CENTROPE is a multilateral project which develops a binding and lasting cooperation framework for the collaboration of regions and municipalities, business enterprises and societal institutions in the Central European Region. Thus it covers the regions Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, South Moravia Region, Bratislava and Trnava Regions, Györ-Moson-Sopron as well as Vas County.
The CENTROPE Business and Labour Report is joint project of WIFO Vienna, wiiw Vienna, Institute for Economic Research of Slovak Academy of Sciences, IREAS – Institute for Structural Policy Prague, West Hungarian Research Institute Györ.
Artikel 1 multi-centre logistics systems for improving competitive statusrahadimeta
This document proposes a methodology for developing multi-centre logistics systems in Hungary to improve the competitiveness of logistics service suppliers. The methodology involves establishing logistics centers through regional cooperation between small and medium enterprises, supported by information technology. The methodology was applied successfully in developing the Trans-Sped Logistics Center in Debrecen, Hungary.
The port of Sines: contribution for the emergence of a regional clusterCláudio Carneiro
The document discusses the port of Sines in Portugal and its potential role in the emergence of a regional cluster. It provides background on the port's past as an industrial complex focused on oil refining. Currently, the port has diversified its cargo and is managed by a public authority with private terminals. The future potential for Sines includes capturing more transatlantic cargo as the Panama Canal expands, allowing it to serve as a strategic port connecting Europe, North and South America. The port aims to develop regional linkages through rail and other infrastructure to spur economic growth and form a maritime cluster across industries like shipbuilding and renewable energy.
This document provides a summary of the CENTROPE Business and Labour Report. Some key points:
1) The report studies the economic development of the CENTROPE region, which includes parts of Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
2) The CENTROPE region has experienced strong economic growth in recent years in terms of income, output, and recently employment as well. However, there are still some institutional and infrastructure barriers to cross-border economic integration.
3) There are differences within the CENTROPE region, with the Austrian parts generally wealthier and the new EU member states' regions growing more rapidly but starting from a lower level of economic development. The
This document is a resume for Alberto Soler Vera, a Spanish economist with over 15 years of experience working for the Spanish government. It summarizes his roles managing budgets over €274M, analyzing macroeconomic trends, and representing Spain in international organizations like the OECD. It also lists his educational background, including a PhD from Complutense University, and publications in economic journals.
The document reports that Barcelona has seen economic recovery in 2010 and maintained its strong international positioning, while continuing efforts to transition towards a knowledge-based economy through major projects like 22@ and the Barcelona Economic Triangle. Barcelona coordinates joint actions between public and private stakeholders to consolidate its brand and competitiveness. It also benefits from cooperation between different levels of government through instruments like the Barcelona Strategic Metropolitan Plan 2020.
The document discusses the potential for deeper economic integration between the EU and Mediterranean partner countries through regulatory harmonization. Specifically:
1) It argues that moving beyond free trade to selectively adopt EU regulatory frameworks could facilitate economic adjustment, regional integration, and services trade liberalization for Mediterranean partners.
2) Reforming sectors like transport, telecom, electricity, and finance could have particularly strong payoffs by addressing market failures and catalyzing domestic reforms.
3) The EU's experience with integration and enlargement shows that regulatory harmonization can boost economic growth when combined with domestic adjustment policies.
This document summarizes a paper that examines how financial markets and innovation contribute to productivity and growth in Europe. It finds that further developing European financial markets could increase their contribution to innovation, productivity, and growth in three key areas:
1) Improving corporate governance, particularly minority shareholder protections against self-dealing by corporate insiders.
2) Enhancing the efficiency of legal systems in resolving financial conflicts to encourage investment.
3) Addressing the structural features of some European bank sectors, such as reducing public ownership that can distort markets.
Econometric analysis suggests that improving these conditions could increase capital market size and the speed at which capital is reallocated to more productive sectors, benefiting
Un detallado estudio sobre los posibles beneficios económicos del Cloud Computing aplicado a la empresa. Tiene casos detallados para países como Francia, España, Italia... Un estudio macroeconómico que podría decirdir a las empresas a adoptar este sistema para algunos de sus servicios.
Artikel 1 multi-centre logistics systems for improving competitive statusrahadimeta
This document proposes a methodology for developing multi-centre logistics systems in Hungary to improve the competitiveness of logistics service suppliers. The methodology involves establishing logistics centers through regional cooperation between small and medium enterprises, supported by information technology. The methodology was applied successfully in developing the Trans-Sped Logistics Center in Debrecen, Hungary.
The port of Sines: contribution for the emergence of a regional clusterCláudio Carneiro
The document discusses the port of Sines in Portugal and its potential role in the emergence of a regional cluster. It provides background on the port's past as an industrial complex focused on oil refining. Currently, the port has diversified its cargo and is managed by a public authority with private terminals. The future potential for Sines includes capturing more transatlantic cargo as the Panama Canal expands, allowing it to serve as a strategic port connecting Europe, North and South America. The port aims to develop regional linkages through rail and other infrastructure to spur economic growth and form a maritime cluster across industries like shipbuilding and renewable energy.
This document provides a summary of the CENTROPE Business and Labour Report. Some key points:
1) The report studies the economic development of the CENTROPE region, which includes parts of Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
2) The CENTROPE region has experienced strong economic growth in recent years in terms of income, output, and recently employment as well. However, there are still some institutional and infrastructure barriers to cross-border economic integration.
3) There are differences within the CENTROPE region, with the Austrian parts generally wealthier and the new EU member states' regions growing more rapidly but starting from a lower level of economic development. The
This document is a resume for Alberto Soler Vera, a Spanish economist with over 15 years of experience working for the Spanish government. It summarizes his roles managing budgets over €274M, analyzing macroeconomic trends, and representing Spain in international organizations like the OECD. It also lists his educational background, including a PhD from Complutense University, and publications in economic journals.
The document reports that Barcelona has seen economic recovery in 2010 and maintained its strong international positioning, while continuing efforts to transition towards a knowledge-based economy through major projects like 22@ and the Barcelona Economic Triangle. Barcelona coordinates joint actions between public and private stakeholders to consolidate its brand and competitiveness. It also benefits from cooperation between different levels of government through instruments like the Barcelona Strategic Metropolitan Plan 2020.
The document discusses the potential for deeper economic integration between the EU and Mediterranean partner countries through regulatory harmonization. Specifically:
1) It argues that moving beyond free trade to selectively adopt EU regulatory frameworks could facilitate economic adjustment, regional integration, and services trade liberalization for Mediterranean partners.
2) Reforming sectors like transport, telecom, electricity, and finance could have particularly strong payoffs by addressing market failures and catalyzing domestic reforms.
3) The EU's experience with integration and enlargement shows that regulatory harmonization can boost economic growth when combined with domestic adjustment policies.
This document summarizes a paper that examines how financial markets and innovation contribute to productivity and growth in Europe. It finds that further developing European financial markets could increase their contribution to innovation, productivity, and growth in three key areas:
1) Improving corporate governance, particularly minority shareholder protections against self-dealing by corporate insiders.
2) Enhancing the efficiency of legal systems in resolving financial conflicts to encourage investment.
3) Addressing the structural features of some European bank sectors, such as reducing public ownership that can distort markets.
Econometric analysis suggests that improving these conditions could increase capital market size and the speed at which capital is reallocated to more productive sectors, benefiting
Un detallado estudio sobre los posibles beneficios económicos del Cloud Computing aplicado a la empresa. Tiene casos detallados para países como Francia, España, Italia... Un estudio macroeconómico que podría decirdir a las empresas a adoptar este sistema para algunos de sus servicios.
Despite significant economic reforms in many Southern Mediterranean EU neighbour countries, their growth performance has on average been subdued. This study analyses the differences in growth performance and macroeconomic stability across Mediterranean countries, to draw lessons for the future. The main findings are that Southern Mediterranean countries should benefit from closer ties with the EU that result in higher levels of trade and FDI inflows, once the turbulence of the ‘Arab Spring’ is resolved, and from the development of financial markets and infrastructure. They will also benefit in keeping inflation under control, which will depend in great part on their ability to maintain fiscal discipline and sustainable current accounts. One of the main challenges for the region will be to implement structural reforms that can help them absorb a large pool of unemployed without creating upward risks to inflation.
Authored by: Leonor Coutinho
Published in 2012
Boosting Business in the Mediterranean: Entrepreneurs' Success StoriesSamir Abdelkrim
Entrepreneurs are leading the way in bringing the northern and southern rims of the Mediterranean closer together, a collection of business success stories shows. The collection was compiled by the European Investment Bank, European Commission and ANIMA Investment Network (1) and will be presented to EU and Mediterranean finance ministers meeting in Brussels tomorrow. It shows that cooperation in the region is already an economic, social and human reality.
In a joint statement, EIB Vice President Philippe de Fontaine Vive, European Commission Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen and European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: “In these times of economic uncertainty, cooperation between Europe and the Mediterranean is more important than ever. With a population of around 750 million, the Euro-Mediterranean market could help both sides face competition from other regions in the world, but trade and investment flows need encouraging. The European Neighbourhood Policy and Union for the Mediterranean aim to deepen and strengthen those ties by providing a political and financial framework for cooperation.”
The initiative for the brochure was taken by Mr Fontaine de Vive at a meeting of Euro-Mediterranean industry ministers last November where it became apparent that successful private sector investments were little known outside the countries in which they had been made. The stories featured were chosen from among hundreds with the aim of reflecting the variety of economic sectors involved and the broadest possible representation of countries involved in the Union for the Mediterranean.
Authors: Marie Corman (European Commission), Joyce Liyan (European Investment Bank), Samir Abdelkrim (writing, titles) & Bénédict de Saint Laurent / ANIMA
Territorial co-operation in the EU focuses on reducing disparities between regions and promoting economic and social cohesion. It includes cross-border cooperation programs along internal and external EU borders, transnational programs covering larger areas, and interregional cooperation building networks across Europe. Macro-regional strategies have also been developed for the Baltic Sea and Danube regions to coordinate actions addressing challenges like environmental issues, economic development gaps, and poor transport connectivity.
This document provides a summary of the key points from a report published by the OECD on competitiveness in South East Europe. The report assesses 15 policy dimensions related to competitiveness in 6 economies in the region - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. It provides indicators to benchmark performances within the region and against the EU. The report was developed through cooperation between SEE governments, regional networks, and the OECD, and acknowledges progress made while calling for more strategic policymaking and stakeholder engagement to further boost competitiveness.
The document provides an overview of EU funding in Central and Eastern Europe from 2007-2015. It summarizes the available budgets, contracted funds, paid funds, and certification ratios for EU Structural and Cohesion Funds (SCF) during the 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 programming periods across multiple Central and Eastern European countries. The report also outlines the main categories and goals of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), and Cohesion Fund (CF) investments.
The European Investment Bank has over 50 years of experience supporting development policies in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific regions. It has invested over EUR 18 billion in more than 1,300 projects. The EIB is committed to supporting private sector development and infrastructure projects in these regions, in line with EU objectives. The EIB focuses on projects that have a strong development impact and reduce poverty, with priority given to least developed countries and those affected by disasters or conflicts.
The potential of EU financial instruments to foster a low carbon strategyJorge Nunez Ferrer
The document discusses how the EU budget could better support a low carbon strategy in an equitable and coherent way. It argues that the current budget does not fit present objectives. It suggests that the budget could reinforce R&D in renewable technologies, help integrate the energy market through funding interconnectors, and finance the development of low carbon zones through cohesion policy. It also discusses using ETS revenues and rural development funds to support these goals. Overall, it calls for reforming financial procedures to better achieve climate objectives.
The document outlines Malaysia's national development strategy as presented in the National Physical Plan. The strategy aims to make Malaysia an attractive place to live, work, invest and visit by 2025. It anticipates 75% of Malaysians living in urban areas, requiring 200,000 hectares of new urban land and 1.92 million new jobs over 10 years.
The strategy focuses development along priority corridors to concentrate resources more efficiently. It establishes main development corridors along the west coast and east coast, linked by infrastructure, and sub-development corridors to improve rural connectivity and spread growth. Seven corridors are identified that will concentrate initiatives in industries like tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture.
This document discusses regional planning and development. It defines regional planning as spatial planning undertaken to achieve national development goals by evaluating sub-national areas' potential and developing them for the national benefit. Regional planning aims to promote economic growth, income/employment, improved organization/administration, social development, settlement patterns, and environmental objectives. It involves delineating regions based on criteria, defining objectives, formulating and implementing plans within national frameworks, and monitoring/reviewing. Theories discussed include growth pole theory and core-periphery concepts, which analyze how development spreads from economic centers to peripheries.
Pocketbook: Competitiveness in South East Europe 2018OECDglobal
The OECD has been working with the South East Europe (SEE) region since 2000 to develop and successfully implement policies for private sector development and investment. This pocketbook brochure summarises the most recent work in the region in the second edition of the Competitiveness in South East Europe: A Policy Outlook 2018. The study assessed six SEE economies in 17 policy dimensions through a highly participatory evaluation process that included in-depth, evidence-based analyses to provide guidance to governments and the private sector, and a toolkit for donors and international development agencies. For more information on the full publication, please click on this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264298576-en
- Poland offers size and healthy growth above 4% annually, making it the second most important CEE market for members after Russia. However, rapid growth is unrealistic as Poland becomes wealthier and more competitive.
- B2C companies reported a slowdown in Q1, B2G will be hit by elections and budget cuts, and B2B faces increasing competition and costs.
- Poland is still solid but less of a star than in the past. Managing expectations is becoming more important as the market matures.
Northern Sparsely Populated Areas - OECD Report OECD Governance
The northern sparsely populated areas (NSPA) of Finland, Norway and Sweden are becoming increasingly important to the geopolitical and
economic interests of these countries and the European Union (EU). The NSPA regions are located on the periphery of Europe and are part of Europe’s gateway to the Arctic and eastern Russia.
A changing climate, access to hydrocarbon and mineral resources, and shifts in relations with Russia are changing the political and economic
landscape. The sustainable development of these regions is crucial to managing such strategic risks and opportunities.
The report sets out 179 policy recommendations at a cross-border, national and regional scale to enhance prosperity and wellbeing across the NSPA. For more inforamtion see www.oecd.org/gov/regional-policy/oecd-territorial-reviews-the-northern-sparsely-populated-areas-9789264268234-en.htm
The document discusses future scenarios for transporting goods in Europe, focusing on the Baltic region. It predicts that traffic infrastructure will need to adapt to growing east-west transport between Central/Eastern Europe and Western Europe. A new intermodal transport system integrating ships, trains, and trucks could help address this by establishing efficient intermodal junctions. One scenario discussed is for the Fehmarn Belt region to become a major traffic junction, combining a possible future bridge with an "east-west blue motorway" for transporting goods.
The document discusses future scenarios for transporting goods in Europe, focusing on the Baltic region. It notes that current transport infrastructure is inadequate for future east-west transport needs and that integrating different transport methods like ship, rail, and truck is key. The document proposes developing intermodal junctions where goods can be efficiently transferred between modes of transport. One possibility discussed is for the Fehmarn Belt region to become a major future transport hub, combining an east-west "blue motorway" shipping route with a possible future bridge.
1) The Director General addressed tourism officials gathered in St. Lucia to commence formulating a common tourism policy for the OECS as required by the revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the OECS Economic Union.
2) The OECS regional economy contracted in 2009-2010 due to declines in construction and tourism, underscoring the importance of these sectors. Tourism arrivals increased in some countries in 2010 but decreased from the UK and Caribbean, troubling given reliance on these markets.
3) A common tourism policy could help build resilience to variable market performance and promote intra-Caribbean and new market travel, such as Latin America. It could also reduce competition between OECS countries and
The document provides an overview and summary of the new 2014-2020 structural funds programme. It discusses key changes including increased thematic concentration, smarter use of funds to promote growth, and more emphasis on accountability and results. The main funding will be allocated to less developed, transition and more developed regions. Ex-ante conditionality will require regions to develop smart specialization strategies to maximize impact. The European Social Fund will promote employment, education and social inclusion. Overall the new programme aims to simplify procedures and increase strategic direction of funds.
This paper analyses the effect of the EU enlargement process on income convergence among regions in the EU and in the Eastern neighbourhood of the EU. The data used is NUTS II regions in the EU and Oblasts' of Russia over the period 1996-2004. The estimation techniques used take into account both regional and spatial heterogeneity. The main findings are that the regional income differences are reduced within EU15. The income convergence within the EU is mainly driven by reductions in the differences across countries rather than by a reduction in regional differences within countries. When differences in initial conditions in the regions are controlled for by fixed regional effects there are strong evidences of convergence among regions in all studied country groups.
Authored by: Fredrik Wilhelmsson
Published in 2009
This paper draws on the experience of emerging Europe and argues that foreign capital is an enviable development opportunity with tail risks. Financial integration and foreign savings supported growth in the EU12 and EU candidate countries. We argue that this was possible because of EU membership (actual or potential) and its role as an anchor for expectations. In contrast, the eastern partnership states did not benefit from the foreign savings-growth link. But financial integration also led to a buildup of vulnerabilities and now exposes emerging Europe to prolonged uncertainty and financial deleveraging due to eurozone developments. Nonetheless, we believe that external imbalances should not be eradicated—nor should emerging Europe pursue a policy of self-insurance. Instead, what we refer to as an acyclical fiscal policy stance could serve to counterbalance private sector behavior. Going forward, a more proactive macroprudential policy will also be needed to limit financial system vulnerabilities when external imbalances are large.
This paper build on work presented in a World Bank report titled “Golden Growth: Restoring the Lustre of the European Economic Model” (2012) and on Juan Zalduendo’s presentation on “Financial integration. Lessons from CEE and SEE” delivered at the CASE 2011 International Conference on “Europe 2020: Exploring the Future of European Integration” held in Falenty near Warsaw, November 18-19, 2011.
Authored by: Aleksandra Iwulska, Naotaka Sugawara, Juan Zalduendo
Published in 2012
How to select your new food processing site in Eastern Europe?Balazs Csorjan dr.
This document provides guidance on selecting a new food processing site in Eastern Europe. It discusses key factors to consider such as available infrastructure like motorways and railways, labor costs, education levels, grants and incentives available, and potential risks. Site selection is a multi-step process involving creating a long list of potential locations, evaluating them based on key criteria, shortlisting top sites, visiting them, and selecting 2-3 options for board approval. Assistance is available from investment promotion agencies and consultants.
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Similar to Centrope Business And Labour Report 2007 Summary
Despite significant economic reforms in many Southern Mediterranean EU neighbour countries, their growth performance has on average been subdued. This study analyses the differences in growth performance and macroeconomic stability across Mediterranean countries, to draw lessons for the future. The main findings are that Southern Mediterranean countries should benefit from closer ties with the EU that result in higher levels of trade and FDI inflows, once the turbulence of the ‘Arab Spring’ is resolved, and from the development of financial markets and infrastructure. They will also benefit in keeping inflation under control, which will depend in great part on their ability to maintain fiscal discipline and sustainable current accounts. One of the main challenges for the region will be to implement structural reforms that can help them absorb a large pool of unemployed without creating upward risks to inflation.
Authored by: Leonor Coutinho
Published in 2012
Boosting Business in the Mediterranean: Entrepreneurs' Success StoriesSamir Abdelkrim
Entrepreneurs are leading the way in bringing the northern and southern rims of the Mediterranean closer together, a collection of business success stories shows. The collection was compiled by the European Investment Bank, European Commission and ANIMA Investment Network (1) and will be presented to EU and Mediterranean finance ministers meeting in Brussels tomorrow. It shows that cooperation in the region is already an economic, social and human reality.
In a joint statement, EIB Vice President Philippe de Fontaine Vive, European Commission Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen and European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: “In these times of economic uncertainty, cooperation between Europe and the Mediterranean is more important than ever. With a population of around 750 million, the Euro-Mediterranean market could help both sides face competition from other regions in the world, but trade and investment flows need encouraging. The European Neighbourhood Policy and Union for the Mediterranean aim to deepen and strengthen those ties by providing a political and financial framework for cooperation.”
The initiative for the brochure was taken by Mr Fontaine de Vive at a meeting of Euro-Mediterranean industry ministers last November where it became apparent that successful private sector investments were little known outside the countries in which they had been made. The stories featured were chosen from among hundreds with the aim of reflecting the variety of economic sectors involved and the broadest possible representation of countries involved in the Union for the Mediterranean.
Authors: Marie Corman (European Commission), Joyce Liyan (European Investment Bank), Samir Abdelkrim (writing, titles) & Bénédict de Saint Laurent / ANIMA
Territorial co-operation in the EU focuses on reducing disparities between regions and promoting economic and social cohesion. It includes cross-border cooperation programs along internal and external EU borders, transnational programs covering larger areas, and interregional cooperation building networks across Europe. Macro-regional strategies have also been developed for the Baltic Sea and Danube regions to coordinate actions addressing challenges like environmental issues, economic development gaps, and poor transport connectivity.
This document provides a summary of the key points from a report published by the OECD on competitiveness in South East Europe. The report assesses 15 policy dimensions related to competitiveness in 6 economies in the region - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. It provides indicators to benchmark performances within the region and against the EU. The report was developed through cooperation between SEE governments, regional networks, and the OECD, and acknowledges progress made while calling for more strategic policymaking and stakeholder engagement to further boost competitiveness.
The document provides an overview of EU funding in Central and Eastern Europe from 2007-2015. It summarizes the available budgets, contracted funds, paid funds, and certification ratios for EU Structural and Cohesion Funds (SCF) during the 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 programming periods across multiple Central and Eastern European countries. The report also outlines the main categories and goals of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), and Cohesion Fund (CF) investments.
The European Investment Bank has over 50 years of experience supporting development policies in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific regions. It has invested over EUR 18 billion in more than 1,300 projects. The EIB is committed to supporting private sector development and infrastructure projects in these regions, in line with EU objectives. The EIB focuses on projects that have a strong development impact and reduce poverty, with priority given to least developed countries and those affected by disasters or conflicts.
The potential of EU financial instruments to foster a low carbon strategyJorge Nunez Ferrer
The document discusses how the EU budget could better support a low carbon strategy in an equitable and coherent way. It argues that the current budget does not fit present objectives. It suggests that the budget could reinforce R&D in renewable technologies, help integrate the energy market through funding interconnectors, and finance the development of low carbon zones through cohesion policy. It also discusses using ETS revenues and rural development funds to support these goals. Overall, it calls for reforming financial procedures to better achieve climate objectives.
The document outlines Malaysia's national development strategy as presented in the National Physical Plan. The strategy aims to make Malaysia an attractive place to live, work, invest and visit by 2025. It anticipates 75% of Malaysians living in urban areas, requiring 200,000 hectares of new urban land and 1.92 million new jobs over 10 years.
The strategy focuses development along priority corridors to concentrate resources more efficiently. It establishes main development corridors along the west coast and east coast, linked by infrastructure, and sub-development corridors to improve rural connectivity and spread growth. Seven corridors are identified that will concentrate initiatives in industries like tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture.
This document discusses regional planning and development. It defines regional planning as spatial planning undertaken to achieve national development goals by evaluating sub-national areas' potential and developing them for the national benefit. Regional planning aims to promote economic growth, income/employment, improved organization/administration, social development, settlement patterns, and environmental objectives. It involves delineating regions based on criteria, defining objectives, formulating and implementing plans within national frameworks, and monitoring/reviewing. Theories discussed include growth pole theory and core-periphery concepts, which analyze how development spreads from economic centers to peripheries.
Pocketbook: Competitiveness in South East Europe 2018OECDglobal
The OECD has been working with the South East Europe (SEE) region since 2000 to develop and successfully implement policies for private sector development and investment. This pocketbook brochure summarises the most recent work in the region in the second edition of the Competitiveness in South East Europe: A Policy Outlook 2018. The study assessed six SEE economies in 17 policy dimensions through a highly participatory evaluation process that included in-depth, evidence-based analyses to provide guidance to governments and the private sector, and a toolkit for donors and international development agencies. For more information on the full publication, please click on this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264298576-en
- Poland offers size and healthy growth above 4% annually, making it the second most important CEE market for members after Russia. However, rapid growth is unrealistic as Poland becomes wealthier and more competitive.
- B2C companies reported a slowdown in Q1, B2G will be hit by elections and budget cuts, and B2B faces increasing competition and costs.
- Poland is still solid but less of a star than in the past. Managing expectations is becoming more important as the market matures.
Northern Sparsely Populated Areas - OECD Report OECD Governance
The northern sparsely populated areas (NSPA) of Finland, Norway and Sweden are becoming increasingly important to the geopolitical and
economic interests of these countries and the European Union (EU). The NSPA regions are located on the periphery of Europe and are part of Europe’s gateway to the Arctic and eastern Russia.
A changing climate, access to hydrocarbon and mineral resources, and shifts in relations with Russia are changing the political and economic
landscape. The sustainable development of these regions is crucial to managing such strategic risks and opportunities.
The report sets out 179 policy recommendations at a cross-border, national and regional scale to enhance prosperity and wellbeing across the NSPA. For more inforamtion see www.oecd.org/gov/regional-policy/oecd-territorial-reviews-the-northern-sparsely-populated-areas-9789264268234-en.htm
The document discusses future scenarios for transporting goods in Europe, focusing on the Baltic region. It predicts that traffic infrastructure will need to adapt to growing east-west transport between Central/Eastern Europe and Western Europe. A new intermodal transport system integrating ships, trains, and trucks could help address this by establishing efficient intermodal junctions. One scenario discussed is for the Fehmarn Belt region to become a major traffic junction, combining a possible future bridge with an "east-west blue motorway" for transporting goods.
The document discusses future scenarios for transporting goods in Europe, focusing on the Baltic region. It notes that current transport infrastructure is inadequate for future east-west transport needs and that integrating different transport methods like ship, rail, and truck is key. The document proposes developing intermodal junctions where goods can be efficiently transferred between modes of transport. One possibility discussed is for the Fehmarn Belt region to become a major future transport hub, combining an east-west "blue motorway" shipping route with a possible future bridge.
1) The Director General addressed tourism officials gathered in St. Lucia to commence formulating a common tourism policy for the OECS as required by the revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the OECS Economic Union.
2) The OECS regional economy contracted in 2009-2010 due to declines in construction and tourism, underscoring the importance of these sectors. Tourism arrivals increased in some countries in 2010 but decreased from the UK and Caribbean, troubling given reliance on these markets.
3) A common tourism policy could help build resilience to variable market performance and promote intra-Caribbean and new market travel, such as Latin America. It could also reduce competition between OECS countries and
The document provides an overview and summary of the new 2014-2020 structural funds programme. It discusses key changes including increased thematic concentration, smarter use of funds to promote growth, and more emphasis on accountability and results. The main funding will be allocated to less developed, transition and more developed regions. Ex-ante conditionality will require regions to develop smart specialization strategies to maximize impact. The European Social Fund will promote employment, education and social inclusion. Overall the new programme aims to simplify procedures and increase strategic direction of funds.
This paper analyses the effect of the EU enlargement process on income convergence among regions in the EU and in the Eastern neighbourhood of the EU. The data used is NUTS II regions in the EU and Oblasts' of Russia over the period 1996-2004. The estimation techniques used take into account both regional and spatial heterogeneity. The main findings are that the regional income differences are reduced within EU15. The income convergence within the EU is mainly driven by reductions in the differences across countries rather than by a reduction in regional differences within countries. When differences in initial conditions in the regions are controlled for by fixed regional effects there are strong evidences of convergence among regions in all studied country groups.
Authored by: Fredrik Wilhelmsson
Published in 2009
This paper draws on the experience of emerging Europe and argues that foreign capital is an enviable development opportunity with tail risks. Financial integration and foreign savings supported growth in the EU12 and EU candidate countries. We argue that this was possible because of EU membership (actual or potential) and its role as an anchor for expectations. In contrast, the eastern partnership states did not benefit from the foreign savings-growth link. But financial integration also led to a buildup of vulnerabilities and now exposes emerging Europe to prolonged uncertainty and financial deleveraging due to eurozone developments. Nonetheless, we believe that external imbalances should not be eradicated—nor should emerging Europe pursue a policy of self-insurance. Instead, what we refer to as an acyclical fiscal policy stance could serve to counterbalance private sector behavior. Going forward, a more proactive macroprudential policy will also be needed to limit financial system vulnerabilities when external imbalances are large.
This paper build on work presented in a World Bank report titled “Golden Growth: Restoring the Lustre of the European Economic Model” (2012) and on Juan Zalduendo’s presentation on “Financial integration. Lessons from CEE and SEE” delivered at the CASE 2011 International Conference on “Europe 2020: Exploring the Future of European Integration” held in Falenty near Warsaw, November 18-19, 2011.
Authored by: Aleksandra Iwulska, Naotaka Sugawara, Juan Zalduendo
Published in 2012
How to select your new food processing site in Eastern Europe?Balazs Csorjan dr.
This document provides guidance on selecting a new food processing site in Eastern Europe. It discusses key factors to consider such as available infrastructure like motorways and railways, labor costs, education levels, grants and incentives available, and potential risks. Site selection is a multi-step process involving creating a long list of potential locations, evaluating them based on key criteria, shortlisting top sites, visiting them, and selecting 2-3 options for board approval. Assistance is available from investment promotion agencies and consultants.
Similar to Centrope Business And Labour Report 2007 Summary (20)
5. A dynamic but inhomogeneous
growth region
The Economic Situation
of the centrope Region
centrope is characterised by strong centres located the Bratislava region – currently qualify for EU funding under
at the border of two territories with major economic
“Objective 1” to support the catch-up process of structurally
differences
weak regions; their GDP per capita is much lower than the
EU-25 average. In the richest region of centrope (Vienna),
GDPper capita at purchasing power parity was 172.3% of the
Despite the many common features highlighted above, centrope EU-25 average, while it only reached 55.8% of the average in the
is by no means a homogenous region today. This comes as no poorest region (Trnava).
surprise. Covering a territory of more than 44,000 square kilo-
GDP PER CAPITA 2004
metres and a population of almost 6.5
million inhabitants, the region is simi- Purchasing power parities
lar in size to many medium-sized or Source: Eurostat.
smaller countries of the EU. Thus, sub-
stantial internal disparities exist.
These disparities can be structured
along two dimensions. First, there are
significant differences between the
regions of centrope located in different
countries and second there are sub-
stantial differences between the cities,
their environs and more rural areas.
Although in many respects the eco-
nomic development of the region is
closely linked to the economies of the
"twin capitals" of Vienna and Bratislava and the large agglomer- The centrope regions in the new member states
ations of Brno and Győr, centrope is not a typical central
region in the European context. Its settlement structure, on have embarked on a stable catch-up process with
the old member states
average, is not dominated by large cities. Rather – as in most
parts of Central Europe – medium-sized towns prevail. At the
same time, centrope is not a peripheral region either. Only
some parts of centrope (such as Southern Burgenland, the
Waldviertel in Lower Austria and parts of South Moravia and However, not all the differences in centrope follow purely
Vas County) may be considered rural peripheries. Thus, cen- national lines. For instance, the capital city of Bratislava boasts
trope can be best described as a region characterised by strong a per capita GDP that is comparable to the Austrian regions
centres located at the intersection of two territories of the EU and lies above the EU average; together with its “twin city”
Vienna, Bratislava is one of the economic strongholds of
centrope. Burgenland, on the other hand, has been an “Objec-
with major economic differences.
tive 1” region until recently; its GDP per capita is not only
below the EU average but also below the centrope average.
Due to the legacies of the communist regimes, the main divid-
ing line within the region was and still is the border between
the new member states and Austria: While in the Austrian
parts, per capita GDP approaches or exceeds the EU average, While regions located in the new member states may be
all the centrope regions of the new member states – except for considered to be generally “poorer” than the Austrian regions,
3
6. GDP GROWTH 1995/2004
Average annual change in %
Source: Eurostat, WIFI calculations.
their dynamism is also significantly higher. Since 1995, GDP percentages of the workforce having only primary education
growth rates in the Czach, Hungarian and Slovak regions of can only be found in Western Transdanubia. Infrastructure
centrope ranged between 7% and 12% and clearly outper- endowments, accessibility and innovation indicators tend to
formed the Austrian regions (with growth rates of 3% to 4%). follow these patterns. In particular, indicators of research
The rapid catch-up process of the Central and Eastern Euro- & development activity (such as R&D expenditure, patents per
pean countries, thus, makes the whole centrope region more 1000 inhabitants) and infrastructure quality are clearly above
dynamic than the European average. the EU average for the large agglomerations (in particular
Vienna and Bratislava), but not for the more peripheral region.
Sectoral structure differs substantially between the Finally, the employment structure differs between the Austrian
eastern and western parts of centrope, but structural regions and the Czech, Hungarian and Slovak regions. In the
centrope regions of the new member states, a significantly
change is particularly dynamic in the eastern part higher share of the employees (29.5% vs. 16.4% in the Austrian
regions) works in manufacturing and a smaller share in the
Similarly, the structure of the labour force and infrastructure service sector (in particular, employment in public services is
endowments differ significantly across regions. Aside from around 5 percentage points lower in the regions of the new
national differences, disparities in education systems are also member states than in the Austrian part of centrope.)
closely associated with urbanisation: In general, centrope is
characterised by a highly qualified workforce that has its As with aggregate GDP, however, the regions of the new mem-
strongholds in the secondary and upper secondary education ber states are also more dynamic in terms of structural change.
levels. In particular in the Czech and Slovak regions, around For instance, indicators of structural change at a high level of
80% of the employed persons have completed secondary edu- sectoral aggregation suggest that the Czech, Hungarian and
cation. The share of population with tertiary education is, how- Slovak regions of centrope are also converging in structure to
ever, below the European average in all the regions except the the Austrian regions and have experienced a structural change
capital cities of Vienna and Bratislava where around a quarter that was almost twice as strong as in the Austrian regions.
of the workforce has completed tertiary education. High
4
7. CENTROPE PARTNERS IN FOCUS: ded GDP growth rates that were slightly sulted in a clear West-East differential in
> AUSTRIA < above average over the last decade and, regional growth so that the Austrian cen-
in recent years, strongly profited from trope regions exhibited below-average
The Austrian part of centrope is com- export-led growth. The unemployment growth. Among the Austrian provinces,
posed of the capital city of Vienna, rate of this region is in the middle ranges Burgenland and Vienna – which have
Lower Austria and Burgenland. of the Austrian provinces. low manufacturing shares in gross value
added – had the lowest GDP growth.
Vienna is a typical urban region with a Burgenland is the poorest of the Austrian Only Lower Austria profited from its
strong service sector (around 85% of provinces. In particular, the south is cha- strong manufacturing base and had an
GDP), and a high GDP per capita racterised by rural-peripheral regions. In above-average growth rate.
(179.9% of the EU average at purcha- the last decade, however, the combined
sing power parity, 5th rank among EU effects of EU funds and improved acces- Employment growth followed these
NUTS II regions). Among the Austrian sibility due to the fall of the iron curtain general lines: as with GDP growth,
regions, Vienna is unique due to its high resulted in the highest GDP and second the western non-centrope provinces of
productivity growth. This and substantial highest employment growth rates in Austria and the provinces with a strong
structural changes have led to low Austria. Nevertheless, the high unem- industrial base, expanded employment
employment growth and high unemploy- ployment rate which is driven by high more rapidly than the Austrian centrope
ment in the last decade. As a result, seasonality and dynamic labour supply regions. High employment growth also
Vienna is the Austrian province with the remains one of the unresolved problems led to a relatively strong reduction in
highest unemployment rate. in the region. unemployment rates in 2006. On
account of divergent increases in labour
Lower Austria is the biggest Austrian In 2006, the regional growth pattern in supply, reduction in unemployment was,
province and, because of its size, it is Austria was mainly determined by regio- however, regionally much more evenly
also relatively heterogeneous. In gene- nal specialisation. The export-oriented distributed and ranged between 0.5 p.p.
ral, the province is marked by the third manufacturing sector dominated regio- and 0.4 p.p. in the Austrian centrope
highest share of manufacturing in GDP nal developments and its dynamism also regions.
in Austria (27.9%). Lower Austria recor- spilled over to other sectors. This re-
CENTROPE PARTNERS IN FOCUS: amount of foreign direct investment quarter of all employed persons in South
> CZECH REPUBLIC < South Moravia received over the last Moravia, followed by business services,
The Czech part of centrope, South decade. wholesale trade and repair as well as the
Moravia, is economically dominated by construction industry.
the Brno agglomeration. Being the second In South Moravia, which belonged to the
largest city, it is one of the main centres fastest growing regions of the Czech From 2005 to 2006, employment in-
of economic activity in the Czech Repub- Republic throughout transition as well as creased especially in most manufactur-
lic. Due to Brno’s relatively high eco- in recent years, the intensity of changes ing sectors. The highest employment
nomic potential as well as due to its in employment structure was less pro- growth rates occurred in the production
function as a centre for higher education nounced than in the rest of the Czech of transport facilities, of computers and
and for research and development, it has Republic. Thanks to higher employment business machines and of television
a significant influence on the general growth in the tertiary sector, the employ- sets. Other industries recording signifi-
sectoral pattern of activity in South ment decline was essentially lower than cant employment growth are business
Moravia. Thus, despite its strong indus- elsewhere. At the same time, the struc- services and construction. By contrast,
trial base, South Moravia has – in Czech ture of employment has continually the number of employees in agriculture
terms – a relatively high share of ser- advanced towards the pattern in West- and forestry decreased in 2006. Still,
vices (and a relatively low share of agri- ern European countries. The most overall employment growth was positive
culture) in output and employment. important sector in terms of its share in in South Moravia. Accordingly, the
Additionally, Brno is also one of the main total employment is the manufacturing unemployment rate decreased from 10.2
factors contributing to the relatively high industry, which accounts for more than a to 8.8 percent.
5
8. Low unemployment and a need
for highly skilled labour
The Labour Market Situation
in the centrope Region
Substantial common problems and some specific Yet, some labour market problems persist. These may be
national aspects in centrope’s labour market
summarised as follows:
Considering the labour market in a European context, centrope • Due to a history of early retirements and the downsizing of
is a region with relatively low unemployment rates and a labour the labour force in the course of industrial restructuring,
market participation that is equal to or slightly higher than the employment rates of the population aged 55 and above are
EU average. Labour market disparities within the region seem low relative to the EU level in four regions of centrope. In
to be less influenced by national borders than other indicators Bratislava and South Moravia, the rate is above the European
of economic development. Only one region in centrope average of 42.5% and, in the Hungarian centrope regions, it
(Trnava) was characterised by two-digit unemployment rates remains only slightly below this value. In all the Austrian
according to EU Regio data in 2005. Vienna and South Moravia regions where early retirement was particularly popular until
had unemployment rates of 9.1% and 8.1%, those of all other the recent changes in the pension system, employment rates
regions were around 5% to 6% – as compared to 9% in the of the elderly are around 30%; they are even lower in Trnava
European average. (28.8% – for the corresponding NUTS II region of West
Slovakia).
Furthermore, employment rates exceeded the European aver-
age of 63.7% in all but the Hungarian centrope regions and • Aside from low employment rates of the elderly, youth
Trnava. The highest values were observed in Lower Austria unemployment rates are above the EU average in Vienna,
(69.9%), Bratislava (69.6%) and Burgenland (68.1%). Vienna and South Moravia and Trnava, but below this average for the
South Moravia were very close to the European average. centrope region as a whole. Youth unemployment has
recently also been on the decline in most Austrian provinces.
Thus, the majority of centrope regions are – relative to the EU
average – privileged in terms of the labour market situation. • Given the low overall unemployment rates, longterm unem-
ployment reaches a relatively high level in some of the Czech,
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 2005 Hungarian and Slovak regions of centrope,
Source: Eurostat. but it is low in the Austrian part of centrope.
In 2005, Bratislava and the Hungarian
centrope regions were below the European
average, while South Moravia and the Slovak
centrope region around Trnava stayed above.
This indicates a severe mismatch between
the qualifications of the unemployed and
the requirements of prospective employers,
as would be expected in economies experi-
encing structural changes at the speed
observed in the centrope region.
• Finally, a lack of skilled labour is reported
very frequently across the region. This
applies both to the automotive industry
(especially in the Czech Republic and
Slovakia) and to many segments of the
high-skill service sector, such as health-care
6
9. professionals, architects, civil engineers and IT experts. These as a smaller proportion of people with the highest levels of
develop ments may be partly attributed to the large inflow education.
of FDI, which spurs the demand for skilled labour.
Despite having a small number of people with the lowest levels
In summary, based on aggregate indicators, the labour market of education in their labour force, the position of this group
situation of the centrope region can be described as relatively in the labour market of the new member states’ regions of
favourable when compared to the EU average. Furthermore – centrope is much worse compared to the same group of
and perhaps more surprisingly –, labour market patterns in the workers in the EU-15 labour markets (a gap of 20 to over 30 p.p.
centrope regions are more similar and less strongly influenced in employment and unemployment rates). This is due to the
by cross-country differences than often perceived. When combination of heavy industrial restructuring in the last
clustering all the regions of EU member states according to decade, which has led to a massive shift of labour demand to
the above-mentioned labour market indicators, all centrope occupations requiring higher qualifications, and a narrowly
regions belong to what may be considered a typical Central defined professional education system, which contributes to
European labour market group encompassing – aside from low flexibility of labour markets.
centrope – southern Germany, northern Italy and the remain-
ing provinces of Austria. On the other hand, the employment rates of the medium and
highly educated do not differ much between the new member
A high share of centrope’s workforce has
states and the EU-15. At the high-skill end of the labour mar-
a medium education level
ket, an interesting phenomenon can be seen. In this segment
of the labour market, there are clear signs that the situation is
much tighter in centrope than in the EU-15: in view of high
An analysis of labour market developments with respect to dif- and rising employment and very low unemployment rates, the
ferent skill types, however, shows that centrope has a supply demand for highly skilled labour currently exceeds the supply.
structure that differs from the one of the most developed The situation is even tighter where the 25- to 35-year age group
EU countries (EU-15): centrope has a significantly smaller is concerned.
proportion of people with low levels of education as well
SKILL STRUCTURE OF THE WORKFORCE IN centrope 2005
Source: Eurostat.
7
10. Recent developments document the
good growth prospects of the region
Current Economic
Development and
Outlook
During the last few years, the new EU member states among The labour market has improved in most centrope
the centrope countries experienced strong economic growth
countries
in terms of income, industrial output and exports and recently
also employment. This also applies to the year 2006. Slovakia Labour market conditions also improved in most centrope
recorded its most rapid economic expansion since transition countries in 2006. Following the EU-wide trend, unemploy-
began (+8.3%), while the Czech Republic maintained robust ment dropped significantly in Slovakia (from 16.3% to 13.4%)
growth. Only Hungary was an outlier, as GDP growth was less and moderately in the Czech Republic (from 7.9% to 7.1%).
than 4% as a consequence of the austerity package introduced Austria’s unemployment rate, though already quite low (5.2%),
in mid-2006. Austria, though growing at a slower pace than fell to 4.7%. Only Hungary recorded a slight increase in the
these countries, still recorded a GDP growth rate of more than
3% – for the first time since six years. In total, the centrope
unemployment rate – from 7.2% in 2005 to 7.5% in 2006.
countries grew faster than the countries of the “old” EU (i.e. This development is largely attributable to rising employment
EU-15) in 2006 in terms of real GDP, thus prolonging a period based on strong GDP growth. Despite these general improve-
of above-average growth that started in 2004 for Austria and ments, some structural aspects of unemployment remained
already 2001 for the other three countries. unchanged or even deteriorated. Regional disparities in the
new member states are still widening and interregional mobility
High growth in the centrope countries in 2006 was closely is low. Thus, in several countries, labour shortages in some
linked to a dramatic increase in industrial production. A con- regions or sectors co-exist with high unemployment in other
siderable acceleration of industrial growth occurred in Slovakia regions. In the new member states, labour shortages occurred
(+6.6 p.p. from 3.3% to 9.9%), where the foreign owned manu- much earlier than might have been expected after years of
facturing cluster shifted into top gear in terms of exports. almost jobless growth and high unemployment. High unem-
In the Czech Republic and Hungary, industrial output grew ployment had persisted for a long period of time, resulting in a
approximately at the same rate as in Slovakia. The acceleration large proportion of long-term unemployed who are nearly
of industrial output growth was also impressive in Austria unemployable as their skills have eroded, they lack any motiva-
(+4.4 p.p. – around twice as high as in the euro area or the tion to work and their level of education is low.
EU-27 on aggregate).
GROSS VALUE ADDED GROWTH IN INDUSTRY 1995-2004 BY centrope REGIONS
Source: Eurostat.
8
11. The increasing demand for labour also puts pressure on wages. policy is taken into account. From 2007 onwards, the countries
Available data point to an increase in the wage bill in industry in Central and Eastern Europe will receive on a net basis around
in Slovakia and the Czech Republic where only recently workers +2.5 to +4% of their GDP. The importance of these funds is
went on strike for higher pay at the Skoda car plant. illustrated by the fact that under the European Recovery
Programs (Marshall Plan), Western Europe received financial
Favourable macroeconomic forecasts for most
assistance from the USA from 1948 to 1952 that on average
centrope countries
reached 2.1% of the GDP of the respective countries per year.
The optimistic outlook for the centrope countries is good
news for the individual centrope regions within these coun-
Though GDP growth rates will be somewhat lower in 2008,
especially for Hungary, the centrope countries will grow at a
tries. Given the high correlation between country growth and
the economic development of its regions, the regions can be
respectable pace – compared to the EU-27. Exports from the
centrope countries are expected to rise further, given the
expected to enjoy economic prosperity just as much as the
countries as a whole. This is especially true for the centrope
regions. With a few exceptions, the centrope regions belong to
favourable international environment, the growing import
demand of the region’s main trading partners as well as the the most prosperous and most dynamic regions within their
continuing competitiveness of the three new member states
within centrope. Limitations for economic growth in the
countries. Hence, given the past development of these regions
as well as their economic structure, it is likely that the centrope
centrope countries potentially come from the increasingly
regions will not only benefit from the good macroeconomic
tight labour markets where the lack of highly skilled labour
development in their countries, but will also be major contrib-
utors to economic growth in the centrope countries.
might dampen the future development of high value added
activities.
Still, the outlook for centrope is optimistic and even more so
when the substantial funding from the European cohesion
GDP GROWTH AND FORECASTS OF centrope COUNTRIES
Source: WIIW.
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Forecast Forecast
Austria 0.9 1.2 2.3 2.0 3.3 3.4 2.4
Czech Republic 1.9 3.6 4.6 6.5 6.4 5.0 5.2
Hungary 4.4 4.2 4.8 4.1 3.9 2.7 3.1
Slovak Republic 4.1 4.2 5.4 6.0 8.3 8.5 8.0
centrope 2.8 3.3 4.3 4.6 5.2 4.3 4.3
EU-25 1.2 1.3 2.4 1.8 3.0 2.8 2.6
EU-15 1.1 1.2 2.3 1.6 2.8 2.7 2.5
9
12. CENTROPE PARTNERS IN FOCUS: > HUNGARY < Győr-Moson-Sopron has attracted more international capital
and the firms coming into the region fulfil on average more
The Hungarian part of centrope comprises the counties of "headquarter functions" than international firms in Vas. In addi-
Győr-Moson-Sopron and Vas both located in the NUTS II tion to production-oriented activities, research and develop-
region of Western Transdanubia. This region belonged to the ment is increasingly carried out at this Hungarian location as
ten fastest growing NUTS II regions in the EU in the last well. Consequently, the firms' competitiveness relies less on
decade (only the Baltic countries, Ireland and two other Hun- low labour cost which reduces their vulnerability to increases
garian regions – Central Hungary and Central Transdanubia – in Hungarian wages and salaries. Moreover, while companies
had higher growth rates). The unemployment rate in the region in Vas seem to have little business links with local firms, region-
was at 5.9% according to the Labour Force Survey in 2005 and al supplier networks and clusters are formed in Győr-Moson-
thus the second lowest in Hungary. Sopron. The higher level of regional embeddedness of
international firms in that region provides an important impulse
The Hungarian centrope regions greatly benefited from eco- to the regional economy.
nomic transition by attracting international investors; however,
the internationalisation process and the economic develop- Despite its privileged role in previous years, a combination of
ment it induced differs significantly within the region: Income factors (such as the effects of budgetary saving and relocation
levels are highest in the northernmost region of Győr-Moson- of some companies) resulted in a decline of total real gross
Sopron and decrease as one moves southward, with Vas still value added (GVA) by -1.3% in the Hungarian centrope re-
growing significantly above the national average and the gions in 2005, with Vas experiencing a reduction of real GVA
region of Zala (which does not belong to centrope) lagging of -2.8% and Győr-Moson-Sopron performing much better but
behind. also below the national average with -0.4%. Labour market
development of the Hungarian centrope regions was, how-
This uneven intraregional development is due to differences in ever, still better than in the Hungarian average in 2006.
industrialisation (Vas is much more burdened with a high share Employment grew by +0.5% (+0.1% nation-wide) and the
of labour-intensive industrial employment than Győr-Moson- unemployment rate increased by only +0.1 percentage points
Sopron) but also to different responses to internationalisation. (+0.2 percentage points nation-wide).
CENTROPE PARTNERS IN FOCUS: > SLOVAKIA < of the Trnava region is also below the Slovak average. Within
the region, a pattern can be observed that is similar to the one
Both the Bratislava and Trnava regions, which form the Slovak
for the economic activity rate.
part of centrope, are the economically most prosperous re-
gions in Slovakia. Yet, they are not directly comparable. The
Bratislava region has enormous locational advantages and As far as changes in the economic development are con-
excellent starting conditions as a capital city. Together with cerned, both Slovak centrope regions are the leading regions
domestic investments, the inflow of foreign direct investments in Slovakia. Looking at the development from 2001 to 2005,
is one of the relevant driving forces in its robust economic labour productivity rose by 42% in the Slovak Republic. In the
development. Trnava, by contrast, draws its economic advan- Slovak centrope regions, the increase was around 55%
tages from its proximity to Bratislava and to the Czech Republic (Bratislava) and 54% (Trnava).
with their developed transport infrastructures.
High economic growth also led to increasing employment rates
The leading role of both regions, but also the differences in the Slovak centrope regions. Overall, Slovak employment
across the two regions are reflected in the labour market situa- grew by 2.8% between 2001 and 2005. The Slovak centrope
tion. In the Bratislava region, the economic activity rate is the regions performed much better than the Slovak average in this
highest in the Slovak Republic. The economic activity rate of respect: Bratislava recorded an employment rise by 7% and
the Trnava region is above the Slovak average, but still lags Trnava an increase of 5.7%. In the Bratislava region, most jobs
behind the rate of Bratislava. This is mainly due to the south- were created in real estate activities, public administration and
ern part of Trnava with large shares of agriculture and the financial intermediation. The largest decline in employment
north-west districts characterised by a mountainous relief and was in education as well as agriculture, hunting and forestry. In
an underdeveloped local infrastructure. The lagging districts Trnava, high employment growth was recorded in manufactur-
also record a significant share of long-term unemployment. ing, construction, public administration, hotels and restaurants,
The unemployment rate of the Bratislava region is the lowest in and real estate activities. The sharpest decline was observed
the Slovak Republic. It is close to the “natural unemployment in agriculture, wholesale and retail sale and in education.
rate” (tantamount to full employment). The unemployment rate
10
15. Scientific Partners:
The centrope Business and Labour Report 2007
was elaborated by a consortium of scientific institutes
from all four centrope partner countries:
• Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO):
http://www.wifo.ac.at/
Oliver Fritz, Peter Huber, Gerhard Palme
• Institute for Structural Policy (IREAS):
http://www.ireas.cz/
Martin Pelucha, Viktor Keton
centrope Partners
• Institute of Economic Research at the Slovak Academy
of Sciences:
http://www.ekonom.sav.sk/
Karol Frank
• Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW):
http://www.wiiw.ac.at/
Roman Römisch
PARTNER REGIONS • West Hungarian Research Institute (WHRI):
• Bratislava http://www.rkk.hu/nyuti/
• Burgenland Mihaly Lados
̋
• Gyor-Moson-Sopron
• Lower Austria Contact:
• South Moravia centrope Project Secretariat
• Trnava c/o Europaforum Wien – Centre for Urban Dialogue
• Vas and European Policy
• Vienna Rahlgasse 3/2, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Tel. +43-1-5858510-0
PARTNER CITIES Fax. +43-1-5858510-30
• Bratislava office@centrope.info
• Brno www.centrope.info
• Eisenstadt
• Gyor̋ Imprint:
• Sopron Published by:
• St. Pölten the Austrian Provinces of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland
• Szombathely (promoters of the centrope 2006 plus project)
• Trnava Responsibility for the contents:
• Vienna Austrian Institute of Economic Reasearch (WIFO),
Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW)
Edited by:
Johannes Lutter (Europaforum Wien)
Translation & proof-reading:
Regina Thaller – Euro Text Services, Vienna
Layout and illustrations:
clara monti graphic, Vienna
Printed by:
Simply More Printing, Vienna
www.centrope.info Supported under INTERREG III A by the European Union.