Insight

NEVIB was created in 2013 due to the major impact EU anti-dumping measures were having on the Dutch industry. NEVIB members were suffering from heavy duties that were imposed overnight and the members felt that the viewpoint of importers was not sufficiently heard in The Hague. Whilst NEVIB members believed it was right that the EU should act against unfair competition from 3^rd countries. It also felt that the EU anti-dumping duties must be fair and transparent, and based on correct market and trade numbers.

As these were all technical and political matters, and as importers they were all facing the same issues, they all agreed to create NEVIB.

Today the Dutch association has 15 member companies who between them represent the vast majority of the Dutch fastener import industry. Each member benefits from several member services, such as collecting and distributing information, as well as exchanging views, ideas and news at regular meetings. Members also appreciate the possibility to meet informally and learn about topics they come across in their daily business.

Since it was started seven years ago, NEVIB has maintained an active profile, which has enabled it to become a successful industry organisation – where members have the possibility to discuss all subjects that can be discussed in a trade organisation. What is also important from a NEVIB point of view is that its members feel free to express their opinions.

This includes the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the Dutch industry hard in Q1. NEVIB estimates that since mid-April 2020 total turnover in the Netherlands has contracted by approximately 15% – 30%. Like in many EU countries, the government offered support in the form of a subsidisation of the costs of employee salaries, and it also provided some tax support facilities. NEVIB supported its members through regular communication to enable them all to discuss the situation.

To cope with the pandemic, NEVIB members implemented a policy of strictly following the Covid-19 social distancing rules, as recommended by the Dutch Institute of Public Health (RIVM). The members needed to turn their workplace into a ‘Covid-19 proof’ work environment. Whilst in the warehouse the 1.5m distance was relatively easy to implement, members had to adjust existing practices to comply with the new rules in the offices, canteen, etc.

For the mid-term, NEVIB thinks the impact of Covid-19 will be a severe fallback of the European economy. In some countries it will be very bad, in other less bad. The association expects the downturn to last 2 to 3 years, before reaching 2019 levels again.

For NEVIB members, being part of EFDA is vital, as it gives them access to critical information quickly, including international developments and changes in EU international trade policy rules.

NEVIB believes that over the last 10 years EFDA has substantially improved its EU lobbying competence so that the EU Commission now knows EFDA and sees it as the recognised spokesbody for the European fasteners import industry. EFDA is also a great platform for contacts between European distributors, as it enables members to discuss problems such as anti-dumping in the context of EFDA, in the anti-dumping Task Force.

Going forward, NEVIB predicts that overall, its activities will remain roughly the same for the rest of 2020. Its board will assess the 2021 work programme in the autumn. The association is keen to ensure that members will continue to be able to deal with the new major trends in the fastener industry, such as a closer cooperation with the end-users, and keeping up to date with all technical developments.

www.nevib.nl