Italy and Netherlands Collaborate to Relaunch and Boost Export Growth

08 Apr, 2025

Caserta is hosting a major event in the economic dialogue between Italy and the Netherlands, as Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Dutch Minister Caspar Veldkamp officially launch a new export campaign during the fourth edition of the “Tavola Vanvitelli” business forum. This high-level initiative is aimed at deepening bilateral trade relations and fostering innovation and competitiveness across key sectors such as industry, agriculture, and security.

With over 80 Italian and Dutch companies in attendance, the forum serves as a critical platform for strategic discussions and collaboration. The event marks the start of a renewed export mobilization campaign by Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is seen as a major step toward enhancing European competitiveness.

In 2024, trade between Italy and the Netherlands reached €55.72 billion, a 1.9% increase from 2023. Italian exports rose by 4.5%, totaling €19.32 billion, with significant contributions from pharmaceuticals (€4.97 billion), manufacturing (€2.23 billion), and agri-food (€2 billion). There are currently over 500 Italian companies operating in the Netherlands, employing about 29,000 people and generating a turnover of €19 billion.

The “Tavola Vanvitelli” forum includes two key days: the first day, April 7, features expert dialogue; the second day, April 8, is dedicated to business-to-business meetings and ministerial sessions. The latter includes contributions from ICE-Agenzia, Confindustria, VNO-NCW, SIMEST, and other major economic institutions.

Jointly organized by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and Dutch think tank Clingendael, the forum promotes informal dialogue between the two countries, aligning government, business, and civil society in pursuit of shared economic goals.

This initiative highlights a growing Italy-Netherlands partnership that is focused on innovation, shared values, and strategic trade development in the heart of Europe.

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