Even before the war started, Ukrainian demographic prospects were almost uniquely negative, even in the context of CESEE. Ukrainian population declined steadily over last decade and the war has significantly worsened Ukraine's already negative demographic outlook, to the extent that a shortage...

Ukraine is a big country with a developed multimodal transport infrastructure that includes a network of roads, railways, airports and seaports, as well as pipelines. In addition, the country has significant infrastructure for electricity generation and distribution, and for gas transportation....

For a number of years it has become obvious to an increasing number of observers that the economic policy framework of the EU and the euro area is no longer 'fit for purpose'. This effectiveness gap in economic governance has become even more visible during recent multiple crises (ranging from...

Public spending will play the decisive role in the reconstruction of Ukraine, in rendering aid to the population, providing emergency services, reconstructing infrastructure and driving industrial development in the coming years. For economic recovery and sustainable development in the post-war...

Industrial policy has been largely overlooked in the Western Balkans for the past three decades. However, the region's economic struggles and the adoption of smart specialisation strategies have led to renewed interest in the topic. Promising industrial sectors in the Western Balkans include...

The European Green Deal, which aims to steer the EU towards climate neutrality, has traditionally been met with a degree of reluctance by the Visegrád countries. The convergence to green targets represents a particular challenge for these economies, given their fossil fuel-intensive industrial...

Im Kontext der Energiekrise und des Klimawandels ist in den kommenden Jahrzehnten eine erhebliche Ausweitung der öffentlichen Investitionen erforderlich. Für Österreich sind bis zum Jahr 2030 die Erfordernisse für öffentliche Investitionen zur Erreichung der Klima- und Energieziele gemäß...

It remains unclear whether or not Russia will actually invade Ukraine, and if it does so, what form this invasion will take. In this note, we outline two broad scenarios: targeted strikes by Russia in Ukraine accompanied by further non-military destabilisation efforts, or a full invasion, and we...

To benefit from the newly established EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the Visegrád countries - Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland - have submitted their national recovery plans. The Czech and Slovak plans have already been approved by the EU, paving the way for the up-front...

Finding common ground across EU member states in responding to China's increasingly prominent position in the global economy has thus far proven a challenge. As the EU tries to find a 'third way' for dealing with its most important trading partners amid heightened US-China tensions, selected...