France’s role in Polish trade – a strategic partner and investor

Since Poland’s accession to the European Union, the intensity of trade with France has increased almost fivefold. In 2003, our trade deficit amounted to nearly EUR 1.4 billion, and imports were almost twice as high as exports. Currently, Poland ranks tenth among the recipients of French products.

The status of France in Poland’s export structure

After Brexit, France became Poland’s third partner in the export of goods, ahead of the United Kingdom. In the first quarter of 2024, it was even the second partner after Germany, temporarily ahead of the Czech Republic, but by the end of 2024 France was in third position.

Exports from Poland to France are growing at a rate similar to the  increase/decrease of Polish exports, maintaining France’s share of about 6% in the export structure.

Poland’s positive trade balance

Poland has had a positive trade balance with France for many years:

• in 2022, the surplus reached a record EUR 8.5 billion,
• in 2023 it amounted to around EUR 10.3 billion,
• in 2024 it fell to EUR 9.2 billion,
• in the first quarter of 2025 it decreased to EUR 1.25 billion.

France is also experiencing a deficit in trade in services, the value of which has been growing dynamically since 2020.

Export and import

In 2024, exports from Poland to France amounted to EUR 21.3 billion (a decrease of approx. EUR 200 million compared to 2023). Imports from France increased to EUR 12.1 billion (an increase of approx. EUR 900 million).

France is responsible for over 6 percent of all Polish exports and nearly 3.5 percent of imports.

Structure of Poland’s exports to France

Polish companies provide the French market with the following:

electrical machinery and equipment – approx. 16.5 per cent of exports (approx. EUR 3.5 billion),

boilers, machinery and mechanical equipment – over 14.4 per cent (approx. EUR 3 billion),

automotive parts, cars, vans/trucks according to data from May 2025 approx. EUR 2.36 billion (approx. 25%),

electrotechnical machinery and equipment – approx. EUR 1.89 billion (approx. 20%),

food – approx. EUR 1.42 billion (approx. 15%), mainly pork, poultry, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, including an increasing number of organic products,

furniture – in 2024 approx. EUR 1.18 billion (12.5%),

services – growing exports of IT, consulting and engineering services.

French investments in Poland

French capital is present in most sectors of the Polish economy. The cumulative investments of French companies in 2022 amounted to approximately EUR 23.05 billion, and France’s share in the total FDI in Poland exceeded 9 percent at the time, which gave it the second position – ahead of the Netherlands and the United States.

Currently, France ranks fourth among foreign investors in Poland, both in terms of intermediary countries and countries of the origin of capital. Investors from France are focused on sectors such as communications, real estate, logistics and renewable energy.

Strategic cooperation

The agreement signed in Nancy at the beginning of May this year opens the next stage of cooperation, especially in the context of defence, which has gained importance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Although trade in the defence sector remains limited, French exports of defence products to Poland in 2024 accounted for 0.1%. of all exports of this sector, and Polish exports to France almost 2 per cent – the potential for the development of cooperation is much greater.

Sources:

• Poland-export.pl
• Worldstopexports
• Eurostat/Comext (Easy Comext)
• Central Statistical Office (GUS)
• French-Polish Chamber of Commerce

Translated by IDC

JL