News & Opinions

New Study: Same job, different skills – why migrants fall behind at work - 13 Mar 2026

Migrants in Europe perform fewer complex tasks than native workers in the same jobs due to cognitive skill gaps rather than discriminatory task allocation. Language training and skill development are key read more

New study: Regime change in Iran could boost EU economy - 02 Mar 2026

GDP gains of up to 0.7% for the EU; Austria would benefit particularly; dampening effects on inflation; Iran could reach the economic level of Turkey or South Korea in the medium term read more

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed Central, East and Southeast Europe - 24 Feb 2026

The war has ended the region’s three-decade growth model and replaced it with one defined by security and capital intensity read more

Reorientation of Ukraine’s economy towards the EU - 24 Feb 2026

EU now Ukraine’s most important trading partner; high dependence on China for drones; critical raw materials, defence and renewables are opportunities for Europe; robust agriculture, greater role for the government read more

New study: fiscal consolidation dampens growth and increases inequality - 18 Feb 2026

Study shows: dampening effects of fiscal consolidation are significantly stronger in a recession than in an upturn; negative impact in Austria limited so far; ensure socially balanced consolidation read more

United Europe 2031: Widen, Deepen, Survive - 17 Feb 2026

Europe must grasp the nettle and use enlargement to force deep integration – before delay turns into decline read more

Winter forecast for Eastern Europe: Solid growth despite uncertainties - 04 Feb 2026

Structural change in Central and Eastern Europe is in full swing, while Trump, budget deficits and a dictated peace in Ukraine pose risks; Ukraine faces a difficult future, whereas Russia’s economy is stagnating read more

A dictated peace would be a disaster for Ukraine and Central Eastern Europe - 15 Jan 2026

Without credible security guarantees, Ukraine is likely to become a vassal state of Moscow and will continue to get poorer. The EU members of the region would face economic decline and protracted conflict with Russia read more

Recent Publications

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Crowding in or crowding out? Public and private investment in the Western Balkans

wiiw Policy Notes and Reports read more

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How firms respond to minimum wage increases: Evidence from North Macedonia

wiiw Working Papers read more

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Struktur und Dynamik von Firmen und Produkten im österreichischen Außenhandel

wiiw Research Reports in German Language read more

Upcoming Events

24  March 2026    2:15 pm CET

In cooperation with Research Centre International Economics (FIW).

Join Harald Fadinger as he reveals how restricting critical inputs can unintentionally fuel foreign innovation and expand downstream industries worldwide.

Trade and Industrial Policy in Supply Chains: Directed Technological Change in Rare Earths

read more

Projects in Focus

Monitoring and Assessing Labor Markets in the Western Balkans

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

Distributional income and employment effects of fiscal policy: Micro-level evidence for Austria (DIEFISCAL)

Client: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Duration: July 2025 - June 2027 read more

Industrial Policy for a New Growth Model: A toolbox for EU-CEE countries

Client: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Duration: July 2022 - December 2022 read more

EU Recovery Watch

Client: Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS)
Duration: April 2022 - July 2023 read more

Study on value-added exposure estimates to assess spillovers and competitiveness

Client: European Commission, DG Economic and Financial Affairs
Duration: August 2024 - November 2025 read more

Towards a new EU anti-poverty strategy

Client: Committee of the Regions
Duration: March 2025 - June 2025 read more

Revision and Update of the Study "Danube Region Monitor – People and Skills" and the Online Database

Client: Federal Minister of Labour and Economy & Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD)
Duration: March 2025 - November 2028 read more

Research Centre International Economics (Forschungsschwerpunkt Internationale Wirtschaft, FIW)

Client: Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
Duration: October 2013 - February 2025 read more

Jobs, mental health and social policy in times of COVID-19

Client: FWF - Austrian Science Fund
Duration: November 2021 - October 2023 read more

Fiscal policies in Europe III.

Client: Austrian Chamber of Labour
Duration: January 2021 - November 2022 read more


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