The 100 trade missions undertaken by the current government have generated some €3.5bn in orders for Dutch companies, the foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry’s claim is based on information from the 4,700 companies which have taken part in the missions, targeting 60 different countries.

‘From Poland to Panama and from Congo to Canada, we have put the skills and expertise of Dutch companies, educational institutions and NGOs firmly on the map,’ trade minister Lilianne Ploumen said in a statement.

Since 2012, the percentage of women taking part in trade missions has risen from 10% to 25%, Ploumen said. Last year the government introduced a temporary 50% discount for female delegates.

Germany

The 100th trade mission began on Wednesday to several eastern states in Germany in parallel to a visit by king Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima.

The government estimates 2.2 million jobs and one third of the country’s national income derives from foreign trade.

On Tuesday, national statistics office CBS said machinery and machine parts are the most important Dutch export products.