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

Monitoring and Assessing Labor Markets in the Western Balkans

Client: The World Bank
Duration: June 2022 - June 2025 read more

Production and analysis of the Skills Forecast

Client: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP)
Duration: July 2020 - July 2024 read more

Datenquellen für die Analyse von Berufen, Kompetenzen und Skills/Tasks

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

Russia Monitor

Client: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
Duration: January 2023 - June 2024 read more

Interreg Transnational Programmes: needs and opportunities for the future cooperation (TNCOOP)

Client: European Observation Network, Territorial Development and Cohesion (ESPON)
Duration: April 2025 - April 2026 read more

A new growth model in EU-CEE

Client: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Duration: August 2020 - May 2021 read more

Geo-economic Interconnectivity Index (GEOII)

Client: Bertelsmann Stiftung
Duration: July 2024 - April 2025 read more

Global Strategy for Skills, Migration, and Development (GS4S)

Client: European Commission, Horizon Europe
Duration: January 2024 - December 2026 read more


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