The European Commission, newly constituted after the EU elections, has been launching its work for the period of 2014-2019. The bank stress test shows that 25 of the 130 European banks tested are in a problematic situation. One of the five Austrian banks tested does not meet the requirements....

Following a cyclical downturn in 2014, the Austrian economy is set to grow at a moderate pace of 1.3 percent p.a. over the period from 2015 to 2019. Private consumption and investment will experience a sluggish growth, while the external contribution to GDP growth will remain modest. The gradual...

The WIFO Business Cycle Survey serves as an important early-indication tool for the economic situation in Austria. Using a Markov regime-switching model, it is possible to determine at an early point in time whether the business cycle is in its upward or downward mode. Regime probabilities are...

"We study the returns on education in Europe in a comparative perspective. We extend the model of de la Fuente [(2003). Human Capital in a Global and Knowledgebased Economy. part II: Assessment at the EU Country Level. Report for the European Commission], by estimating the values of the relevant...

"Disability insurance - the insurance against the loss of the ability to work - is a substantial part of social security expenditures in many countries. The benefit recipiency rates in disability insurance vary strikingly across European countries and the US. This paper investigates the extent...

This report approaches Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Japan and Austria. It was elaborated by students in the frame of a 'Task Force' seminar. It addresses empirically the issues of 1) public and private reporting of CSR, 2) case studies on responsible management in small and medium...

"In this paper we evaluate the impact of the old-age part-time scheme (OAPT) on the Austrian labor market which was a policy to allow flexible retirement options for the elderly with an aim to increase labor supply. According to our matching estimates, employment probability increases slightly;...

The European Council proposes to the European Parliament that Jean-Claude Juncker become president of the European Commission. Aiming to get the inflation rate in the euro area back to the 2 percent threshold, the ECB introduces, for the first time in its history, negative interest rates for ECB...