Baltic Export, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Markets and Companies

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"Although countries of Central Europe, such as Poland and Austria, are situated rather close to Estonia, Estonian companies have not viewed these countries as important export destinations so far. We find that Central Europe is one of the best options for expanding one's reach to the west," Piret Potisepp, director of services at the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a press release.

A survey conducted among Estonian businesses active in Poland shows that there are several advantages in exporting one's products to Poland.

"The main advantages named by entrepreneurs are that Poland is situated quite close to Estonia and has a market of 38.3 million consumers, which is significant compared with Estonia," Sven Mases, economic adviser at the Estonian embassy in Poland, said.

The adviser described Poland as having a positive long-term perspective, meaning that economic growth there is set to continue at an annual rate of 3.5% on average until the middle of the century.

As downsides of the Polish market, Mases named intense competition, a changing tax environment, excessive red tape and the need to handle one's business in Polish language alone.