Exports up by 0.5 percent in May

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In May 2025, the total volume of goods exported (adjusted for the number of working days) was up by 0.5 percent year on year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Export volumes were higher for chemical products and machinery. Meanwhile, the volume of goods imported was down by 0.5 percent on May 2024. This was mainly because imports of crude oil and natural gas, food, beverages and tobacco, machinery and electrotechnical products were down.

The CBS Exports Radar for July indicates that conditions for exports were equally unfavourable as they were in May’s radar.

Conditions for exports equally unfavourable in July

Every month, CBS also publishes an update on the conditions for exports in its Exports Radar. These are largely determined by developments in key sales markets for domestic exports and by the competitive position of the Netherlands. Although the Radar indicators are closely correlated with export activity, improved conditions do not necessarily mean higher export growth.

According to the CBS Exports Radar for July, conditions for exports were more or less equally unfavourable as they were in May. German producer confidence and euro area producer confidence were more negative. The production of the German manufacturing sector was higher after falling for several executive months.
Goods exports account for approximately three-quarters of total exports. Figures on services exports are not published monthly. Figures on total exports are published quarterly and annually. The figures in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.

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