Export is the driving force of the economic development of Hungary since the fast transformation period of the nineteen-nineties. The small and open Hungarian economy is unambiguously depending on international trade, growing exports are a precondition of sustainable, equilibrium-oriented development.

Volume of Hungarian foreign trade has trebled in the 1990’s; its percentage of GDP is a sign of a very high level of openness even in an international comparison. Parallel with the expansion, the structure of foreign trade had thoroughly shifted as well: as opposed to the eastern-European orientation before 1990, a definite westward turn could be observed.

Besides foreign trade foreign direct investment participated in the restructuring and strengthening of the Hungarian economy since 1990. The fast opening of Hungarian economy towards foreign markets made the country an attractive target of foreign direct investment. FDI has played a vital role in productivity growth, technological modernization, the development of export capacities necessary for a healthy growth structure, and job creation.

The stock of foreign direct investment flowing to Hungary since the beginning of the economic transition amounted to EUR 66.4 billion at the end of 2007. Of this EUR 59.1 billion took the form of equity capital and re-invested earnings. In per capita terms this value is among the highest in the Central European region.