The dependence on exports of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) turned out to be a serious disadvantage during the crisis and partially resulted in significant declines in economic output, but it became an advantage in 2010. The CEE countries benefited from the significant increase in economic output, primarily in Germany, and the export sector now provided them significant growth stimuli. Accordingly, a large share of the current growth was derived from exports; however, domestic demand is again expected to provide increasing input in the months to come. The economies of Central Europe, especially Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic, displayed a particularly positive development in 2010. However, the countries of South Eastern Europe experienced a decline in GDP. The CEE countries in total recorded a GDP gain which is expected to reach about 3% for 2010.
