Although global economic activity is recovering and output in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) is expected to grow in 2021, containing COVID-19 remains a challenge in the region. Enterprise survey data for the emerging and developing countries in the region show that COVID-19 had a profound and...

In February 2022, the world was shocked by the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine. The war is having a devastating impact on human life and causing economic destruction in both countries, and will lead to significant economic losses in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region and the rest...

In 2018, the World Bank launched the Human Capital Index (HCI), which is designed to highlight how improvements in current health and education outcomes will shape the productivity of the next generation of workers. The HCI measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect...

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Education Team's vision is for education systems to empower all to reach their full potential. In line with this vision, the purpose of this guidance note is to provide recommendations and policy advice for decision-makers on potential education responses to the...

Multifamily residential buildings in earthquake-prone cities across Central Europe, Balkans, and Central Asia have proved to be vulnerable and have revealed several structural deficiencies during previous earthquake events. Earthquakes in these regions have damaged certain types of multifamily...

This is the first study of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) systems of the ten countries of Central and Eastern Europe preparing for integration into the European Union (EU). The study offers a comparative evaluation of the main features of the VAT systems between the ten countries surveyed and...

The integration of European inland transport markets is a topical issue that has generated a great deal of activity in recent years. The integration of transport markets is a fundamental condition for the development of trade relations and economic activity.This book is an essential tool for all...

In 2015, students from more than 72 countries and economies participated in PISA, an international assessment. Administered every three years by the OECD, PISA measures the skills of 15 year-old students in applying their knowledge of science, reading, and math to real life problems. PISA...

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Country Risk Profiles for floods and earthquakes presented in this publication are based on quantitative risk assessments derived using global flood and earthquake models.Flood and earthquake risk were defined in terms of affected population and affected gross...