The Treasurer’s Guide to Trade Finance

Netherlands

Economic and trade overview

Key figures

Economy 2011 Trade 2011 (USD billion)

GDP (USD) 837 bn Goods Exports 544

GDP per capita (USD) 50,223 Imports 481

GDP volume growth (year-on-year) + 1.3% Net + 64

Population 16.67m Services Exports 108

Interest rate (for corporations funding

stocks up to one year) 3.18%

Imports 94

Net + 14

Exchange rate EUR / USD (year average) 0.7194 Source: IFS, IMF, January 2013

BoP (goods, services & income) as % of GDP + 11.5%

International/Regional memberships

European Union (EU): founding member
since 25 March 1957. The Netherlands is
also a member of the European Economic
Area (EEA).

International Monetary Fund (IMF):
since 27 December 1945.

World Trade Organisation (WTO):
since 1 January 1995.

Government trade policy

ƒ The Netherlands implements the trade

regulations, commercial policies and

customs code of the EU

(ec.europa.eu/trade).

ƒ The Netherlands trades freely with its fellow

EEA member states as well as Switzerland.

ƒ The EU has in place bilateral trade

agreements with 36 countries and regional

trade agreements with a number of trading

blocs.

ƒ National export credit insurance provider:

Atradius (www.atradius.com).

ƒ The EU maintains 74 free trade zones,

with one located in the Netherlands at

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Currency and exchange controls

Official currency: Euro (EUR).

Exchange rate arrangement: free floating.

The Netherlands does not impose foreign
exchange controls.

Bank accounts

Permission to hold currency accounts

Within the

Netherlands

Outside the

Netherlands

EURForeign currency EURForeign currency

Resident

company ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Non-resident

company ✔ ✔ ✔ N/A