News & Opinions
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
Osteuropa ist Österreichs wichtigster Handelspartner und bringt kräftige Wachstumsimpulse - 04 Feb 2026
Zusammengenommen werden die 23 Staaten in Mittel-, Ost- und Südosteuropa 2026 den größten Beitrag zum österreichischen BIP-Wachstum unter allen Handelspartnern leisten. Damit ist die Region wichtiger als Deutschland, die USA oder China read more
New Podcast - CEE Outlook 2026: Making Decisions Amid Uncertainty - 03 Feb 2026
In the latest episode of the CEE Exchange podcast, part of wiiw’s Executive Network, Executive Director Mario Holzner and Deputy Director Richard Grieveson discuss the geopolitical and economic outlook for Central and Eastern Europe in 2026 read more
Paper on international investment linkages published in Journal of Comparative Economics - 30 Jan 2026
New research by Konstantin Wacker sheds light on how foreign direct investment by multinational firms translates into domestic investment. The financial system seems to be the critical link read more
Ukrainian refugees – from emergency to long-term strategy - 23 Jan 2026
Nearly four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe needs to replace temporary arrangements with sustainable, long-term strategies that work for both refugees and host countries read more
Neuer Podcast: Vasily Astrov über die Aussichten der russischen Wirtschaft 2026 - 16 Jan 2026
Unter dem Titel „Bringt Putin im Jahr 2026 Russlands Wirtschaft endgültig um?“ diskutiert unser Russland-Experte Vasily Astrov mit Eduard Steiner von der Tageszeitung „Die Presse“ und dem Energie-Experten Johannes Benigni 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
Europe’s Choice: Power or Paralysis - 15 Jan 2026
Instead of protecting its interests, the EU risks being squeezed between the geoeconomic power of the US and China. The absence of a true political, economic, and financial union holds Europe back read more