Asia & World

Chinese Manufacturers Entering the EU with a Dutch Entity

Updated: 6 October 2026 Holdwise editorial team China Manufacturers EU entry

A Chinese manufacturer that sells into Europe can set up a Dutch BV as its EU company. Many manufacturers find that selling only by export from China has limits. With a Dutch company, you can sign contracts with European customers directly, keep stable marketplace accounts and control your product compliance. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

What changes with a Dutch company

With a Dutch BV, the factory becomes a European seller. EU customers sign with a company in the EU, and marketplaces accept an EU company that they can verify. See marketplace VAT rules. The importer role, the authorised representative and the CE responsibility are all at one address that you control. See the duties of an importer under CE marking. Distributors also negotiate differently when you can serve their customers directly.

Selling from China to EU customers? Compare the ways for Chinese companies to sell in the EU, with a partner or with your own Dutch company.

Import VAT and other costs

Containers reach the Netherlands under article 23. Import VAT is reported in the VAT return, so the payment at customs falls away. This frees working capital on every shipment: article 23 import VAT deferment. An EORI number and a bonded warehouse add more flexibility for onward shipping: bonded warehouse storage. Sales go through one VAT return: the OSS for consumers, reverse-charge for business customers: the OSS guide. Manufacturers with metal-heavy product ranges must also plan for the carbon border levy: CBAM for Chinese exporters.

To see which role you need for your product and who can hold it, read EU market entry through the Netherlands. For the administration, the VAT returns and the annual accounts of the Dutch company, see corporate secretarial services in the Netherlands.

Setting up the entity

You can set up the company remotely, usually within one week once all documents are complete. See the remote process. The bank needs a clear ownership chart and an explanation of how the companies pay each other. With complete documents, banks accept Chinese parent structures. See bank onboarding and UBO checks and preparing proof of funds. Plan the group structure in one session. Decide who owns the intellectual property (IP) and how the factory invoices the BV. See protecting IP in Europe and using a Hong Kong parent company.

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Part of Doing Business in the Netherlands, the complete 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

We already sell on EU marketplaces. Why add a Dutch company? +

For safer accounts and a better margin. Platforms verify EU companies and prefer them. When your Dutch BV is established in the EU (managed from the EU, or with its own staff and premises there) and sells goods that are already in the EU, the platform stops being the deemed supplier for VAT. A BV that has only a Dutch address and is run from China can still count as a seller from outside the EU. For parcels worth €150 or less sent from outside the EU, the platform stays the deemed supplier. You can also sell directly to consumers, next to the marketplace. With your own company, you control the sales channel.

Can a company in mainland China own the Dutch BV directly? +

Yes. Direct ownership is possible. Many groups add a Hong Kong parent company for their own tax and treasury reasons. Both structures are accepted for banking and registration, as long as the ultimate beneficial owner is clearly documented.

When was this last checked? +

Reviewed on 19 August 2026. The setup described here is still current.

Sources Belastingdienst · KVK · wetten.overheid.nl Last updated: 6 October 2026