In a statement, CBS said it had observed how the change in trading relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom may have led to a change in existing flows of goods.
Since the turn of the year, goods such as computers and clothing, mostly produced in Asia, have been sent directly from Asia to the United Kingdom. In the past, they often went through the Netherlands.
In addition to the above, CBS notes that the import of medical instruments and equipment, as well as plastics, has grown strongly by €210 million and €179 million respectively. When it comes to the value of oil and gas imports, the Netherlands imported €113 million more from the UK in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
Overall, the total exported value of goods transported from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands was €11.3 billion euros – 14% more than a year earlier. The value of total goods exported to the Netherlands grew by 17%, causing the export share of the United Kingdom in the country to fall to 4.6%. This is apparent from the preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on international trade in goods.
Despite the aforementioned increase, exports from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands are not yet at pre-Covid levels.
Fewer medicines from the UK
Although the Dutch import of medicines increased by 4% in the first half of 2021, €361 million (58%) less medicines were imported from the United Kingdom.
Exports of chips and semiconductors from the UK to the Netherlands were also much lower.
On top of that, exports of goods that depend on fast logistics, such as fruit and vegetables and meat, fell by 59% and 61% respectively.
EU goods imported from the United Kingdom worth 21 percent less
In the first five months of 2021, the 27 EU Member States imported goods (including transit) from the United Kingdom worth EUR 54 billion . That is 21% less than a year earlier.
Photo: Frans Berkelaar / Flickr / CC BY 2.0