Dutch Trade Surplus Smallest in 3 Years

The Netherlands’ trade surplus narrowed to EUR 8.52 billion in July 2025 from EUR 9.31 billion in the same month last year. This marks the smallest trade surplus since August 2022, as exports fell 0.5% year-on-year to EUR 67.85 billion, dragged down by lower sales to non-EU countries (-2.8%), partially offset by higher sales to EU countries (1.1%). Among commodities, exports sharply declined for mineral fuels and lubricants (-11.7%), while shipments of chemical products fell by 3%. Meanwhile, imports rose 0.8% to EUR 59.33 billion, driven by increased purchases from non-EU countries (1.7%), while imports from EU countries declined 0.3%. Notable import increases included arrivals of food and live animals (15.5%), chemical products (9.1%), and machinery and transport equipment (2.4%). From January to July, the Netherlands recorded a trade surplus of EUR 73.07 billion, lower compared with EUR 81.89 billion in the corresponding period last year.