FX.co ★ Dutch Trade Surplus Smallest in 8 Months

In April 2025, the Netherlands experienced a trade surplus of EUR 9.14 billion, a decrease from EUR 11.23 billion in April 2024. This figure represents the smallest surplus recorded since August 2024. While imports increased by 0.5% year-on-year, reaching EUR 57.55 billion, this was primarily due to a 2% rise in imports from EU countries, which compensated for a 0.8% decline in imports from non-EU countries. Noteworthy import categories included food and live animals, which saw an 18.3% rise, followed by animal and vegetable oils and fats at 16.9%, and raw materials at 4%. Conversely, exports fell by 2.6%, amounting to EUR 66.68 billion, with reductions noted in shipments to both EU (-0.4%) and non-EU countries (-5.9%). This decline in exports was mainly attributed to a decrease in shipments of mineral fuels, lubricants, and related products (-21%), as well as beverages and tobacco (-5.9%) and machinery and transport equipment (-2.6%). From January to April 2025, the cumulative trade surplus for the Netherlands stood at EUR 43.92 billion.