Browse Data and Analysis

The Netherlands, as a Member State of the European Union (EU), conforms to all EU regulations and directives. However, rules for the certification of imports are complicated and, in practice, are not always harmonized across EU Member States. This report lists the recent developments related to Dutch import requirements for the certification of agricultural and food imports.

The implementation of a much-debated deposit scheme for metal cans in the Netherlands has been delayed until April 1, 2023, due to information technology challenges surrounding the deposit system and an insufficient number of machines to press returned cans.

This report provides information on export certificates required by the Government of Tunisia. In 2022, the United States and Tunisia reached agreement on a health certificate to accompany exports of U.S.-origin bovine, caprine, and ovine embryos, as well as U.S.-origin caprine and ovine semen.

A Value Added Tax (VAT) of zero percent for vegetables and fruit was part of the 2021 Dutch government's coalition agreement. Realizing this VAT reduction, however, has been met with several challenges pertaining to efficiency, efficacy, and feasibility.

The Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) report provides an overview of the food laws and regulatory environment in Tunisia as it relates to U.S. food and agricultural exports.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands will increase an existing tax on beverages as of January 1, 2023. This is envisioned to have a suppressing effect on the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In parallel, the Dutch government is exploring a progressive tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.

This report assesses the agricultural biotechnology sector in the Netherlands, and covers related production, trade, and policies. It includes topics related to genetic engineering and innovative plant, animal, and microbial biotechnologies.

Tunisia postponed non-urgent issues throughout 2023 as major political reforms, including a freeze on parliament and a constitutional referendum took precedent. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

After a summer of Dutch farmer protests, a much-anticipated independent report was presented to the government and public on October 5, 2022. In it, the government-appointed independent facilitator and former politician, Johan Remkes, presented his findings from talks he held with the government, the Dutch agricultural sector, industry, nature organizations, and others.

On October 3, 2022, the Dutch government announced Mr. Piet Adema has been named the new Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality. Mr. Adema replaces Henk Staghouwer who resigned in September after he informed the Dutch Cabinet and Parliament about his Ministry’s delay in providing a plan for the future outlook of the Dutch agricultural sector and after he failed to obtain Brussels’ permission to continue to exceed caps on how much manure farmers can apply to their fields.

On Sept 13, 2022, the head of the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services division confirmed Tunisia will accept sanitary certificates for US-origin bovine, caprine, and ovine embryos, as well as US-origin caprine and ovine semen. Effective immediately, the Tunisian market is open to these five products.