Netherlands Financial Ties with the Middle East Limited

DNB Netherlands

Published March 26th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) reported that the Netherlands' trade with the Middle East accounted for less than 5% of total Dutch imports and exports in 2025, totaling €47 billion in exports and €21 billion in imports. Direct investment and portfolio investments in the region are also limited, representing approximately 3% and less than 1% of the Netherlands' total foreign investments, respectively.

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What changed

De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has released new figures indicating that the Netherlands' financial ties with the Middle East are limited. In 2025, Dutch exports to the region were €47 billion and imports were €21 billion, constituting less than 5% of total trade. Direct investment in the Middle East stood at €157 billion, with the region's investment in the Netherlands at €161 billion, representing about 3% of the Netherlands' total direct investment position. Dutch portfolio investments in the Middle East were €13 billion, less than 1% of total foreign investments.

While the conflict in the Middle East has disrupted trade routes and affected global energy prices, the direct financial impact on the Netherlands is minimal due to these limited ties. The report highlights that investments are concentrated in the oil and gas sector, and a significant portion of direct investment involves conduit companies established for tax or legal reasons. Dutch investors' portfolio investments primarily consist of shares and bonds focused on Turkey, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.

Source document (simplified)

The Netherlands has limited financial ties with the Middle East

News Read aloud According to new figures from De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), the total value of Dutch exports to the Middle East amounted to €47 billion in 2025, while imports totalled €21 billion. This means that the Netherlands’ trade with the region accounts for less than 5% of total Dutch imports and exports.

Published: 26 March 2026

Due to the conflict in the Middle East, various trade routes have come to a standstill, partly as a result of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the partial closure of airspace over several countries in the region. We feel this for example at the petrol pump due to rising energy prices worldwide, although the Netherlands’ direct financial ties with the region are limited.

Source: DNB statistics

At De Nederlandsche Bank, we independently compile statistics on the Dutch financial sector and economy. This article is based on these statistics. More information on our statistics and all dashboards can be found on our Statistics homepage.

In 2025, the Netherlands exported €47 billion worth of goods and services to the Middle East, while imports amounted to €21 billion. This means that the value of trade with the Middle East as a whole is comparable to trade with Italy, for example. The Netherlands’ goods trade with the region comprises a diverse range of products: fossil fuels account for over a third of imports, while the Netherlands exports food and medicines, for example. Mutual trade in services primarily comprises business services.

Direct investment is concentrated in the oil and gas sector

Direct investment links with the region are strongest with Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. A direct investment involves acquiring a significant stake in a foreign company, generally covering a longer timeframe. Parent-subsidiary corporate structures are an example of this. Multinationals use such structures to organise their international operations.

The Netherlands’ direct investment position in the Middle East stood at €157 billion at the end of 2025, while the region’s position in the Netherlands was €161 billion. This represents about 3% of the Netherlands’ total direct investment position.

The private sector accounts for nearly half of the investment between the Netherlands and the Middle East, mainly comprising investments in the oil and gas sector. The other half consists mainly of conduit companies, which have limited financial ties to the Dutch economy and have been established primarily for tax or legal reasons.

Limited Dutch portfolio investments in the Middle East

Dutch investors are active to only a limited extent in the Middle East. At year-end 2025, the total value of their portfolio investments in the region stood at €13 billion, representing less than 1% of the Netherlands’ total foreign investments. Almost all of these securities are held on the balance sheets of financial institutions, with over 70% in the hands of institutional investors.

This mainly involves shares and bonds, focused primarily on Türkiye, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

More information

This analysis examined financial ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye and Yemen.
Table 12.1: Balance of payments
Table 12.12: Net external assets

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