(EU-newbies; 06-03; p.3)

Trade relations

Apart from information about the sources and extent of economic power, it is useful to shed some light on the trade relations of the countries. The following picture emerges:

country	export share of GDP*	export goods	import goods	trade partners export-import
Malta	88 %	**manufactured	semi manufactured	USA 20, D 14 - I 20, F 15
Slovenia	60 %	manufactured, machinery	manufactured, machinery	D 26, I 12 - D 20, I 18
Czech Republic	71 %	machinery, manufactured	machinery, manufactured	D 35 - D 33
Legend: * according to EU-data mentioned above, ** Malta's main "export" good is tourism trade partners: share in percent, only trade relations were counted that make up at least 10% for the respective country; D = Germany, I = Italy, F = France Source: CIA World Fact Book 2002

 

Suggestions for interpretation

Comparing the data leads to the following facts concerning the three newbies:

• their population in sum does not exceed e.g. the number of London's inhabitants;
• 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.

 

The so drawn image cannot be but a sketchy approximation to the reality of life in the acceding countries. - The reader thus is invited to draw one him- or herself.

(end of article)