Geographical pattern of trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products Pol<strong>and</strong>’s major trad<strong>in</strong>g partner with respect to trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products is the European Union with which trade has been systematically exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g. In 2003, the share of the EU <strong>in</strong> both exports <strong>and</strong> imports was over 50%. Table 16. Foreign trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products, by groups of countries, <strong>in</strong> 2000-2003 (USD million) Source: CIHZ FOREIGN TRADE IN AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTS Specification 2000 Export 2001 2002 2003 2000 Import 2001 2002 2003 2000 Balance 2001 2002 2003 Total 2650 3030 3285 4519 3183 3406 3576 4013 -533 -376 -291 506 EU 1287 1456 1605 2309 1622 1790 1903 2090 -335 -334 -298 218 Former Soviet Union States 602 608 648 890 106 113 97 114 496 495 551 776 CEFTA 316 353 399 544 352 325 345 400 -37 28 54 144 EFTA 30 40 37 58 140 174 148 170 -110 -134 -111 -112 USA 107 116 150 170 74 81 99 92 34 35 51 79 Other 308 457 446 548 888 923 983 1148 -581 -466 -538 -600 Figure 24. Geographical pattern of trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products <strong>in</strong> 2000 <strong>and</strong> 2003 (%) 1,1 11,9 4,1 2,3 4,4 27,9 Source: CIHZ 22,7 11,1 11,6 3,3 2000 2000 EU Former Soviet Union States 48,6 51 Export Import CEFTA EFTA 50 1,3 12 3,8 2,3 4,2 28,6 19,7 10 12,1 2,8 2003 2003 USA Other 51,1 52,1
Among the European Union member states, Pol<strong>and</strong>’s major trad<strong>in</strong>g partner as regards agri-<strong>food</strong> products is Germany. In 2003 this country had a 38% share <strong>in</strong> Pol<strong>and</strong>’s agri-<strong>food</strong> trade with the EU as compared to 36% <strong>in</strong> 2002. As <strong>in</strong> the previous years, the second largest trad<strong>in</strong>g partner from the EU was the Netherl<strong>and</strong>s with a share of 15%, then Italy – 9%, Spa<strong>in</strong> – 8% <strong>and</strong> France – 7%. With the total positive trade balance with the EU, the negative trade balance was noted for Spa<strong>in</strong>, the Netherl<strong>and</strong>s, Greece, France, Belgium, Denmark, Irel<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Italy. As for other EU member states, the trade balance was positive, <strong>in</strong> particular with Germany <strong>and</strong> the UK. In 2003 trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products showed favourable tendencies not only with the EU-15 but also new EU member states. Table 17. Trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products with the EU-15 <strong>and</strong> new EU member states (USD million) Source: IERiG˚ based on CIHZ data FOREIGN TRADE IN AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTS Specification European Union – 25 1995 2000 2002 2003 1995=100 2003 2000=100 2002=100 Export 1464,3 1663,5 2101,3 2959,2 202,1 177,9 140,8 Import 1646,8 1957,7 2222,3 2460,6 149,4 125,7 110,7 Balance European Union – 15 -182,5 -294,1 -121,0 498,5 x x x Export 1335,7 1286,9 1605,0 2308,7 172,8 179,4 143,8 Import 1403,6 1622,2 1902,9 2090,4 148,9 128,9 109,9 Balance European Union – 9 -67,9 -335,3 -297,9 218,3 x x x Export 128,6 376,6 496,3 650,4 505,8 172,7 131,0 Import 243,2 335,5 319,4 370,2 152,2 110,3 115,9 Balance -114,6 41,2 176,9 280,2 x x x Improvement <strong>in</strong> trade balance with EU member states <strong>in</strong>dicates a positive impact of liberalisation of mutual trade <strong>in</strong> agri-<strong>food</strong> products <strong>and</strong> acceleration of Polish exporters’ adaptation to new conditions exist<strong>in</strong>g after the entry <strong>in</strong>to force of the relevant agreement <strong>and</strong> its subsequent amendments as well as to trade with<strong>in</strong> the Common Market. Similarly, trade agreements concluded with CEFTA member states, some of which jo<strong>in</strong>ed the EU together with Pol<strong>and</strong>, resulted <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> trade <strong>and</strong> a positive trade balance for Pol<strong>and</strong>. As <strong>in</strong> the previous years, <strong>in</strong> 2003 Pol<strong>and</strong>’s major trad<strong>in</strong>g partner among the former Soviet Union states was Russia with a nearly 40% share <strong>in</strong> trade with these countries. Pol<strong>and</strong>’s exports dom<strong>in</strong>ate over imports to Russia <strong>and</strong> all former Soviet Union states. Overall, exports to these countries were eightfold greater than imports. The second largest partner is Ukra<strong>in</strong>e (40% share), the third Lithuania (18.2% share). 51