Have Export Compositions Influenced Economic Growth of The European Union Countries in Central and Eastern Europe?

Abstract

This study analyzes export composition effects on economic growth in the European Union (EU) countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) during 1999-2016. The results confirm that the fuel and food exports have boosted growth after EU accession. As expected, agricultural exports have no effect on growth. Due to the different comparative advantages, the CEE countries have still relied on some raw material exports while developing manufactured exports. The results also indicate that the transportation equipment, textile, steel, and chemical exports have accelerated growth. This can be attributed to the economies of scale in production, given their greater access to EU markets.

Citation