News & Opinions

The Western Balkans’ Paradoxical Resilience - 23 Oct 2025

Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia currently outperform the region of Central, East and Southeast Europe economically. Germany’s shift towards increased public spending could provide a boost to their growth read more

Autumn Forecast: Eastern Europe with robust, but slower growth - 22 Oct 2025

The economic model of CEE is changing, while rising defence spending will stimulate growth in the region. Ukraine's economy is stuck in war, whereas Russia is headed for stagnation read more

Schwächere Wachstumsimpulse aus Osteuropa für Österreich, aber auch neue Chancen - 22 Oct 2025

Trotz einiger Wachstumsrevisionen nach unten kann Österreich immer noch optimistisch auf die Wirtschaftsentwicklung in Osteuropa blicken. Der Strukturwandel in der Region eröffnet neue Chancen read more

Lecture by Guntram Wolff: Can the EU be fit for war by 2030? - 16 Oct 2025

Without a collaborative approach towards defence and military procurement, the EU risks losing its standing and credibility vis-à-vis Russia while deepening its dependency on the US read more

Neuer Podcast - Soll Europa jetzt Oligarchen und russische Kriegsflüchtlinge aufnehmen? - 16 Oct 2025

Vasily Astrov bespricht und analysiert mit „Presse“-Journalist Eduard Steiner mittwochs im Zweiwochen-Rhythmus russisches Gas, Sanktionen, Oligarchen – und vieles mehr read more

New study: Europe needs public investment to achieve its geopolitical goals and revive its economy - 13 Oct 2025

Without more public investment, the EU cannot become greener, more competitive or more resilient. Well-targeted public investment brings strong economic returns and can be financed – even through borrowing – without destabilising national budgets read more

Bridging the gap: converge2eu tracks Western Balkans’ road to EU prosperity - 09 Oct 2025

Data highlight the urgent need for action on environment, education, and infrastructure - while digitalisation shows strong progress read more

Russia is shifting its foreign trade massively towards China - 02 Oct 2025

Russia’s foreign trade is undergoing a profound shift, with China replacing the EU as Russia’s main trading partner read more

The EU is gaining influence in Eastern Europe, but losing ground to China in North Africa and Turkey - 25 Sep 2025

New Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index (GEOII) shows: The EU should strategically leverage its economic relations with neighbouring countries in order to remain competitive with China, Russia and the US read more

Recent Publications

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Monthly Report No. 10/2025

wiiw Monthly Reports read more

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Hardening fault lines: CESEE in the age of fragmentation

wiiw Forecast Reports read more

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Easier to afford, more likely to be smoked? Marlboro indices show higher cigarette affordability in the South and East of Europe

wiiw Policy Notes and Reports read more

Upcoming Events

18  November 2025    5:45 pm CET

In cooperation with CEU, FIW, Universität Wien, WIFO, WIIW and WU.

Christoph Boehm (Associate Professor at UT Austin and Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research) presents his research (jointly with Andrei Levchenko, Nitya Pandalai-Nayar, and Hiroshi Toma) in the Vienna International Economics Seminar (VIES) series

Dynamic Models, New Gains from Trade?

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26  November 2025    10:00 am CET

In cooperation with Research Centre International Economics (FIW) and European University Institute (EUI).

Eine neue Studie über die politischen und wirtschaftlichen Beziehungen der Türkei zur EU (Österreich) und Optionen einer Annäherung

Studienpräsentation „Neue Wege für die EU-Türkei-Wirtschaftsbeziehungen – Zollunion im Wandel?“

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27  November 2025    10:00 am CET

Is Europe building energy sovereignty—or just shifting its dependencies? Join leading experts to explore how geopolitical tensions, climate goals, and transatlantic deals are reshaping the EU’s energy future.

European Strategic Autonomy or New Dependence? Russian Gas, Transatlantic Pressures, and the Green Deal

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16  December 2025    5:45 pm CET

In cooperation with CEU, FIW, Universität Wien, WIFO, WIIW and WU.

Arnaud Costinot (Professor of Economics and Associate Head at Massachusetts Institute of Technology at MIT) presents his research (jointly with Rodrigo Adão, John Sturm Becko, and Dave Donaldson) in the Vienna International Economics Seminar (VIES) series

A World Trading System for Whom? Evidence from Global Tariffs

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Projects in Focus

Capacity Building for Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe: Development, organisation, implementation and evaluation of seminars at the Joint Vienna Institute

Client: Oesterreichische Nationalbank/Austrian Ministry of Finance
Duration: January 2025 - December 2025 read more

Demographics of the Austrian foreign trade structure

Client: Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy
Duration: October 2022 - April 2023 read more

Long-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on labour market integration of refugees (FIMAS reCOV)

Client: International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Duration: March 2023 - December 2023 read more

Regional Cooperation in EU-CEE and Lessons for the Western Balkans

Client: Bertelsmann Stiftung
Duration: June 2021 - May 2022 read more

Labour Market Inequalities in Times of Structural Change

Client: Anniversary Fund of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank
Duration: April 2024 - March 2027 read more

Labour market effects of Austrian foreign trade

Client: Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy
Duration: November 2023 - September 2024 read more

Demographic and economic development in Central and East European countries (CEECs)

Client: City of Vienna
Duration: September 2021 - June 2022 read more

Export diversification strategy for Venezuela

Client: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Duration: October 2023 - December 2024 read more


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