Austria's Trade with the EU Accession Countries

Relations between the EU accession countries and Austria operate on three levels: the newcomers to the EU are competitors, they offer a market of new and growing opportunities, and they are low-cost partners in any vertical division of labour scheme. So far, Austrian exporters have done well in coping with these challenges; demand from the candidate countries has grown to be a major pillar of Austria's foreign trade, and the position of Austrian firms is strong as revealed by high market shares especially in the neighbouring countries.