On the 9th and 10th of June, 1995 Kopint-Datorg and the Economic Research Institute of Halle (IWH) held a common seminar in Halle on the integration of the Eastern European transition countries to the European Union. This paper contains two of the studies prepared for this seminar. The previous publication (No. 35) and the following one (No. 37) do contain the other papers.
The first study is titled “Changing Trade Pattern in Hungary” by Ágnes Csermely.
In this Section, we give a short overview of recent export performance in Hungary. We describe the changes in geographical and commodity pattern. We try to identify the sectors that were the engine of the recent export growth as well as sectors loosing ground in international competition. Than we present the pattern of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow and investments into fixed assets to get more insight about the ongoing industrial restructuring.
The second study is titled “Changing Patterns of Trade between Hungary and the European Community (Union) A Retrospective Analysis 1989-1994” by Zoltán Ákos Kovács.
In recent years as the officially proclaimed ultimate goal of Hungary to join the EU has provoked ever growing interest both in Hungary and abroad the topic of costs and benefits that can be realistically expected from a closer integration with the EU has become quite timely. This paper does not attempt to make predictions on future development of the EU-Hungarian relations nor does it intend to engage in cost-benefits calculations of a possible fully-fledged membership, instead, it would like to serve as a ground whence the subsequent calculations and studies can start off. The aim of this study is to scrutinise what has happened in the merchandise trade between Hungary and the EU since Hungary began its way to become from a socialist to a market economy. The period between 1989 and 1994 will be monitored with more emphasize on the last four years. One of the most important questions this paper would like to address what effects did the Association Agreement (effective since 1992) have on development and structure of trade of Hungary with the EU countries.
