Forecast 3 March 2020 (CEP 2020 and MLT), figures

Assuming limited effects of the corona virus, the Dutch economy will grow steady by 1.4% in 2020 and 1.6% in 2021. Given the exceptionally low growth in world trade and the slight growth in the countries surrounding the Netherlands, the Dutch economy is doing relatively well. In the medium term, growth will also remain around 1.5% per annum. This percentage is considerably higher than reported in CPB's medium-term outlook (MLT) last November. The corrections are almost entirely due to the higher population forecast by Statistics Netherlands. The projections of government finances, for the coming cabinet period, will improve as a result of higher growth levels, which in turn will lead to a smaller sustainability gap of 0.8%.