Import intensities of production in the New EU Member States in 1995 and 2006 (by Leon Podkaminer; pp. 1-5) Keywords: import intensity, trade, input-output Countries covered: New EU Member States, China, Turkey, Japan, Russia, USA Topics: International Trade, Competitiveness and FDI A note on social indicators for MENA and transition countries (by Mario Holzner; pp. 6 7) Keywords: unemployment, inequality, migration Countries covered: Middle East and North Africa Topics: Labour, Migration and Income Distribution Three crises (by Vladimir Gligorov; pp. 8-10) Keywords: debt crisis...more

The Central, East and Southeast European (CESEE) economies will experience on average a minor rebound of economic growth to 1% in 2010 which will speed up to 2.5% in 2011 and 3.5% in 2012. GDP growth will be higher in the CIS countries and in Turkey, about average in the Central European NMS and lower in the SEE countries and the Baltics. Growth is currently driven mostly by exports which should outweigh the dampening effects of the austerity measures. Whether the countries will actually benefit from the global trade recovery depends on their exchange rate regime and the strength of their industrial sector. Investment and household consumption will recover in the subsequent years. These are the main results of the new medium-term forecast for the region published by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)....more

After a long period of convergence, Central, East and Southeast Europe experienced a deep recession in 2009. The relatively moderate GDP decline (-3.6%) on average for the new EU member states (NMS) reflects Poland's weight in the group, the only EU country to have recorded positive GDP growth last year (Albania and Kazakhstan registered positive growth rates as well - see Table). In most other countries the catching-up process was interrupted, in particular the Baltic States were thrown several years back - more than Russia and Ukraine. The most conspicuous response to the crisis was a radica...more

Twenty years of transition (by S. Richter; pp. 1-8) Vertical integration of trade with China (by R. Stöllinger; pp. 9-13) FDI-related profits in the EU: do host countries lose due to FDI? (by G. Hunya; pp. 14-19) Statistical Annex: Selected monthly data on the economic situation in Southeast Europe, Russia and Ukraine (pp. 21-29) Guide to wiiw statistical services on Central, East and Southeast Europe, Russia and Ukraine (p. 31) ...more

The rapid growth of China in the last thirty years has had a very strong impact on the world economy. Having gone through a rapid process of structural transformation as well as international integration, China has recently improved quantity and quality of its exports. Its market share has increased dramatically, so that in 2009 China overtook Germany to become the first world exporters of goods. A recent ample literature has been discussing the likelihood of this upgrade resulting in a change in Chinese comparative advantage towards more sophisticated productions and therefore whether there are countries/sectors more subject to increased Chinese competition. ...more