Australia and the Netherlands at a glance
- Stamp
- Apostille, Hague Convention in force for Australia since 16 March 1995
- Issued by
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the only apostille authority
- Language
- English, accepted as it is
- Register
- ASIC, the Australian company register (online)
- Tax treaty
- Signed 1976, in force 1976 (Rijksoverheid, 1 October 2026)
- EU trade
- Free trade agreement concluded in 2026
- In the Netherlands
- 130 companies controlled from Australia in 2024, 120 in 2021 (+8.3%), about 7,000 jobs, €2.2 billion turnover, 0.7% of all 19,995 foreign-controlled companies (CBS, 9 October 2026)
- Moving here
- Residence permit needed
Documents from Australia
Passport copy, certified by a notary in Australia.
Proof of address in Australia, at most three months old.
Power of attorney. Sign the power of attorney before an Australian notary public, who is a senior lawyer. A Justice of the Peace is insufficient for use abroad.
Ownership statement, one page from us.
The apostille. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the only apostille authority. You apply through the Australian Passport Office in each capital, by post or through an agent. The apostille costs about 100 Australian dollars (AUD) per document and usually takes one working day.
Good to know. ASIC extracts show the directors and, for proprietary companies, the members. Have the notary certify the printout if it lacks an ASIC signature or seal.
If a company from Australia becomes a shareholder
Register extract, at most three months old: ASIC, the Australian company register. Order a current company extract and, for the Dutch notary, a certificate of registration. DFAT can apostille ASIC documents directly. Plus articles, signing authority and ownership chart.
Trade between Australia and the EU
Trade in goods between the EU and Australia came to €47.1 billion in 2025, with an EU surplus of €26.7 billion. In 2025, the EU was Australia's second-largest trading partner after China, with 13.9% of its total trade.
EU imports from Australia consist mainly of mineral and vegetable products, and EU exports mainly of machinery and appliances, transport equipment and chemicals. Trade in services added €41.9 billion in 2024, with an EU surplus of €20.1 billion.
In 2024, the stock of EU foreign direct investment in Australia reached €120.5 billion, and Australia's investment stock in the EU €34.8 billion.
The Council of the European Union authorised trade negotiations with Australia on 22 May 2018, and they concluded on 24 March 2026. The agreement is now being adopted or ratified. In May 2024, the two sides also concluded a Strategic Partnership on raw materials.
Import duties: Access2Markets.
Your next step from Australia
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