importdruk

Importdruk is a term used in Dutch economics to describe the pressure exerted by imports on an economy. It refers to how import volumes respond to changes in domestic demand, income, and relative prices.

In practice, importdruk can be proxied by several measures, including the share of imports in domestic demand, the elasticity of imports with respect to income (or GDP), and the marginal propensity to import (MPI), which gauges how much of a unit increase in income is spent on imports.

Determinants include real income growth, exchange-rate movements (depreciation often raises import prices and can influence volumes), price competitiveness of domestically produced goods, and trade policy instruments such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies that affect import demand.

Implications: A stronger importdruk can widen the current account deficit and affect the balance of payments, inflation, and monetary policy. It also shapes domestic industry responses, potentially encouraging import substitution or diversification of supply chains.

Context: The concept is used in Dutch macroeconomic analysis and studies of trade exposure and external vulnerability. It is related to broader concepts such as import elasticity, the current account, and the marginal propensity to import.