Netherlands services trade grows nearly 20 percent since 2023

International services trade in the Netherlands has grown by nearly 20 percent since the second quarter of 2023. According to data from the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS), services imports rose by 4.4 billion euros in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year, while services exports increased by 3.5 billion euros. This growth was primarily driven by price increases rather than volume. Business services and intellectual property fees were the leading sectors for this expansion.

The United States has significantly strengthened its position in the Dutch services market, accounting for 37 percent of the total increase in services imports, valued at 1.6 billion euros. American partners also contributed 14 percent to the growth in services exports.

In a separate trend, Dutch goods exports grew by 2.1 percent in July, driven largely by machinery, appliances, chemical products, and transport equipment. While goods trade has seen more modest growth compared to services, it reached its highest level since early 2023 due to factors such as higher oil prices. Goods imports also saw a slight increase of 0.4 percent in July, led by machinery and electrotechnical equipment.