December	5.3
2017	January	1.6
2017	February	6.8
2017	March	8.3
2017	April	0.7
2017	May	4.6
2017	June	10.7
2017	July	7.1
2017	August	7.3
2017	September	7.9
2017	October	7
2017	November	7.1
2017	December	6.2
2018	January	4.8
2018	February	4.3
2018	March	3.1
2018	April	6.2
2018	May	5.3
2018	June	0.4
2018	July	2.7
2018	August	4
2018	September	3
2018	October	3.4
2018	November	0.4
2018	December	0.6
2019	January	2.2
2019	February	-0.3
2019	March	1.5
2019	April	1.7
2019	May	-0.1
2019	June	0.7
2019	July	-0.1
2019	August	3.4
2019	September	1.4
2019	October	6.3
2019	November	2.3
2019	December	4.5
2020	January	3.9
2020	February	1.7
2020	March	-4.6
2020	April	-13.3
2020	May	-11.8
2020	June	-3.2
2020	July	0
2020	August	-3.4
2020	September	0.7
2020	October	3.3
2020	November	2.0

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
	December	5.3
2017	January	1.6
2017	February	6.8
2017	March	8.3
2017	April	0.7
2017	May	4.6
2017	June	10.7
2017	July	7.1
2017	August	7.3
2017	September	7.9
2017	October	7
2017	November	7.1
2017	December	6.2
2018	January	4.8
2018	February	4.3
2018	March	3.1
2018	April	6.2
2018	May	5.3
2018	June	0.4
2018	July	2.7
2018	August	4
2018	September	3
2018	October	3.4
2018	November	0.4
2018	December	0.6
2019	January	2.2
2019	February	-0.3
2019	March	1.5
2019	April	1.7
2019	May	-0.1
2019	June	0.7
2019	July	-0.1
2019	August	3.4
2019	September	1.4
2019	October	6.3
2019	November	2.3
2019	December	4.5
2020	January	3.9
2020	February	1.7
2020	March	-4.6
2020	April	-13.3
2020	May	-11.8
2020	June	-3.2
2020	July	0
2020	August	-3.4
2020	September	0.7
2020	October	3.3
2020	November	2.0

Conditions for exports in January less unfavourable than in November

Every month, CBS also publishes updates on the circumstances for exports in the Exports Radar. Conditions are strongly affected by recent developments on the main export markets for Dutch products and by the competitive position of the Netherlands. Although the Radar indicators show a strong correlation with export activity, improved circumstances are not necessarily translated into increased export growth.

According to the CBS Exports Radar, circumstances for exports in January are less unfavourable than in November. This is mainly because the year-on-year decline in German manufacturing output was smaller. Furthermore, Dutch and European manufacturers were less pessimistic about their foreign orders.

Goods exports account for approximately three-quarters of total exports. As for data on exports of services, these are not published monthly. Data on total exports are published quarterly and annually. Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.