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Austrian Economic Policy News and Analysis
Read the latest headlines about policies and laws influencing the business and investment environment of Vienna and Austria


CA Immo to Repurchase Liabilities

Listed real estate company CA Immobilien Anlagen AG announced to repurchase its own liabilities of around € 428m in nominal terms.
January 22, 2014


Croatia Supports Albania in EU Accession Course

Albania hopes that EU Accession Negotiations will take place in June 2014.
January 22, 2014


Austrian Bank Levy: “Penalty Gone Wild”

On the basis of a new method of calculation around € 90m more in bank levy should be generated compared to the previous year.
January 22, 2014


Slovenian Economy to Shrink “Only” 2 Percent

According to the ERBD’s (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) revision, Slovenia’s economy will shrink “only” 2 percent up from a 2.5 contraction of GDP which was forecast in November.
January 22, 2014


“No Real Wage Loss This Year“

In terms of real wages, Austria may face a trend reversal this year. In Southeastern Europe, by contrast, poverty is growing considerably.
January 21, 2014


„Only A Catastrophy Will Bring a Change“

Bestselling author Marc Friedrich criticizes the IMF sharply and thinks that the Basel III framework is “ridiculous”. The U.S. monetary policy is “doomed to failure”.
January 21, 2014


Vienna Congress comsult 2014: "Europe - Setting Directions"

Distinguished participants from industry, politics and the business community such as the former German Minister of Finance and Member of the German Bundestag Peer Steinbrück, the former President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus, Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Thomas Zwiefelhofer, Mastermind of David Cameron, Phillip Blond, Member of the European Parliament Paul Rübig, economist and co-founder of AfD Bernd Lucke and Iain Begg, professorial research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science are currently dicussing this issue in Vienna.
January 21, 2014


Czech Economy to Grow Not Sooner than 2016

The Czech economy will struggle to show economic growth both this and next year, according to the Czech Federation of Trade Unions CMKOS.
January 21, 2014


Austria: Nowotny Calls for Fast Decision on Hypo Group

The Governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) presses the government to act quickly and avoid further straining the budget and burdening the taxpayers.
January 21, 2014


Erste to Maintain Business in Hungary

According to CEO of Erste Group’s Hungarian affiliate, the bank will remain in the country to expand business activity.
January 21, 2014


Serbia: "Kosovo Part of Whole Package"

Serbia hopes to join the union until the year 2020. The solving of the issue with Kosovo remains a key condition. Austrian Foreign Minister Kurz stresses the importance of the region becoming a part of the European Union.
January 21, 2014


Czech Republic: New Government Facing Bumpy Road

The first obstacles for forming a new government seem to have been surmounted – for the time being.
January 21, 2014


Spindelegger Met Almunia: „Bank Aids Were No Issue“

Today, Austrian Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger has met Commissioner for competition Joaquin Almunia.
January 20, 2014


Austria: Fischer Calls Upon Respect of Human Rights

At the New Year Reception for the diplomatic corps in Austria, President Heinz Fischer called upon the strict compliance to human rights.
January 20, 2014


Austria: Real Estate Prices Surging since Financial Crisis

Prices in the Austrian real estate market have been rising dramatically since the financial crisis broke out.
January 20, 2014


Erste Group: Moderate Economic Recovery in Eurozone

Euro area sentiment indicators point to a continuation of the moderate recovery, according to Erste Bank.
January 20, 2014


Poland to Do without Further Bond Issues

Poland will abstain from issuing new US-Dollar or Eurobonds.
January 20, 2014


Kotian: “Growth in CEE is Accelerating“

In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschafts-Blatt”, CEE expert at Erste Group, Juraj Kotian, points out that the bond market is expected to see growth supported by the successful reduction of debts and high economic growth.
January 20, 2014


Uniqa Serbia Continues to Grow

Market share increases to 7.3 per cent in third quarter of 2013. Premium volume for life insurance up 18.5 per cent.
January 20, 2014


Austrian Banks to Resist Further Burdens?

Podium discussion at Viennese law firm Binder Grösswang.
January 20, 2014


Austrian Office Market: Boom is Over

The increase in new construction has reached a new low. According to Bernhard Reikersdorfer (CEO of Remax Austria), the price situation will remain stable.
January 20, 2014


Mitterlehner: „Hypo Group Must Not Burden State Budget“

Austria´s Minister of Economics underlined that the Austrian government is looking for an effective and cost-saving solution for the nationalized Lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria.
January 20, 2014


Austria Far from Reaching Fiscal Targets

Josef Moser, President of the Austrian Audit Court fears that the zero deficit cannot be achieved until 2016.
January 18, 2014


„Hungarian Economy Must be Rearranged“

István Töröcskei thinks that the Hungarian banking sector is highly interesting. In general, the financial sector must help to develop the Hungarian economy, Töröcskei argues.
January 18, 2014


Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Austrian Government Becomes Nervous

Although the participation of the private banking sector is unrealistic, the Austrian government does not give up. However, the time pressure grows week by week.
January 18, 2014


Czech Republic: Euro Introduction Has no Priority

In an interview with Bloomberg, designated prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka said that there will be no date for entering the Eurozone in the current term.
January 17, 2014


Croatia: “Loose Monetary Policy Shows First Signs of Success”

Boris Vujcic, governor of HNB (Croatian National Bank) thinks that the quantitative easing policy works.
January 17, 2014


S&P Optimistic About Slovenia

The U.S. rating agency reiterated the Slovenian sovereign debt rating at A-. The outlook remains “stable”. S&P´s analysts consider Slovenia´s crisis management as adequate.
January 17, 2014


Czech Republic: Sobotka Sworn in as PM

Head of the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD), Bohuslav Sobotka, was sworn in as new Prime Minister by President Milos Zeman on Friday afternoon.
January 17, 2014


Slovenia: Controversies over Ambassador’s Statements

Joseph Mussomeli, US ambassador to Slovenia, needs to justify himself to the Slovenian Foreign Ministry over his statements about the country’s independence.
January 17, 2014


Hungary: Forex Loan Problem to be Solved

According to the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), the problem of the foreign-exchange loans could be solved in the next half year.
January 17, 2014


Audit Court Criticizes Austrian Government Sharply

Josef Moser, president of the Austrian Audit Court, has sharply criticized the government’s resolution.
January 17, 2014


Austrian State Sues Six Banks

The Republic of Austria filed lawsuits against six lending banks of bankrupt construction enterprise Alpine.
January 17, 2014


WSE to Become Regional Leader?

The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) hopes to take over a “dominant” role in trading in Central Europe, as announced by GPW, the bourse’s operator, on Thursday.
January 17, 2014


Slovenia Attracting FDI from US and UK

The Slovenian Ministry of Finance is taking great efforts to attract investors from the US and the UK.
January 17, 2014


Bank Levy: Austrian Regional Banks Under High Pressure

The Austrian government will raise the bank levy significantly. Smaller banks have to perform disproportionately high taxes, Oberbank´s CEO Franz Gasselsberger says.
January 16, 2014


$ 1.0trn Capital Shortfall in European Banking Sector?

According to U.S. economists, the stress tests carried out by the European Central Bank are too soft.
January 16, 2014


BayernLB Bought Hypo Group Alpe Adria above Value

Apparently former member of BayernLB’s supervisory board acquired Hypo Group Alpe Adria above its value.
January 16, 2014


Poland Added in IMF´s Watch List

According to the International Monetary Fund, Poland is one out of four new countries which are systemically important in terms of crisis management.
January 16, 2014


Croatian Economy Suffers from Low Investor Confidence

In the first nine months of 2013, FDI continued to shrink. However, the FDI will improve gradually, analysts say.
January 16, 2014


Austria: What Happened to the Budget Gap?

The question remains even after the government was confirmed and the first tax package presented.
January 16, 2014


Bulgaria: Loan Portfolios Expected to Increase

The increase in industrial production will have a positive effect on the number of loans taken out.
January 16, 2014


Causa Aliyev: Austrian Justice Minister under Pressure

Austrian Justice Minister Brandstetter has registered more former members of the Kazakh secret service than was previously known.
January 16, 2014


Expansion Course of Austrian Banks Slowed Down

After the financial crisis cooled down the expansion course of Austrian banks in CESEE countries was dampened down.
January 16, 2014


Hypo Group: Other Downsizing Unit than Bad Bank?

Rumors about other models than a bad bank have appeared.
January 15, 2014


S&P: Polish Banks to Remain “Strongly Profitable”

In 2014’s outlook on Polish banks rating agency Standard&Poor; announced that Polish banks are expected to benefit from an ongoing economic recovery and remain “strongly profitable”.
January 15, 2014


Citizens from CEE Major Benefit for EU

A current paper published by the OECD shows that the European Union benefits from migration of Eastern European citizens as they compensate imbalances in the labor markets.
January 15, 2014


Austria: On Verge of Losing Business Attractiveness

The new tax package does not only burden car drivers and smokers but also the economy will have to contribute to the budget with several hundreds of millions of Euros annually.
January 15, 2014


Sajdik New Chairman of UN ECOSOC

The Austrian diplomat Martin Sajdik became President of the Economic and Social Council, which is one of the most important bodies of the UN.
January 15, 2014


Hypo Group: No Alternative to Bad Bank

The time pressure on the Austrian government is growing day by day. The nationalized Austrian problem bank urgently needs a bad bank.
January 14, 2014