(Report based on Background Study for European Competitiveness Report 2012, see http //ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/industrial-competitiveness/competitiveness-analysis/european-competitiveness-report/index_en.htm) Summary Countries belonging to the European neighbourhood are highly diverse....

This paper assesses the possible political and economic risks of Macedonia failing to be invited to join NATO in the near future due to a Greek embargo. Three possible outcomes of the current negotiations are discussed and some narrowing down of differences is noted. It may, however, not be...

Policy frameworks of the IMF, the World Bank, and the EU are discussed in order to come up with criteria of macroeconomic and financial stability and sustainability for Future Member States of the EU (candidate and potential candidate countries). The key deficiency of the EU policy framework is...

This paper discusses the transition agenda and provides the key economic characteristics of selected Middle East and North Africa countries (MENA) in comparison with selected Central, East and Southeast European countries (CESEE). We intend to identify some regularities in transition processes...

In this paper we consider the possible consequences that accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) bears for Belarus. Our approach is based on partial equilibrium. We have applied a method of locating specific 'sensitive' points in the economy and treating them as separate items specific...

Growth in the CESEE region will follow the unimpressive pattern displayed by the euro area. The longer-term convergence of income levels in the CESEE countries can no longer be expected to be as rapid as was assumed a decade or so ago. Growth in the period 2015-2017 is not going to deviate...

(Reprint from WIFO-Monatsberichte, Vol. 86, No. 5, May 2013) Zusammenfassung Wachstumsbeschleunigung dank Investitionswende in Mittel-, Ost- und Südosteuropa Das Wirtschaftswachstum wird sich in den mittel-, ost- und südosteuropäischen Ländern 2014 bis 2016 verstärken und durchschnittlich...

The present economic crisis bears all the familiar hallmarks of the financial, debt-related and structural aspects of current account crises. All these aspects have lasting level effects and recovery can be very protracted. Export-led growth was an important feature of the recovery period...

Summary Continued weak external demand and uncertain recovery of investments will allow for only modest growth prospects for the countries of Central, East and Southeast Europe (CESEE) this year. Slovenia, Croatia and the Czech Republic will remain in recession. Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic...

(Reprint from WIFO-Monatsberichte, Vol. 87, No. 5, May 2014) Zusammenfassung Wachstumsbeschleunigung dank Investitionswende in Mittel-, Ost- und Südosteuropa Das Wirtschaftswachstum wird sich in den mittel-, ost- und südosteuropäischen Ländern 2014 bis 2016 verstärken und durchschnittlich...