The Netherlands is the European access gateway for goods from Mercosur countries

Why go 80 percent of all peanut production from Argentina to the Netherlands annually? The Dutch desire for peanut butter or drink nuts has little to do with it. The majority of these imports are stored in the Netherlands and implemented abroad.

The same applies to Brazilian soybeans. These are imported to turn it into vegetable oils and fats and animal feed, which is mainly intended for the German market. The Netherlands is the largest importer of goods from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay of all EU countries.

This is evident from on Friday presented figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) that in 2024 the Netherlands introduced 13.6 billion euros in mainly land and fuels, food and beverages from these countries. In addition, with 6 billion euros in chemical products, machines and transport equipment, the Netherlands is the largest exporter of the EU to the four Mercosur countries.

Trade agreement

The EU-Mercosur agreement applies since December 6, 2024. That is an economic partnership between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay and the EU, with the aim of promoting mutual trade by, for example, closing trade agreements.

The agreement still has to be approved by the European Parliament and the EU member states, although it appears that in 2024 the Netherlands for 1.7 billion euros from Argentina, 11.2 billion euros from Brazil, 0.1 billion euros from Paraguay and 0.7 billion euros from Uruguay imported. For example, through the port of Rotterdam there were mainly crude oil and soybeans from Brazil, animal feed from Argentina, peanuts from Argentina and Paraguay, wood cellulose for, for example, insulation material from Uruguay and beef from Argentina and Uruguay.

The Dutch export to Mercosur countries is also relatively high. With 6 billion euros in export goods, the Netherlands is the third largest EU exporter of these countries, with Germany (16.1 billion euros) and Italy (7.5 billion euros) in place one and two. For example, the Netherlands carried out chemical products, means of transport and vehicle parts, which, for example, come from the Dutch chemical industry. Dutch pharmaceutical products, for example, ended up in Brazil and Uruguay, ships in Paraguay and for 45.8 million euros in machines and vehicle parts of Dutch origin in Brazil.

Transit function

The import and export figures emphasize the Dutch trading position. Only a small part of the total goods import from the Mercosur countries is intended for the Dutch market. For example, 16 percent of import from Argentina, 17 percent from Brazil, 15 percent from Uruguay and only 7 percent of the imported goods from Paraguay in the Netherlands remain.

These four Mercosur countries together account for 1.8 percent of the total Dutch goods import and 0.7 percent of the total Dutch goods exports.

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