The world’s 42nd richest country based on Gross Domestic Product per capita, the Republic of Poland imported US$254.7 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 3.2% increase from $246.7 billion in 2019.

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

Located in Central Europe, Poland shares its land borders with strategic trading partners namely Ukraine and Belarus to Poland’s east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to its south, number one trading partner Germany to its west, and Russia and Lithuania to its northeast. In addition, Poland has a coastline along the Baltic Sea.

Information in this article is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Polish imports during 2020 for each of Poland’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners generated almost two-thirds (64.2%) of total Polish 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 Polish imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Poland’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Poland amounted to $55.8 billion or 21.9% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 5.8% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 70.6% of Poland’s imports from Germany.

Machinery: $8.7 billion
Vehicles: $6.7 billion
Electronic equipment: $5.3 billion
Plastics: $4.7 billion
Iron and steel: $2.2 billion
Paper: $1.9 billion
Iron or steel products: $1.5 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $1.4 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $1.25 billion
Other chemical goods: $1.21 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.2 billion
Aluminum: $996.2 million
Rubber: $821.8 million
Copper: $773.5 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $723.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from Germany under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 42% gain in revenue, electronic equipment (up 24.9%), medical or technical equipment (up 17%) and pharmaceuticals (up 11.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -20.5%), vehicles (down -14.1%) and rubber (down -9%).

Poland’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Poland amounted to $36.8 billion or 14.4% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 21% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.5% of Poland’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $12.1 billion
Machinery: $7.2 billion
Toys, games: $1.58 billion
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $1.56 billion
Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.5 billion
Knit or crochet clothing: $1.2 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.1 billion
Plastics: $910.8 million
Footwear: $885.7 million
Vehicles: $803 million
Iron or steel products: $785.5 million
Other textiles, worn clothing: $763.4 million
Organic chemicals: $525.7 million
Other chemical goods: $432.1 million
Other base metal goods: $423.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from China under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 223.6% gain in revenue, miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing (up 104.5%), electronic equipment (up 36.3%), organic chemicals (up 28.7%), unknitted or non-crocheted clothing (up 27.2%) and plastics (up 26.4%).

Posting the mildest increase among Poland’s top 15 imported products was footwear (up 3.1%).

Poland’s Main Imports from Italy

In 2020, Italy’s exports to Poland amounted to $12.8 billion or 5% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 3.9% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 73.9% of Poland’s imports from Italy.

Machinery: $2.3 billion
Vehicles: $1.3 billion
Plastics: $1.04 billion
Electronic equipment: $1 billion
Gems, precious metals: $617.1 million
Iron and steel: $613.5 million
Iron or steel products: $579.9 million
Pharmaceuticals: $558 million
Paper: $234.5 million
Rubber: $228.8 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $216 million
Aluminum: $207.1 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $193.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $191.2 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $190.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from Italy under the gems and precious metals product category via a 92% gain in revenue then pharmaceuticals (up 39.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were rubber (down -11.8%), medical or technical equipment (down -10.7%) then perfumes and cosmetics (down -10.6%).

Poland’s Main Imports from Russia

In 2020, Russia’s exports to Poland amounted to $11.5 billion or 4.5% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -28.1% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 86.6% of Poland’s imports from Russia.

Mineral fuels including oil: $7.3 billion
Iron and steel: $593.4 million
Aluminum: $376.5 million
Fertilizers: $256.5 million
Organic chemicals: $240.5 million
Rubber: $236.7 million
Inorganic chemicals: $208.9 million
Plastics: $145.9 million
Fish: $143.9 million
Wood: $141.1 million
Machinery: $98.9 million
Paper: $79.6 million
Woodpulp: $51.8 million
Iron or steel products: $46.2 million
Oil seed: $41.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from Russia under the wood product category via a 117.8% gain in revenue, paper (up 88.9%), oil seed (up 66.6%), fish (up 27.2%) and plastics (up 25.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were inorganic chemicals (down -33.4%), mineral fuels including oil (down -29.4%), fertilizers (down -21.8%), woodpulp (down -19.2%), organic chemicals (down -18.7%) and iron and steel as materials (down -12.1%).

Poland’s Main Imports from Netherlands

In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to Poland amounted to $10 billion or 3.5% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 8.3% gain compared to 2019.

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

Electronic equipment: $2.1 billion
Machinery: $1.2 billion
Plastics: $907.6 million
Vehicles: $671.6 million
Pharmaceuticals: $341.3 million
Live trees and plants: $331.2 million
Organic chemicals: $242.3 million
Other chemical goods: $211.6 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $199.5 million
Vegetables: $193.5 million
Medical, technical equipment: $182.8 million
Cocoa, cocoa preparations: $176.4 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $172 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $168.6 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $147.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from the Netherlands under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 57.3% gain in revenue, food waste or animal fodder (up 51.5%), electronic equipment (up 43.8%), perfumes and cosmetics (up 40.2%), medical or technical equipment (up 28.1%) and pharmaceuticals (up 14.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -32.7%) and vegetables (down -7.4%).

Poland’s Main Imports from France

In 2020, France’s exports to Poland amounted to $8.8 billion or 3.5% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -1.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 77.4% of Poland’s imports from France.

Vehicles: $1.3 billion
Machinery: $1 billion
Plastics: $744.3 million
Electronic equipment: $699 million
Pharmaceuticals: $573.2 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $431.8 million
Other chemical goods: $351 million
Iron and steel: $306.6 million
Paper: $228.5 million
Rubber: $228.1 million
Medical, technical equipment: $208.1 million
Iron or steel products: $183.1 million
Organic chemicals: $182.9 million
Soaps, lubricants, candles: $165 million
Aluminum: $136.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from France under the aluminum product category via a 34.7% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 28.2%) and organic chemicals (up 18.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -24.1%), vehicles (down -12%) and electronic equipment (down -9.6%).

Poland’s Main Imports from Czech Republic

In 2020, the Czech Republic’s exports to Poland amounted to $8.1 billion or 3.2% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -3.4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 74.1% of Poland’s imports from the Czech Republic.

Vehicles: $1.4 billion
Machinery: $827 million
Electronic equipment: $788.5 million
Iron and steel: $705.2 million
Plastics: $457.6 million
Iron or steel products: $342.5 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $249.2 million
Rubber: $186.7 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $169.3 million
Toys, games: $167.9 million
Glass: $151.4 million
Wood: $143 million
Paper: $135.3 million
Organic chemicals: $114.1 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $111.5 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from the Czech Republic under the wood product category via a 214.8% gain in revenue, animal or vegetable fats and oils (up 40.3%), toys and games (up 20.4%), machinery (up 14.9%) and electronic equipment (up 13.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -35.9%), vehicles (down -29.7%), mineral fuels including oil (down -20.8%), paper (down -20.7%) and glass: (down -9.3%).

Poland’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Poland amounted to $7.9 billion or 3.1% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -0.2% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 83.2% of Poland’s imports from America.

Machinery: $1.9 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $986.7 million
Electronic equipment: $691.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $577.1 million
Aircraft, spacecraft: $521.8 million
Vehicles: $463.3 million
Plastics: $390.4 million
Other chemical goods: $237.3 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $214.9 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $94.6 million
Rubber: $92.3 million
Iron or steel products: $92.1 million
Beverages: $82.7 million
Woodpulp: $81.2 million
Fish: $74.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from the United States under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 361.9% gain in revenue, plastics (up 51.9%), miscellaneous chemical goods (up 40.1%), vehicles (up 28.8%), electronic equipment (up 16.2%) then perfumes and cosmetics (up 14.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -79.1%), aircraft and spacecraft (down -64%), woodpulp (down -19.5%) and rubber (down -15.4%).

Poland’s Main Imports from South Korea

In 2020, South Korea’s exports to Poland amounted to $6.1 billion or 2.4% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 20.8% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 94.7% of Poland’s imports from South Korea.

Electronic equipment: $1.9 billion
Machinery: $1.4 billion
Inorganic chemicals: $573.9 million
Plastics: $449.9 million
Vehicles: $395.4 million
Medical, technical equipment: $206.1 million
Iron and steel: $202.9 million
Iron or steel products: $148.1 million
Copper: $108.3 million
Other chemical goods: $91 million
Aluminum: $88.7 million
Rubber: $84.5 million
Man-made staple fibers: $47.8 million
Organic chemicals: $43.5 million
Arms, ammunition: $43 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from South Korea under the inorganic chemicals product category via a 12,707% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 447.1%), copper (up 99.3%), arms or ammunition (up 42.8%), aluminum (up 42.6%) and medical or technical equipment (up 31.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -19.5%), vehicles (down -19%), rubber (down -12.4%) and man-made staple fibers (down -10%).

Poland’s Main Imports from Belgium

In 2020, Belgium’s exports to Poland amounted to $5.8 billion or 2.3% of overall Polish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 2.3% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 75.1% of Poland’s imports from Belgium.

Plastics: $994.2 million
Pharmaceuticals: $705.4 million
Vehicles: $439.2 million
Meat: $394.9 million
Iron and steel: $372.8 million
Machinery: $307.4 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $257.3 million
Electronic equipment: $153.9 million
Organic chemicals: $126.2 million
Other chemical goods: $124.8 million
Paper: $104.8 million
Soaps, lubricants, candles: $99.4 million
Cocoa, cocoa preparations: $97.2 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $83.4 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $80.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Polish imports from Belgium under the organic chemicals product category via a 41.7% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 31.3%), cocoa including cocoa preparations (up 13.7%) and plastics (up 9.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Poland’s top 15 imported products were paper (down -20.8%), machinery (down -15.3%) and vehicles (down -14.6%).

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.

Richest Country Reports, Top 50 Countries by GDP per Capita.

Wikipedia, Poland, Borders of Poland

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Poland’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries