In 1998, for the second year in succession, the Dutch economy grew by almost 4 percent. This figure was above the growth average of the other EC countries. In the Netherlands as well as in the rest of the EC, the economy was lifted to this level mainly due to consumer confidence. Traditionally exports is a main contributor to economic growth. In 1998 the services sector is taking an increasing share in this and even grew by 5 percent.
Exports remain one of the main pillars of the Dutch economy.
Holland Exports has, for many years already, played an important role as intermediary between Dutch supply and demand elsewhere in the world. This 2000-edition of Holland Exports is the first in an era in which information will play a crucial part. In the field of export information- and communication, we have to adapt to changes such as the steady rise of electronic media. For that reason Holland Exports has been available on CD-ROM and Internet for some years. This new and updated edition of Holland Exports bulges with information about more than 8,000 exporters.