Poland’s Services Trade with the European Union During the Preaccession Period

The fact that, since 1 May 2004, Poland has the status of European Union member involves certain consequences for Poland’s competitiveness in the international services trade market. What competitive position will Poland finally occupy among the EU countries in the postaccession period will to a large extent depend on Poland’s present position in the services trade with the EU countries. So, the paper tries to present, on the basis of the most recent available statistical data published by the OECD and Eurostat, the size and structure of Poland’s services trade with the EU countries during the preaccession period and, basing on these data, analyzes the degree of Poland’s competitiveness in the services trade with the EU countries in the years preceding Poland’s accession to this integration group. In the paper, the size and structure of the export and import of services as well between Poland and the European Union as a whole as between Poland and individual EU countries are presented and the service sectors are identified in which Poland enjoys a comparative advantage and those in which there is no such advantage. Also, kinds of services are identified in which some EU countries specialize and, consequently, are Poland’s competitors. The paper also deals with the phenomenon of the intrabranch trade as a kind of international exchange alternative to the interbranch trade, that in a particular way refers to the turnover of services.