95% of the exporting industry is concerned about international trade policy for the next 12 months. This is one of the conclusions from the business cycle survey conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) among industrial companies in May 2025.

Nearly 80% of industrial companies are exporters. Of that category, according to the CBS business cycle survey, 95% are worried about international trade policy for the next 12 months. The concerns of these companies mainly revolve around international policies regarding import tariffs, export regulations, and product requirements.

An example includes companies in the wood and building materials industry and in the paper and graphic industry. Virtually all companies in these sectors are concerned about international trade.

According to CBS, the concerns are much greater than in the previous survey in 2023. 77% of exporting industrial companies say they are most concerned about import tariffs for the next 12 months; in 2023, that was less than 10%.

Only 8% of exporting industrial companies expect that changes in trade policy will not affect their exports, CBS states.

Want to know more? Read the news article about the business cycle survey on the CBS website.

Are you also concerned about international trade policy? 

Discuss with us what concerns you have and what you can do about it. Think about how you can mitigate your risks. We are happy to think along with you!

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  • Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken