Relevance for the logistic market:
The logistic industry currently plays and will continue to play a substantial part within the overall economy (app. 7% of GDP; c. f. Figure 2.6). It is a sector with a strong dependence on most manufacturing industries, while simultaneously being an important component for the overall economic system. Thus, the logistic sector, its activities and the added value is strongly connected with the development of the remaining productive sector and industries;
The disparities between the EU28 Member States will equalise in the mid-term future. This will have an impact on the type of goods consumed and consequently on the logistic sector. A possible change could concern purchasing behaviour, as an increasing share of household income may be spent on less fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Accordingly the economic structure and subsequently the logistics sector are expected to change;
In addition, one can expect that this situation impacts the goods flows and the logistics in the EU28, i.e. high-valued products between the “rich countries” and low value consumer goods between the “poorer” countries.
Wealth gap
Relevance for the logistic market:
The decreasing divergences of wealth levels at inter- and intraregional scope is expected to influence the logistic sector by changing the demand patterns of consumer goods and the spatial structure of production. It is conceivable that the basic demand for consumer goods and hence the provision of basic supplies will increase. Assuming that emerging markets (globally) will gain more importance concerning the demand for consumer goods, the production and the related logistic activities will increase, which enhances the need to broaden and change the emphasis of regional and global supply chains.
EU market enlargement (A. candidate countries, B. associated countries)
Relevance for the logistic market:
The EU enlargement by the above-mentioned candidate and potential candidate countries is expected to have a significant effect for the EU logistics sector, due to the enlargement of population and the European economic area. These parameters will induce to widen the European economic markets, the demand, the exchange of goods and services, the possibilities to relocate production and, consequently, the overall logistics area of activities;
The following Table presents the absolute growth 2005-2012 in road transport in selected new Member States compared to the total of the EU27. As can be clearly seen from this figure, the new Member States’ growth is by far higher than the average of the EU27 states.
Figure 3.8 Absolute growth (in %) 2005-2012 of road transport in selected new Member States 2005/2006-2012 compared to the average of the EU27