TRIER - Economy
In the past, the Trier region has been badly handicapped by its border position. In addition, it has never had mineral resources to stimulate industrial development. Consequently, the region is still geared fairly strongly towards agriculture. While wine-growing is a major economic factor, the significance of agriculture and forestry has declined over recent years. Almost one-third of Rheinland-Pfalz's wine-growing holdings are located in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region, though it accounts for only around 15% of the area under vines. Apart from the manufacture of rubber and plastic products, the wood sector, metal production and metalworking, the manufacture of metal products and mechanical engineering, the main branches of economic activity in the region nowadays include above all food, beverages and tobacco products manufacture. The town of Bitburg has gained renown extending far beyond the borders of Rheinland-Pfalz on account of its eponymous brewery. While the Belgian and Luxembourg borders have often constituted economic barriers in the past, the improved infrastructure and, more specifically, the Internal Market, are opening up new possibilities. The adjoining regions have already got together to form the Saar-Lor-Lux-Rheinland-Pfalz-Wallonie Euro-region. Central access to European markets and the correspondingly short marketing channels endow the region with locational advantages and provide a solid platform for business in the Single European Market. There is already evidence of much integration in this border region, e.g. with Luxembourg. While many Luxembourg residents come to Trier to shop, many of those who work in Luxembourg live in the Trier-Saarburg rural district.
With the exception of Trier, there are no large areas of concentrated economic activity, although smaller regional labour markets do exist in the towns of Wittlich, Bitburg, Bernkastel-Kues, Daun and Prüm.
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