Commercial and economic ties between the two countries have improved markedly ever since Poland joined the European Union.

Trade between the two countries is governed by a comprehensive cooperation agreement concluded in 1997 as well as by the European Partnership Agreement of 2001.

Under the trade agreement signed between Egypt and Poland in 1975, trade transactions are handled in hard currency. There also exist no preferential agreements providing either country with any tariff or non-tariff advantages.

In 2007, several industrial agreements were signed, including a contract for the establishment of a plastics-recycling plant, the entire output of which is exported to Poland.

A joint marketing research unit has been set up to update existing databases, open up new markets and introduce new Egyptian exports to Poland.

Egyptian exports to Poland early in 2007 reached $36 million compared to $23 million in the same period in 2006. Agricultural exports ($8 million) (23 per cent) replaced plastics and petroleum extracts ($7.4 million) (20 per cent) in first place in the first 9 months of 2007.

Several produce and products have also been introduced to the list of Egyptian exports to Poland including: strawberry, garlic, domestic appliances (water heaters, electric ovens) and petroleum extracts.

Egyptian imports from Poland have declined in early in 2007 to $74.4 million as compared to the figured reported in the same period in 2006. The balance of trade tipped in Poland's favor has dropped from $73.48 million in 2006 to $48.66 million in 2007 (33.8 per cent).