Austrian garment industry association, chairman of think: as the eu candidate countries labor costs continue to increase garment processing industry, garment processing production in Austria will be shifted to Romania and Bulgaria, and the processing mainly concentrated in Hungary and Slovakia. In the Austria market sales of the clothing is about 70% in low Labour cost countries processing to complete.

Expert advice: to enhance the competitive ability of the garment industry, the eu should introduce the necessary policies and regulations, especially the preferential policies of the tariffs also extended to countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia, make in the above country processing finished garment back to Austria in Britain can avoid additional tariffs.

Eu enlargement impact on Austrian garment industry is positive. The clothing association plan through in the accession countries and Russia hold fashion show activities strengthen publicity “apparel” in Austria. Experts believe that enlargement will not bring competitive threat to the domestic garment industry, because in the above areas haven’t designer clothes.

2003 years ago, three quarters Austrian apparel industry exports increased by 1.2%, exports reached 1.071 billion euros. Here for German exports fell slightly, but for Italy and Russia’s export growth is obvious.
At the same time, imports fell 1.9%, the main reason is that cheap clothing the consumption share of the market surge in Austria, these clothes are mainly from China and Turkey.