In 2018 the product most exported from Albania abroad was shoes, in Macedonia were chemical products, in Bosnia were house furnitures, in Serbia were cars and in Montenegro aluminum products. The second most exported product in Albania in 2018 was oil, in Macedonia spare parts for cars, in Bosnia shoes, in Montenegro, in Electricity and in Serbia, cigarettes.
The data is derived from the recent World Bank's recent regional report, which shows that Albanian exports are based on natural resources and free labor force as the region is developing production at value-added factories such as the automobile industry.This pattern has led to wage increases in the Region, exept Albania that is still using low-wage labor, producing clothing and footwear with a wage of € 150 per person per month.
The main market for all Western Balkan exports is the European Union. Although the region inherits historic ties with the former Yugoslavia, products exported to the EU are not uniform. Indeed, between countries there are substantial differences in export specialties.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, its exports to the EU are dominated by various manufactured items such as furniture, clothing, footwear and commodities produced as aluminum foil.
Macedonia and Serbia are specialized in delivering to the EU machinery and transport goods, such as vehicles and spare parts. But Serbia is also specialized in delivering food products while Macedonia chemical products.
Exports of Montenegro and Albania are dominated by services, particularly tourism and exports of goods are dominated by other processing industry products.
The only products that are part of the list of three main products in more than one country are shoes (Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina), electricity (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro), and isolated electric wires (Macedonia and Serbia) .
While shoe companies from Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are clearly competing with one another in the EU market.
The World Bank suggests that export specialization patterns suggest opportunities for co-operation through efficiency-enhancing activities such as value chain integration.
For example, Serbia exports cars to Italy mainly from the major Fiat Chrysler factory, while suppliers in Macedonia are specialized in the export of isolated electrical installations, which are very important in vehicle production and can thus open up opportunities for mutual trade.