United States Department of State

Netherlands United States Department of State

The Netherlands is the sixteenth largest economy in the world and the fifth largest in the European Monetary Union (the Eurozone), with a gross domestic product (GDP) of over USD 880 billion (EUR 656 billion). According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Netherlands is the largest source and recipient for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world, though the Netherlands is not the ultimate beneficial destination for the majority of this investment. The government of the Netherlands maintains liberal policies toward FDI and adheres to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) investment codes and guidelines. The Netherlands is the recipient of eight percent of all FDI inflow into the EU. It is the single largest recipient of American foreign direct investment, at 16 percent of all U. S. FDI abroad as of 2013. The Netherlands has become a key export platform and pan-regional distribution hub for U. S. firms. Roughly 60 percent of total U. S. foreign-affiliate sales in the Netherlands are exports, with the bulk of them to other EU members.