Netherlands

Summary
The Netherlands' level of digital dependence remains remarkably consistent over time, with DDI values of 0.66 in both 2010 and 2023. Despite an outlier in 2015 due to a non-recurring rise in ICT services, platform and patent dependencies score far higher than the ICT trade dimensions. Throughout the study period, platform and patent dependence remained consistently close to the maximum, at around 0.98 and 0.99 respectively. In contrast, reliance on ICT trade in goods and services rose slightly after 2010 before shrinking again towards 2023 (to 0.46 and 0.43, respectively). This trend is underscored by a steady decrease in bilateral dependence in ICT goods trade with the US, falling from 0.76 in 2010 to 0.63 in 2023.

Policies
The Netherland’s numerous digital policies between 2020 and 2026 include initiatives in the fields of semiconductor production and cloud infrastructure. In reaction to rising global threats, the Netherlands updated their defence and innovation strategy, replacing it with a new national framework in 2025 (the "Defensie Strategie voor Industrie en Innovatie"/D-SII). This strategy prioritizes five technological areas including quantum technology, smart materials, and space technology, and aims to boost the local industrial base.