The enlargement of the European Union from 15 members in the 1990s to 27
members today reinforced trading links between countries in Eastern and Central
Europe. It has, however, also led some manufacturing activities to move from
Western Europe towards the low-cost eastern regions. The result is ever larger
bi-directional East–West flows within the European Union of raw materials and
consumer products. Those East–West flows are giving impetus to the creation of
extensive infrastructures including corridors and terminals. Germany, the Czech
Republic, Poland, Slovenia and Hungary have strong rail networks (road networks
in the Eastern European countries are less well developed.) The Danube and the
Elbe are emerging as new barge corridors, although total barge volumes remain
small compared to the Rhine river and its tributaries and the North–South axis (the
Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France). Northern ports, in particular
Hamburg, up to now have benefited the most from EU enlargement, whereas new
opportunities might arise for secondary port systems in the Adriatic and the Baltic
Sea. The improvements in Eastern Europe are complemented by a strong
enhancement of trade flows in the Baltic area and the Latin arc (stretching along
the coastline from southern Spain to northern Italy).