Austria imported US$225 billion worth of products from around the globe in 2023.

Overall spending on Austrian imports expanded by 27.4% compared to $176.6 billion five years earlier for 2019.

Year over year, the value of Austria’s import purchases flatlined via a -0.6% slowdown starting from $226.5 billion in 2022.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, Austria uses the euro which depreciated by -3.5% against the US dollar since 2019 but appreciated by 2.6% from 2022 to 2023. The weaker European Union currency after 2019 made Austria’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when starting from euros.

Where Austria’s Imports Come From

The latest available country-specific data shows that 78% of products imported by Austria were furnished by suppliers in: Germany (37.7% of the Austrian total), Italy (6.1%), Switzerland (5.2%), Netherlands (5.1%), Czech Republic (4.7%), mainland China (3.4%), Poland (3.3%), Hungary (2.7%), Slovakia (2.6%), United States of America (2.44%), France (2.4%) and Belgium (2.3%).

From a continental perspective, 84.4% of Austria’s total imports by value in 2023 were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners supplied 11.4% of imports to Austria while another 2.8% worth of goods originated from North America.

Austria joined the European Union on January 1, 1995. Other EU members accounted for 76.6% of Austrian purchases of imported products.

Smaller percentage came from Africa (0.9%), Latin America (0.4%) excluding Mexico and the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Austria ‘s population of 97 million people, its total $225 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $24,800 in yearly product demand from every person in the landlocked Central European country. That dollar metric lags the average $25,700 per capita for 2022.

Austria’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Austria’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Austria.

1. Machinery including computers: US$27.7 billion (12.3% of total imports)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $27.3 billion (12.1%)
3. Vehicles: $23.4 billion (10.4%)
4. Mineral fuels including oil: $19.8 billion (8.8%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $11.3 billion (5%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $8.3 billion (3.7%)
7. Articles of iron or steel: $6.6 billion (2.9%)
8. Organic chemicals: $6.5 billion (2.9%)
9. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $6 billion (2.7%)
10. Iron, steel: $5.1 billion (2.3%)

Austria’s top 10 imports exceeds three-fifths (63%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Electrical machinery and equipment posted the fastest growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up 23.1% from 2022 to 2023.

In second place for Austria’s expanding import purchases was the vehicles product category (up 22.2%), trailed by Austrian imports of pharmaceuticals (up 12.1%).

The severest declines from 2022 were for Austrian imports of mineral fuels including oil (down -30.9%) and the metals iron and steel (down -27.6%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level.

Information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Austria’s Top Machinery Imports

In 2023, Austrian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$2.6 billion (up 25.2% from 2022)
2. Piston engine parts: $2 billion (up 5%)
3. Machinery parts: $1.5 billion (up 3.9%)
4. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.3 billion (up 1.1%)
5. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $1.3 billion (up 0.8%)
6. Miscellaneous machinery: $1.2 billion (up 12%)
7. Air or vacuum pumps: $1.1 billion (up 3.9%)
8. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $959.9 million (down -10.6%)
9. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $914.1 million (up 11%)
10. Liquid pumps and elevators: $913.8 million (up 9.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Austrian purchases of computers including optical readers (up 25.2%), miscellaneous machinery (up 12%) then centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 11%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Austrian businesses and consumers.

Austria’s Top Electrical Imports

In 2023, Austrian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical goods including consumer electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$6.6 billion (up 112.8% from 2022)
2. Electrical converters/power units: $2.3 billion (up 30.7%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $2.2 billion (up 5.7%)
4. Electric storage batteries: $1.6 billion (up 34.4%)
5. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $1.45 billion (down -4.3%)
6. Electric motors, generators: $1.39 billion (up 3.1%)
7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.31 billion (up 2.7%)
8. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $1.28 billion (down -10.8%)
9. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1.1 billion (up 26.8%)
10. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $785.4 million (down -7.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Austrian purchases of phone devices including smartphones (up 112.8%), electric storage batteries (up 34.4%) then electrical converters or power units (up 30.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Austrian businesses and consumers.

Austria’s Top Vehicles Imports

In 2023, Austrian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related products.

1. Cars: US$11.3 billion (up 25.3% from 2022)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $5.9 billion (up 18.1%)
3. Trucks: $1.4 billion (up 61.7%)
4. Tractors: $1.3 billion (up 26.9%)
5. Motorcycles: $987.3 million (up 10.2%)
6. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $902.8 million (up 3.8%)
7. Trailers: $529 million (down -6.9%)
8. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $303.9 million (down -12.2%)
9. Public-transport vehicles: $294.1 million (up 68.1%)
10. Automobile bodies: $186.5 million (up 53.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Austrian purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 68.1%), trucks (up 61.7%) then automobile bodies (up 53.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles-related products among Austrian businesses and consumers.

Austria’s Top Fuel Imports

In 2023, Austrian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$5.7 billion (down -31.6% from 2022)
2. Crude oil: $4.8 billion (up 24.8%)
3. Electrical energy: $2.4 billion (down -51.1%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $707.1 million (down -26%)
5. Coke, semi-coke: $412.2 million (down -5%)
6. Petroleum oil residues: $154 million (down -35.9%)
7. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $31.7 million (up 41.4%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $17.9 million (down -20.6%)
9. Peat: $17.2 million (down -17.1%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $10 million (down -23.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Austrian purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 41.4%) then crude oil (up 24.8%) grew from 2022 to 2023.

The above amounts and the sole percentage gain within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related products among Austrian businesses and consumers.
 

See also Austria’s Top Trading Partners, Austria’s Top 10 Exports, Switzerland’s Top Trading Partners, Poland’s Top Trading Partners and Slovakia’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on May 23, 2024

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 23, 2024

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 23, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 23, 2024

Wikipedia, Austria. Accessed on May 23, 2024