As was the case in 2016, trade between Germany and the Netherlands once again significantly increased in the first half of 2017. To date, the traded volume between the two countries already totals EUR 87.9 billion. On the whole, this bilateral trade volume could exceed the amount of EUR 175.8 billion in 2017, a growth of more than 8.3 percent compared to the previous year.
Consequently, the Netherlands would again rank second behind China in terms of Germany's most important trading partner. This is extremely remarkable, considering the size and population of both countries! Traditionally, trading between the Nether-lands and the Federal State of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) is particularly noteworthy: in the first half of 2017, goods worth EUR 10.2 billion were exported from North-Rhine Westphalia to the Netherlands. As regards NRW imports, in the first six months of the current year the Netherlands ranked first with a considerable lead in the list of North-Rhine Westphalia's most important supplier countries.
It comes as no surprise then that the new coalition agreement of the NRW govern-ment provides for a very special place for the Netherlands and that the first official journey abroad led the new NRW Minister-President Armin Laschet to the Nether-lands, of course. The main topics of interest at the reception by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Hague on 26 September 2017 were digitisation, mobility, infrastructure and energy supply.
"Opportunities to further strengthen the cross-border cooperation lie in supporting and promoting start-ups. Especially when it comes to addressing issues such as the reduction of administrative constraints and the mutual recognition of diplomas and degrees there is still plenty of room for improvement", believes Regine Nuckel, Head of the Dutch Desk of BEITEN BURKHARDT in Dusseldorf. "The German market is of great interest to many Dutch undertakings but without excellent, especially legal, advice many Dutch undertakings fail on their market entry, even though they may have been operating successfully in their home country for many years already.", says lawyer Nuckel.
The lawyers working at our Dutch Desk in Dusseldorf are familiar with the legal, and often also language and cultural barriers which Dutch undertakings in Germany are frequently faced with. They shall gladly provide you with competent advice, also in Dutch language, on any issues in this context.
Why don't you call us or drop by for a "kopje koffie" here at our Dusseldorf office.