Higher global grain output but still fairly high food prices (by Zdenek Lukas; pp. 1-4) Keywords agricultural production, demand for food, food prices, biofuels Countries covered Wider Europe Topics Sectoral studies The speed of catch-up depends on human capital (by Roman Stöllinger; pp. 5-9)...

The land market in the new EU member states (by Zdenek Lukas) Countries covered Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia Topics Agriculture and Food Industry One year of EU enlargement trade prospects from the Austrian perspective (by Julia Wörz) Countries covered Czech Republic,...

Unstable Balkans (by Vladimir Gligorov; pp. 1-4) Keywords political tensions, unemployment, austerity Countries covered SEE Topics Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Not a very Greek tragedy (by Jan Toporowski; pp. 5-7) Keywords public debt, financial market, monetary policy, currency union...

MENA in transition any lessons from CESEE? (by Peter Havlik and Sándor Richter; pp. 1-7) Keywords MENA, transition Countries covered MENA, CESEE Topics Other The EU and Russia both important for Ukraine (by Vasily Astrov; pp. 8-9) Keywords Ukraine, trade association, Russia, EU Countries...

Summary German (PDF) Summary French (PDF) Summary Serbian (PDF) This report has also been published at the EU’s website http //ec.europa.eu Summary In the period after the political changes in the year 2000, GDP growth in Serbia was rather rapid and compares favourably with other transition...

Introduction of the euro implications for the statistics on transition countries (by Peter Havlik, p. 1) The euro enters into circulation impact on the transition economies (by Pawel Kowalewski, p. 5) Foreign currency holdings in the Central and Eastern European countries (by Helmut Stix, p. 10)...

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...

Stability and normalization should be the crucial ingredients of Kosovo's future status. If achieved, it would lead to strong economic recovery in Kosovo and to more sustainable economic growth in Serbia. Chances for positive economic development, strong recovery and sustained long-term growth...

The main question addressed in this study is the performance of the labour markets in the Western Balkans. The aim is to find out whether they can deliver growth of employment and decline of unemployment in the medium run and whether they can withstand short-term shocks due to changes in demand...