Austrian Economic Policy News and Analysis

Read the latest headlines about policies and laws influencing the business and investment environment of Vienna and Austria

CNB Expects Croatian GDP to Contract Remarkably

The Croatian National Bank forecasts a GDP decline of 1.0% in 2013.

July 17, 2013

Spanish and Polish Prime Minister Support EU-US Free Trade Agreement

On the occasion of a state visit in Madrid, Poland´s Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that the free trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU would be a driver for economic growth. The EU must strengthen its energy strategy, Tusk said.

July 16, 2013

Poland: Economic Upswing not before 2014

Poland´s National Bank NBP expects that the country´s economic performance will not improve visibly this year.

July 16, 2013

„Austrian Banking Sector Still Weakly Capitalized“

Austrian National Bank (OeNB) criticizes that the domestic banking sector did not improve the equity base sufficiently.

July 16, 2013

IMF to Leave Hungary

Hungary´s National Bank MNB has called the IMF to close its representative office. Hungary wants to repay the loan facility provided by the IMF soon.

July 16, 2013

Austrian Population Increasing Only Because of Migration

Austria's Population rose in 2012 by about 43 700 people. Without migration, Austria would shrink. About 140,000 people are moving to Austria and 100,000 people are leaving the country year by year.

July 16, 2013

ExxonMobil Signs Agreement with Ukrainian Government

ExxonMobil regards 45bn cubic meters of gas production realistic.

July 15, 2013

Poland: State Companies to Submit to Further Control

Poland to enhance supervision over state companies in the energy sector.

July 15, 2013

OMV Takes Up Production in Libya Again

OMV update on production in Libya.

July 15, 2013

RBI Plans on Reconstructing Branch Banks

The new concept of Karl Sevelda, successor of former CEO Herbert Stepic, is becoming clearer. He has inherited the task to reconstruct the capital of Basel-III.

July 15, 2013

Fekter: Horror Figures with Hypo’s Restructuring Plan.

The restructuring plan for Hypo Alpe Adria involves several scenarios, which Finance Minister Fekter does not want to mention. The “horror figures” tax payers are burded with are set up “in an apocalyptical way”, according to her.

July 15, 2013

Austrian GDP Growth Above European Average

In 2012, Austria saw a growth of GDP of 0.9 percent which is signifantly above the European average.

July 12, 2013

Turkey: BIST Formed Partnership with US NASDAQ

Turkey's Borsa Istanbul (BIST), one of the most profitable stock markets in the emerging world, has formed a strategic partnership deal with the US-based NASDAQ OMX Group, the owner and operator of NASDAQ stock market.

July 12, 2013

Czech Republic: Gloomy Prospects for Economy

The Czech economy is shrinking. According to experts, new Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok will not be able to change much. Enterprises have started to cut back on investments.

July 12, 2013

Serbia to Invest € 10bn in Energy Sector

Serbia will invest € 10 bn in the development of the energy sector in the next eight years.

July 12, 2013

OMV Petrom Sold Subsidiary

OMV Petrom sold its subsidiary Petrom Distribuţie Gaze SRL.

July 11, 2013

OMV to Shut Down Production in Libya

Statement on OMV’s production in Libya.

July 11, 2013

Russia to Support Serbia Financially

Russian government paid $300 million of financial support to the budget of Serbia.

July 11, 2013

Russia to Reduce Oil Export

Russia produces more oil which is increasingly used in the country itself. Refineries outside of Russia do not fear immediate bottlenecks in the supply of oil.

July 11, 2013

Poland: Gowin Wants to Become Next Prime Minister

Conservative party member of PO Gowin is the sole challenger to Tusk for the position as party leader.

July 11, 2013

Fekter: Capital Aids for Hypo Included in Next Budgets

Finance Minister Maria Fekter sticks to it: „We will reach a zero deficit in 2016 and have a slight surplus in 2017,”she announced during the presentation of the economic report 2013 on Wednesday.

July 11, 2013

Austria: EVN Hits Brakes with Expansion of Solar Energy

The fast expansion of solar electricity in the province of Lower Austria is straining the power supply system. EVN is therefore limiting the power supply for some projects. Plant operators are infuriated.

July 11, 2013

Dispute about Ina in Hungary and Croatia Escalates

The Croatian prosecution is once more investigating due to bribe payment to former Prime Minister Sanader. Head of Mol, Hernadi, is faced with a possible detention order.

July 11, 2013

Austrian Economy Dependent on Neighbor Countries

Austria’s economy is getting through the crisis better than the Eurozone. However, the country owes this partly to neighboring countries.

July 11, 2013

Slovenia Can Afford Bank Sector Cleanup Itself

Slovenia intends to use its own funds and avoid having to ask the Eurozone or IMF for aid to restore the stability of its banking sector, said the country's finance minister Uros Cufer.

July 10, 2013

Austria: Rumors about Fekter Resigning as Finance Minister after Elections

Will Fekter become President of the National Council after the elections? In government circles speculations are circling about Finance Minister Fekter quitting her post as after the national elections in September.

July 10, 2013

IMF Downgrades Growth Prognosis for Eurozone

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the prospects of growth in the Eurozone are still positive. However, they are not as good as in April. Germany and Austria are concerned as well.

July 10, 2013

Russian Car Market to Get New Lift

The number of sales of new cars in Russia has declined 11 percent. This is the fourth month in a row showing declines, according to the figures of the Accociation of European Businesses (AEB).

July 10, 2013

Turkey: Gezi Protests Claim Fifth Life

A 19-year-old, who was seriously injured during the protets against the government in Turkey, has died in hospital. The number of fatalities has now risen to five, according to press agency Dogan.

July 10, 2013

Alpine Bankruptcy Hits Clients Hard

According to real estate experts problems for home builders have just started.

July 10, 2013

New Czech Government Sworn In

Czech President Milos Zeman has announced the new government of Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok on Wednesday and sworn in. The team of 15 mostly independent experts replaces the cabinet of Petr Necas, who has stepped back due to a corruption scandal.

July 10, 2013

Spindelegger: Fitness Program for Austria

Austrian economy supposed to be boosted by reforms of “Unternehmen Österreich 2025, and a rejection of new taxes.

July 10, 2013

Poland: Measures to Increase Employment

The polish government approved a package of measues becoming effective by 2014 to improve the situation on the labor market.

July 10, 2013

Serbia: Fight against Unemployment Key Aim of Government

Serbia's Government aims to cut down unemployment to below 20 percent and tries to attract new investors.

July 9, 2013

Slovenia’s Banking Sector Threatened by Delay of Bad Bank-Transfers

After the EU Commission denied approval for the first transfers of bad loans to the bank asset management by June 28, the reorganization of the banking system in Slovenia has been postponed.

July 9, 2013

Gazprom Runs Risk Of Losing Leading Position

Currently, only state-controlled energy giant Gazprom is permitted to export gas. Due to cooperations with French Total and Chinese enterprises, Moscow now intends to open the market.

July 9, 2013

Latvia: Joining the Eurozone

Lativa is becoming the 18th country in the Eurozone. The EU Economy and Finance Ministers have given their green light for the admission.

July 9, 2013

Alpine Holding to be Shut Down

The closing down of Alpine Holding is only a “formality”. According to Österreichischer Verband Creditreform (ÖVC), a credit protection association, “a restructuring of the debtor is not planned and not possible”.

July 9, 2013

Fekter: Eurozone More Stable Than A Year Ago

Austrian Finance Minister Maria Fekter has described the condition of the Eurozone as “better” than compared to a year ago.

July 9, 2013

Poland: NBP Downgrades Forecasts for GDP and CPI

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) downgrades GDP and CPI forecasts over next two years.

July 9, 2013

Turkey: Gezi Park And Taksim Square Closed Again

Only a few hours after the reopening of Gezi Park, the police in Istanbul once more used violence against demontrators as they wanted to get inside.

July 9, 2013

Croatia: Majority of Croatian Citizens Approve of EU Membership

67.1 percent of Croatians support country's membership in EU.

July 9, 2013

Alpine: Enormous Credit Default Rate

The rate for Alpine creditors declines day by day while the rate of the Trade Unions is immense. Almost all employees of Alpine were looking for help and advice.

July 8, 2013

Ukraine Looking for Alternative Gas Suppliers

Gas supply from Europe to Ukraine may stimulate pricing of Russian import.

July 8, 2013

OeNB Favors Examination of Bad Bank for Hypo

The Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has, according to Govenor Ewald Nowotny, requested to examine models for the establishing of a bad bank for Hypo Group. This was announced by Nowotny on Monday

July 8, 2013

Poland: Opposition Strengthens Front-Runner Position

According to a recent poll, conservative opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) has intensified its lead over ruling centrist Civic Platform (PO).

July 8, 2013

Kapsch TrafficCom as Only Bidder in Slovenia.

Slovenia has cancelled the tender for the construction of an electronic toll system for trucks.

July 8, 2013

Orban Accuses European Union of “Soviet-style Methods”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the “troops of bureaucrats" who were unable to solve the economic crisis in Europe and who were now trying to denounce Hungary, which was on the road to recovery again.

July 5, 2013

Turkey: Government Alleged to Have Known About Project Fail

A week before the forceful clearing of Gezi Park in Istanbul, the Turkish government was supposed to know about the fact that it had lost before court with its constructions plans. Protests went on, despite of that.

July 5, 2013

OMV Continues Expansion in Norway

OMV has been awarded six additional offshore exploration licenses in Norway, acting as operator for two of them.

July 5, 2013