First GDP estimates point to a stagnation of the Austrian economy in the third quarter of 2014. Leading economic indicators suggest that the situation will deteriorate slightly further in the coming months. So far there is no evidence of a subsequent pick-up in momentum, but there is also no...

Quarterly national account estimates are subject to revisions over time, to account for newly available data and new methods of computation, as well as a revision of their underlying data source. In economically turbulent periods, such as the financial and economic crisis of 2008-09, revisions...

Growth in the emerging market economies continues to provide only weak incentives for global business activity. While the US economy follows a path of solid growth, the recovery in Europe remains tentative. Demand and output in Austria are heading up, though the upturn is lacking momentum.

Towards the end of 2013, activity rebounded in Austria as well as in Europe overall. However, the momentum promises to remain subdued: many countries are still struggling with the repercussions of the financial market crisis, and the need for consolidation of government households is restraining...

Framework conditions for fiscal policy remain difficult: besides the medium-term outlook of only moderate economic growth, the liquidation of Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank International AG will weigh on the budget. The need for further subsidies to (partly) nationalised banks in distress cannot be ruled...

The tax burden in Austria is comparatively high, and the gap vis-à-vis the EU average has widened. The tax structure exhibits a number of specific features: taxes on labour are high, both from the employee's and the employer's side, following an upward trend and markedly exceeding the...

A key objective of a reform of the Austrian tax system should be the improvement of the tax structure. This includes a shift in the revenue composition away from certain tax bases (exoneration) towards other bases, implying their higher taxation. The latter should serve not only short-term...