Impacts of an EU Eastern Enlargement on Austria's Manufacturing. Eastern Opening Stimulates the Austrian Industry

Austria's manufacturing particularly profited from the reforms in its eastern neighbour countries. A rise in exports to the neighbouring CEECs increased the net production value by about ATS 14 billion. The effects of an EU eastern enlargement will be even more pronounced, provided that the structure of foreign trade in the CEECs will adjust to the EU average. If Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary managed to achieve this adjustment by the year 2010, employment in the Austrian industry could rise by about 50,000.