Trade links deepened in both directions following the start of the transition process, owing – among other things – to the gradual dismantling of trade barriers in the framework of Association Agreements. The EU-15 is today not only the most important trading partner in the region, but also its biggest foreign investor.
As a result, the EU-15 countries account for approximately two thirds of the total FDI stock in the region. This is particularly true for the banking sector, where foreign-owned banks have gained an average market share of around 80%.