24th MEB Conference - Budapest, 24.04.2026

The aim of the study was to review Hungarian competitiveness over the past 25 years. The aim was to identify the competitive products and to see if there is a trend in competitiveness over time. The export values in the WITS database were calculated using the Balassa index, which shows the evolution of competitiveness. For most products we cannot speak of positive competitiveness, i.e. most products are not competitive. So we have to import them instead of exporting them, or if we do export them, it is not advantageously. Among the m ost competitive products, live animals have maintained their competitiveness, but as they are basic products, i.e. not processed, their value added is not high. Even if it is competitive, the trader cannot realise a high margin on it in general. We can see similar situation in the case of vegetable planting materials. But the competitiveness of processed products, however, declined during the period under review and they lost importance. There are some product areas that we export in larger quantities, but their competitiveness has increased recently. These include rubber, railways, vehicles, plastics and pharmaceutical products. The latter has a high added value, but this is also the case for vehicles. - Its most competitive products are mainly of agricultural origin. - There are emerging product areas such as vehicles or pharmaceutical products.- Their competitiveness has declined over the last 25 years.- Both imports and exports are very similar. Electronics, vehicles, rubber, etc.- These are competitive but to a slightly or at most medium extent.- In general, the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy as measured by the Balassa index is moderate.