Foreign trade
Export economy estimates the east – Poland in the focus
The German economy suffers from tariffs and export restrictions, the trade in the USA or China is slowed down. Things are going better in Eastern Europe. A country stands out.
In view of increasing global uncertainties, the German export industry sees great potential in the trade in the trade in countries in Eastern and Southeast Europe. In particular, business with Poland developed outstanding, the East Committee of the German Economy said in Berlin. The German-Polish trade volume climbed by 4.6 billion euros in the first half of the year to the record value of over 90 billion euros. That was 5.4 percent more than in the same period last year.
“Wonderful success story”
While German exports to Poland increased by over 2.6 billion euros (+5.7 percent), imports from the eastern neighboring country grew by two billion euros (+5.2 percent). Poland, as the fifth most important trading partner in Germany, is only just behind France. The most important German trading partners remained in the first half of 2025 the USA before China and the lowlands, with German exports to Poland (EUR 49.4 billion) already exceeding exports to China (EUR 41.4 billion).
According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the current controls on the German-Polish border initially have no negative effects on the trade balance. However, the Logistikverband BGL has requested special regulations for the handling of truck to ensure the supply of the population and the economy. According to toll statistics, over 9.7 million entrances and exits were registered with toll lifts at the German-Polish border crossings in 2024 alone.
The Eastern Committee Chair Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser emphasized: “Germany and Poland have written a wonderful success story since the EU expansion in 2004. The teaching must be that we continue to discuss bilateral problems in peace and to develop the EU together in close school.”
Ukraine exports also grow strongly
The German exports to Ukraine, according to the information, increased particularly strongly by 30 percent to 4.6 billion euros in the first half of the year. “The support and reconstruction of Ukraine remain central tasks for European politics and business,” said Claas Mühlhäuser. A possible weakening of the anti -corruption struggle in the country is worried. “Private commitment and capital for the reconstruction are dependent on a legally secure environment. It is the task of Ukrainian politics to build up and not reduce trust here.”
Trade in the Czech Republic, Russia continues to slip
The trade with the neighbor Czech Republic also developed positively, which in the first half of the year increased by 3.4 percent to 57.8 billion euros. German export grew by 1.6 percent to EUR 26.6 billion, while German imports from Czech Republic increase by five percent to 31.2 billion. The balance with Slovakia remained largely stable, while trading with Hungary, according to the East Committee, the government of Budapest has suffered from the government’s economic policy measures. The German-Hungarian trade lost 3.7 percent to 33.4 billion euros.
The effects of Russian attack on Ukraine remain dramatic. In the first half of 2025, the German-Russian trade again decreased by almost 13 percent. Among the 29 Eastern Trade countries, Russia has now slipped to 12th place and was overtaken by Serbia, Croatia and Lithuania.
The importance of growth impulses from East trade for the German economy can be recognized by the fact that German exports have dropped by 0.1 percent to 786 billion euros in the first half of the year. The exports in the 29 target countries of the East Committee in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia grew by 2.2 percent to 144 billion euros.
dpa
Source: Stern
