A landlocked nation strategically located in Central Europe surrounded by key trading partners, the Republic of Austria imported US$164.6 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -6.8% decline from $176.6 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Austria’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Austria shares land borders with Hungary to its east, Slovenia and Italy to its south, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to its west, Czech Republic to its north, and Austria’s biggest trading partner Germany to its northwest.

Information in this article is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Austrian imports during 2020 for each of Austria’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for almost three-quarters (72.6%) of total Austrian import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Austrian imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Austria’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Austria amounted to $57.2 billion or 34.7% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 71.7% of Austria’s imports from Germany.

Machinery: $9.4 billion
Vehicles: $7.2 billion
Electronic equipment: $4.7 billion
Plastics: $3.2 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $2.23 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $2.21 billion
Iron or steel products: $2.1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.6 billion
Gems, precious metals: $1.44 billion
Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.4 billion
Iron and steel: $1.3 billion
Aluminum: $1.2 billion
Paper: $1 billion
Wood: $970.2 million
Copper: $952.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from Germany under the gems and precious metals product category via a 121.5% gain in revenue then copper (up 7%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -28.2%), aluminum (down -15.2%), iron and steel as materials (down -15%), vehicles (down -12.6%) and electronic equipment (down -8.9%).

Austria’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Austria amounted to $11.6 billion or 7.1% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 5.7% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.3% of Austria’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $3.3 billion
Machinery: $1.9 billion
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $658.3 million
Other textiles, worn clothing: $648.6 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $535.1 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $523.5 million
Medical, technical equipment: $417.6 million
Toys, games: $389.9 million
Footwear: $317.4 million
Plastics: $300.4 million
Iron or steel products: $283.8 million
Organic chemicals: $271.1 million
Vehicles: $202.2 million
Leather, animal gut articles: $168.8 million
Pharmaceuticals: $140.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from China under the miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing product category via a 366.6% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 228.9%), medical or technical equipment (up 15.2%) and plastics (up 14.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were items made from leather or animal gut (down -17.8%) and items made from iron or steel (down -8.2%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Italy

In 2020, Italy’s exports to Austria amounted to $10.4 billion or 6.3% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -10.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 69.5% of Austria’s imports from Italy.

Machinery: $1.6 billion
Vehicles: $971.2 million
Pharmaceuticals: $668.7 million
Iron and steel: $587.3 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $571 million
Electronic equipment: $497.8 million
Plastics: $452 million
Iron or steel products: $449.5 million
Aluminum: $238.4 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $227 million
Paper: $217.9 million
Fruits, nuts: $184.4 million
Footwear: $181 million
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $176.1 million
Beverages: $167.8 million

The sole increase from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from Italy under the fruits and nuts product category via a 5.1% gain in revenue.

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -26.4%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -18.8%), mineral fuels including oil (down -14.8%), iron and steel as materials (down -14.5%), machinery (down -10.1%) and footwear (down -9.2%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Switzerland

In 2020, Switzerland’s exports to Austria amounted to $9.2 billion or 5.6% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 26.2% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 87.6% of Austria’s imports from Switzerland.

Organic chemicals: $2.6 billion
Gems, precious metals: $1.6 billion
Machinery: $801.5 million
Pharmaceuticals: $760.4 million
Electronic equipment: $322.7 million
Plastics: $302.6 million
Medical, technical equipment: $298.3 million
Iron or steel products: $231.3 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $199.7 million
Clocks, watches: $190.2 million
Vehicles: $161.1 million
Aluminum: $158.6 million
Beverages: $120.4 million
Railway, tram equipment: $106.9 million
Coffee, tea, spices: $105.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from Switzerland under the gems and precious metals product category via a 180.2% gain in revenue, railway or tram equipment (up 158.4%), organic chemicals (up 59.4%), food waste or animal fodder (up 16.3%) and beverages (up 13.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were clocks and watches (down -18.1%), electronic equipment (down -11.8%) and machinery (down -10.9%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Czech Republic

In 2020, Czech Republic’s exports to Austria amounted to $6.8 billion or 3.6% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -7.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 80.1% of Austria’s imports from the Czech Republic.

Machinery: $1.1 billion
Vehicles: $923.7 million
Electronic equipment: $718.9 million
Wood: $647.3 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $430.5 million
Iron or steel products: $300.6 million
Plastics: $220.9 million
Iron and steel: $193 million
Medical, technical equipment: $165.2 million
Toys, games: $157.5 million
Pharmaceuticals: $151.8 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $130.2 million
Aluminum: $126.1 million
Cereals: $107.1 million
Rubber: $101.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from the Czech Republic under the cereals product category via a 24.2% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 21%) and wood (up 9.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -28.1%), vehicles (down -21.9%), furniture, lighting and signs (down -19.3%) and rubber (down -9.7%).

Austria’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Austria amounted to $6 billion or 3.6% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -24.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 88.9% of Austria’s imports from America.

Pharmaceuticals: $1.4 billion
Vehicles: $781.4 million
Machinery: $621.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $565.6 million
Aircraft, spacecraft: $483.9 million
Electronic equipment: $366.3 million
Other chemical goods: $252.9 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $218.5 million
Organic chemicals: $195.3 million
Plastics: $133.2 million
Iron and steel: $92.9 million
Oil seed: $66.1 million
Nickel: $49.8 million
Collector items, art, antiques: $45.6 million
Copper: $44.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from the United States under the oil seed product category via a 1,676% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 34.1%) then iron and steel as materials (up 28.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -87.9%), nickel (down -38%), collector items, art and antiques (down -33.2%), electronic equipment (down -23.7%), machinery (down -17.3%) and pharmaceuticals (down -15%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Poland

In 2020, Poland’s exports to Austria amounted to $5.1 billion or 3.1% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -1.5% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 73.1% of Austria’s imports from Poland.

Electronic equipment: $787.3 million
Machinery: $617.9 million
Vehicles: $591.6 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $305.4 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $266.8 million
Plastics: $209.7 million
Iron or steel products: $170.7 million
Aluminum: $144.6 million
Iron and steel: $112.4 million
Wood: $107.9 million
Tobacco: $98.3 million
Soaps, lubricants, candles: $89 million
Books, newspapers, pictures: $85.9 million
Paper: $85.5 million
Toys, games: $81.5 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from Poland under the toys and games product category via a 24.8% gain in revenue, aluminum (up 15.3%), furniture, lighting and signs (up 13.3%) then soaps, lubricants and candles (up 10.6%.

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -36%), tobacco (down -15.5%), iron and steel as materials (down -14.2%) and electronic equipment (down -11.2%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Netherlands

In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to Austria amounted to $4.5 billion or 2.7% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -4.4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 71.4% of Austria’s imports from the Netherlands.

Machinery: $587.5 million
Vehicles: $401.7 million
Pharmaceuticals: $379.3 million
Plastics: $345.1 million
Electronic equipment: $298 million
Organic chemicals: $244.7 million
Live trees and plants: $219.6 million
Medical, technical equipment: $142.1 million
Iron and steel: $107.7 million
Other chemical goods: $98.1 million
Dairy, eggs, honey: $94.9 million
Vegetable/fruit preparations: $84.6 million
Aluminum: $78 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $71.5 million
Iron or steel products: $70.6 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from the Netherlands under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 32.4% gain in revenue, dairy, eggs and honey (up 17.5%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (up 17.4%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 16.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were aluminum (down -45.1%), iron and steel as materials (down -22.6%), vehicles (down -20.3%), organic chemicals (down -19.2%) and plastics as a material (down -11.6%).

Austria’s Main Imports from Hungary

In 2020, Hungary’s exports to Austria amounted to $4.4 billion or 2.7% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents an -8% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 74.6% of Austria’s imports from Hungary.

Electronic equipment: $632.2 million
Machinery: $576.6 million
Vehicles: $430.8 million
Cereals: $220.1 million
Iron or steel products: $197.9 million
Plastics: $188.5 million
Iron and steel: $186.4 million
Oil seed: $162 million
Medical, technical equipment: $131.8 million
Wood: $128.7 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $121.6 million
Rubber: $88.3 million
Aluminum: $81.5 million
Meat: $73.2 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $72.8 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from Hungary under the cereals product category via a 14.5% gain in revenue, items made from iron or steel (up 10.8%) and oil seed (up 10.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -54.8%), meat (down -34.4%), vehicles (down -23.8%), aluminum (down -15.7%), rubber (down -15.4%) and plastics as a material (down -9.7%).

Austria’s Main Imports from France

In 2020, France’s exports to Austria amounted to $4.3 billion or 2.6% of overall Austrian imports.

That dollar amount represents a -9.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 74.1% of Austria’s imports from France.

Vehicles: $666.6 million
Pharmaceuticals: $549.1 million
Machinery: $477.5 million
Electronic equipment: $226.4 million
Plastics: $224.8 million
Aluminum: $189.8 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $132.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $115.8 million
Other chemical goods: $95.5 million
Other base metal goods: $94 million
Beverages: $92.5 million
Iron and steel: $80.6 million
Organic chemicals: $69.5 million
Rubber: $69.2 million
Iron or steel products: $68.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Austrian imports from France under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 33.3% gain in revenue then medical or technical equipment (up 9.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Austria’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -30.9%), vehicles (down -30.7%), organic chemicals (down -26.2%), beverages (down -18.5%), aluminum (down -17%) and plastics as a material (down -13%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, Austria, Borders of Austria

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Austria’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries