(EU-newbies II; 07-03; p.3)
Trade relations
Regarding trade relations of this second group
of new members gives the following picture:
| country |
export
share of GDP* |
export
goods |
import
goods |
trade partners
export-import |
| Hungary |
61 % |
machinery, semi manufactured |
machinery, semi manufactured |
D 35 - D 26 |
| Slovakia |
73 % |
machinery, semi manufactured |
machinery, semi manufactured |
D 27, CZ 17 - D 25,
CZ 15, R 15 |
| Poland |
28 % |
machinery, semi manufactured |
machinery, semi manufactured |
D 34 - D 24 |
Legend:
* according to EU-data mentioned above,
trade partners: share in percent, only trade relations were
counted that make up at least 10% for the respective country;
D = Germany,
CZ = Czech Republic, R = Russia
Source: CIA World Fact Book 2002 |
Suggestions for interpretation
Comparing the given data leads to the following
facts concerning the three newbies:
• Poland stands out not only in this group but
in all of the ten new candidates and members, her population adds
up to about half of all EU-newbies while her economic power is
less than half the EU-15 average;
• their economic structure is similar to the EU's, the main sector
is services;
• trade relations with the EU are already strong, from an EU's
perspective Germany profits most of it already.
Also for this second group of new members the
drawn image cannot be but a sketchy approximation to the reality
of life in the acceding countries. - The reader thus is still
invited to draw one himself.
(end of article)
