Exports to China down

© CBS
Companies in the Netherlands exported 15 percent less in goods to China in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Import volume, on the other hand, is up by more than 6 percent. Total international trade in goods appears to have stabilised after a few years of turbulence, with both import and export volumes up 1.6 percent. This is according to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) published in its Internationalisation Monitor.

The decline in exports to China is mainly due to lower exports in the category of specialised machinery and components, which includes equipment used to produce microchips. Exports are down in terms of both value and volume. Export prices increased by nearly 4 percent, on average.

Exports to Poland up by the most

The total value of Dutch goods exports to Poland was 12.7 percent higher, year on year. This is the result of more trade and higher average prices. For example, many more flowers, plants, fruits and nuts were exported to Poland, at higher prices.

Imports from China grew by the most, despite stable price levels

The total value of goods imported from China was 5.4 percent higher in the first half of 2025, year on year. That was the highest growth of any of the Netherlands’ top ten import partners. It was mainly due to higher trade volume, rather than higher prices. More imported goods in the categories of computers, laptops & tablets, and electrical machinery & appliances offset a decline in imports of phones, modems & routers.

From Ireland, the Netherlands imports many medicines and pharmaceutical products. The price of these product groups was significantly lower in the first half of 2025 than in 2024. As a result, the price of imports from Ireland as a whole has fallen considerably.

More goods imported and exported by both value and volume

The value of both imports and exports is up compared to last year. Average import prices are 0.3 percent higher, while export prices were up by 0.1 percent. Following two years of contraction, the volume of imports and exports both increased by 1.6 percent.

Overall then, the higher value of imports and exports was caused largely by more trade rather than by higher prices. Higher volumes of machinery and transport equipment were traded, in particular. This category includes computers, telephones, specialised machinery and passenger cars. The sharp price increases in the category of food and live animals (particularly for cocoa, coffee and chocolate) are largely offset by lower prices for mineral fuels.

Exports up by 7.3 percent compared to before pandemic

Export volume in the first half of 2025 was 7.3 percent higher than in the first half of 2019, before the coronavirus crisis. Imports by volume are around 0.5 percent lower.

The figures cited in this article are preliminary. Due to changes in methodology and in the definition of international trade, they diverge from CBS’s existing deflators of international trade (based on change of ownership).

Sources