CHANGES OF EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES POSITIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF RAW MATERIALS IN 2016, 2019 AND 2021. IMPORTANCE FOR AGRICULTURE

The purpose of this paper is an explanation of a strategic independency or dependency of particular countries of the European Union on raw materials imports. A strategic importance of raw materials for the EU and world economy is connected with the necessity of these materials for the production, including agricultural production and industrial production for agriculture. The design is finding the threats for the further development of most EU economies which results from their dependency on raw materials imports. There were fifteen net importers of raw materials in 2016. Most important of them were: Germany, Italy, Belgium and Spain. These first four countries did not change their positions in 2019 and 2021. The quantity of EU net importers decreased to fourteen member-states in 2019 and to thirteen countries in 2021. However, many EU net importers deepened their trade deficits of raw materials in 2021. The Dutch paradox explains the Netherlands position of the first EU net exporter in spite of this country dependency on imports of raw materials. Practical implications of the results can be considered to elaborate the short-term and long-term EU economic and trade policy.

