Overview
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 (Estimated) | |
| Total Market Size | 8,090,588 | 8,605,419 | 9,035,895 | 8,700,000 |
| Total Local Production | 7,525,589 | 7,955,998 | 8,297,223 | 8,000,000 |
| Total Exports | 857,888 | 969,237 | 991,493 | 900,000 |
| Total Imports | 1,422,887 | 1,618,658 | 1,730,165 | 1,600,000 |
| Imports from the U.S. | 39,594 | 41,811 | 45,394 | 40,000 |
| Exchange Rate: 1 USD | 1.13 | 1.18 | 1.053 | 1.12 |
USD thousands (total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Data Sources:
Total Local Production: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
Total Exports: Global Trade Atlas, Eurostat
Total Imports: Global Trade Atlas, Eurostat
Imports from U.S.: Global Trade Atlas, Eurostat
Exchange Rate: European Central Bank
Leading Sub-Sectors
The following specific items were the primary exports from the U.S. to Slovakia covered by this Leading Sector, ranked in USD from 2021 to 2022:
| HS code | ITEM | 2021 | 2022 |
| 90 | Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 41,811,127 | 45,394,242 |
| 9001 | Optical Fibers and Optical Fiber Bundles; Optical Fiber Cables Nesoi; Sheets and Plates of Polarizing Material; Optical Elements, Unmounted | 1,325,413 | 4,686,133 |
| 9002 | Optical Elements (Including Lenses, Prisms and Mirrors), Mounted, Excluding Elements of Glass Not Optically Worked; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 579,080 | 648,722 |
| 9005 | Binoculars, Monoculars, Other Optical Telescopes or Astronomical Instruments, Except For Radio-Astronomy; Parts and Accessories, Including Mountings | 19,468 | 147,534 |
| 9004 | Spectacles, Goggles and The Like, Corrective, Protective or Other | 102,608 | 58,652 |
| 9007 | Cinematographic Cameras and Projectors (With or Without Sound Recording or Reproducing Apparatus); Parts and Accessories Thereof | 12,316 | 37,215 |
| 9006 | Photographic (Other Than Cinematographic) Cameras; Photographic Flashlight Apparatus and Flashbulbs (Except Discharge Lamps); Parts and Accessories | 18,112 | 27,245 |
| 9012 | Microscopes Other Than Optical Microscopes; Diffraction Apparatus; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 14,943 | 23,188 |
| 9003 | Frames and Mountings for Spectacles, Goggles or The Like, and Parts Thereof | 17,775 | 21,836 |
| 9010 | Apparatus and Equipment for Photographic Laboratories Nesoi; Negatoscopes; Projection Screens; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 16,177 | 3,308 |
| 9011 | Compound Optical Microscopes, Including Those for Photomicrography, Cinephotomicrography or Microprojection; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 70,225 | 2,011 |
| 9008 | Image Projectors, Photographic Enlargers and Reducers, Other Than Cinematographic; Parts and Accessories Thereof | 115 | 853 |
Opportunities
Optical, photo, and measuring equipment consumption continues to increase in Slovakia. The market is especially focused on high-tech products. Most equipment is still imported. New entrants face competition from the same international competitors they encounter elsewhere in the world. Most opportunities are in industrial production, especially automotive, and in the medical and dental sectors.
E-health activities are partially available in Slovakia. While e-prescriptions are fully functional, e-medical records and e-examinations have only been partially implemented. Slovakia’s diagnosis related group (DRG) system is expected to be fully functional in 2024.
Most private health care centers continue to invest considerable amounts of money in new health care equipment. Slovakia has about 3,000 practicing dentists, most of whom are private practitioners who receive full payment for their services directly from patients. Private dental clinics are interested in keeping up to date on the latest technological advances and procuring new equipment to satisfy the demands of their customers. Especially promising segments for U.S. suppliers of dental equipment are laser dentistry, implants, and cosmetic/aesthetic dentistry.
According to Slovakia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, healthcare as one of the focus areas with planned allocation of USD 1.53 billion divided into the following sectors:
- Modern and affordable health care including social and special care (USD 1.17 billion)
- Humane, modern, and affordable mental health care (USD 95 million)
- Affordable and high-quality long-term social and health care (USD 264.4 million)
There are export opportunities in robotic surgery equipment, diagnostic equipment, telecare, telemedicine, virtual medicine (in the areas of pain relief and mental health) and AI (in the development of diagnostic systems/ health services [e.g., symptoms checkers], precision medicine, genomics, chatbots, mobile apps ideally reimbursed by health insurance, and cybersecurity). Pharmaceutical and chemical industries offer R&D of new innovative, generic, and biosimilar drugs as well as export opportunities in digitalization, process automatization, and qualified personnel education. The Ministry of Health operates an R&D incubator platform called Biohub, which may be a useful gateway to finding potential business partners, exploring tech-transfer opportunities, and/or VC investment.
Resources
Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic
Eurostat
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
Slovak Dental Chamber
Contact: lucia.maskova@trade.gov