Integration with the EU or other areas like the Danube region is likely to benefit the CENTROPE regions in a differentiated
way. This report will analyse the extent of spatial integration, the future potential for it, as well as strengths, weaknesses
and likely points of conflicts in the integration process of the CENTROPE focusing on both integration among the regions of
CENTROPE as well as on integration of the CENTROPE within the EU 27 and other areas (such as the Danube region). To this end
the report will deal with the following issues: the general economic development in the CENTROPE regions, by type of regions;
regional FDI in the CENTROPE and enterprise cooperation within the CENTROPE; regional trading patterns; labour mobility in
the CENTROPE.
Research group:Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis
This report analyses the innovation systems in CENTROPE. It finds a large heterogeneity both in terms of institutions and
technological capacities among the regions of CENTROPE. Also co-operation in patenting seems to be limited to co-operation
among the EU 10-regions in this region. The nuclei for the development of a cross-border innovation system may be the large
number of universities in the region, the many regional clusters existing in CENTROPE or initiatives directed at increasing
cross-border patenting co-operation.
Zoltan Csismadia (Coord.), Gabriella Barath, Nora Baranyai (WHRI), Karol Frank, Tomas Jeck (IER SAVBA), Peter Huber, Ludek Kouba, Petr Rozmahel (WIFO)
This report analyses the institutional setting of the innovation systems in CENTROPE. It finds a large heterogeneity in terms
of institutions, which tends to impede on possibilities in cross-border co-operation. In particular national innovation systems
differ with respect to centralisation of technology policy, as well as with respect to strategies developed and objectives
followed. In addition lacking continuity of policies and institutions in some countries represent a further problem impeding
on cross-border co-operation in this field.
Consistent with previous results, we find that CENTROPE has grown faster than could be expected from an average polycentric
cross-border region in the period 2004-2008. Furthermore – also consistent with previous results – CENTROPE also in comparison
to other polycentric cross-border regions is a region which is highly attractive to FDI and whose comparative advantage primarily
seems to be rooted in medium skills while the share of high skilled in the population is low in CENTROPE also relative to
other polycentric cross-border regions. Although regional disparities in terms of per-capita GDP are high in CENTROPE, CENTROPE
is not the polycentric cross-border region with the largest internal disparities, and relative to this comparison group (and
in contrast to a comparison with the EU average) the share of R&D expenditure in GDP has increased more than average in the
last decade.
The economic crisis had a deep impact on the CENTROPE Region. In average the CENTROPE countries were harder hit than the EU
27. Moreover the relative growth performance of regions within CENTROPE shifted. While before 2008 the new EU countries among
the CENTROPE countries experienced (with the exception of Hungary) higher growth rates than Austria, in the crises year 2009
the opposite applied. This more than average affectedness of the CENTROPE countries does, however, not apply to the CENTROPE
regions. According to existing regional forecasts the GVA decline of the CENTROPE region as an aggregate was still lower than
that of the EU 27 and for 2010 as well as the years after this a return to above average growth performance is expected. Recovery
has been more rapid than expected. Already in 2010 all CENTROPE countries but Hungary will resume GDP growth and once more
economy in the new EU countries will grow faster than in Austria. On a regional level, by contrast, it is expected that all
CENTROPE regions but Vas and South Moravia will return to economic growth in 2010. From a long-term perspective the increase
in unemployment rates due to the crises seems to be more of a problem, since in the past unemployment rates have proven to
be rather persistent in the CENTROPE and have fallen only in times of very rapid growth.
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences
Commissioned by: ARGE Centrope
This report surveys the forecasting quality of the Cambridge Econometrics forecasts used in the CENTROPE Regional Development
Report project and derives first estimates of total factor productivity for the CENTROPE regions. While forecasts from Cambridge
Econometrics for the CENTROPE aggregate seem to be informative of future growth developments, forecasts for individual regions
and sectors must be interpreted with much greater care in all cases except for those of the Austrian CENTROPE and service
sector development. Furthermore the report confirms the large productivity differences among CENTROPE regions. These differences
are, however, smaller when accounting for total factor productivity than when considering labour productivity. In addition
the economic recession of 2009 led to a decline in productivity growth across the CENTROPE regions. In this recession the
service sector seems to have played a stabilising role. This highlights the importance of the service sector during economic
declines.
Karol Frank (EU SAV), Peter Huber (WIFO), Tomas Jeck, Martin Labaj, Ivana Sikulová (EU SAV), Irén Kukorelli (WHRI), Petr Rozmahel (MENDELU)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – Mendel University in Brno
This report deals with the structure of the service sector in CENTROPE and compares the supply and demand side of tourism
industry and its structure. This part also pays attention to issues of cooperation in tourism within CENTROPE. We find that
there are obvious disparities in the development of knowledge intensive services between the urban agglomeration of CENTROPE
and its more rural regions. This suggests rather different preconditions for co-operation in this field among regions. Tourism
by contrast is an important sector in all regions and provides many possibilities for cross-border co-operation, which are
exemplified in the policy conclusions.
Karol Frank (EU SAV), Peter Huber (WIFO), Tomas Jeck, Martin Labaj, Ivana Sikulová (EU SAV), Irén Kukorelli (WHRI), Petr Rozmahel (MENDELU)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – Mendel University in Brno
This report deals with the structure of the service sector in CENTROPE and compares the supply and demand side of tourism
industry and its structure. This part also pays attention to issues of cooperation in tourism within CENTROPE. We find that
there are obvious disparities in the development of knowledge intensive services between the urban agglomeration of CENTROPE
and its more rural regions. This suggests rather different preconditions for co-operation in this field among regions. Tourism
by contrast is an important sector in all regions and provides many possibilities for cross-border co-operation, which are
exemplified in the policy conclusions.
Peter Huber (WIFO), Karol Frank (EU SAV), Mihaly Lados (WHRI), Roman Römisch (wiiw), Petr Rozmahel (MENDELU)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies – Mendel University in Brno
This report summarises the results of the CENTROPE regional development report project as well as the related literature on
regional development in this cross-border region. In particular we propose that cross-border policy initiatives in CENTROPE
should focus on fulfilling the following functions: 1. securing and providing information on the activities of and development
in other regions, 2. co-ordinating spatial policies at the borders of administrative units, 3. pooling resources and developing
own projects in various strands of economic policy to improve competitiveness, and 4. lobbying for common interests of the
participating regions. Furthermore, the report also suggests that the focal areas of cross-border co-operation should be structured
around 4 priorities: establishing and improving the institutional preconditions for cross-border policy making and cross-border
spatial planning, developing CENTROPE into a deeply integrated knowledge region, integrating cross border labour markets,
and securing international competitiveness of the CENTROPE region.
Peter Huber (WIFO), Karol Frank (EU SAV), Mihaly Lados (WHRI), Roman Römisch (wiiw), Petr Rozmahel (MENDELU)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies – Mendel University in Brno
This report summarises the results of the CENTROPE regional development report project as well as the related literature on
regional development in this cross-border region. In particular we propose that cross-border policy initiatives in CENTROPE
should focus on fulfilling the following functions: 1. securing and providing information on the activities of and development
in other regions, 2. co-ordinating spatial policies at the borders of administrative units, 3. pooling resources and developing
own projects in various strands of economic policy to improve competitiveness, and 4. lobbying for common interests of the
participating regions. Furthermore, the report also suggests that the focal areas of cross-border co-operation should be structured
around 4 priorities: establishing and improving the institutional preconditions for cross-border policy making and cross-border
spatial planning, developing CENTROPE into a deeply integrated knowledge region, integrating cross border labour markets,
and securing international competitiveness of the CENTROPE region.
Petr Rozmahel, Luděk Kouba (WIFO), Nikola Najman, Marek Litzman (MENDELU), Márta Nárai (WHRI), Karol Frank (IER SAVBA), Peter Huber (WIFO)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – Mendel University in Brno – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Commissioned by: Europaforum Wien
Despite the fact that all CENTROPE countries are members of the European Union, the labour market in the CENTROPE region is
very heterogeneous. More than half of the CENTROPE labour force is located in Austrian regions, which are areas with significantly
higher wages in comparison with regions in the three post-communist countries. Furthermore, there are substantial disparities
between metropolitan areas of Vienna, Bratislava and Brno on the one hand and rural areas with relatively high share of agriculture
on the other hand. These structural disparities are reflected in a dramatically varying rate of unemployment among the CENTROPE
regions as well – from less than 4 percent in Lower Austria and Burgenland to 12 percent in the Trnava region. Concerning
the quality of human capital the CENTROPE region disposes of a well developed education system. In particular there are a
large number of institutions at the tertiary education level situated in the region. Here a survey on student mobility intentions
shows high willingness of students to study abroad choosing Vienna as the most attractive place of study in CENTROPE.
Petr Rozmahel, Luděk Kouba (WIFO), Nikola Najman, Marek Litzman (MENDELU), Márta Nárai (WHRI), Karol Frank (IER SAVBA), Peter Huber (WIFO)
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – Mendel University in Brno – West Hungarian Research Institute of the Centre for Regional Studies – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Commissioned by: Europaforum Wien
Despite the fact that all CENTROPE countries are members of the European Union, the labour market in the CENTROPE region is
very heterogeneous. More than half of the CENTROPE labour force is located in Austrian regions, which are areas with significantly
higher wages in comparison with regions in the three post-communist countries. Furthermore, there are substantial disparities
between metropolitan areas of Vienna, Bratislava and Brno on the one hand and rural areas with relatively high share of agriculture
on the other hand. These structural disparities are reflected in a dramatically varying rate of unemployment among the CENTROPE
regions as well – from less than 4 percent in Lower Austria and Burgenland to 12 percent in the Trnava region. Concerning
the quality of human capital the CENTROPE region disposes of a well developed education system. In particular there are a
large number of institutions at the tertiary education level situated in the region. Here a survey on student mobility intentions
shows high willingness of students to study abroad choosing Vienna as the most attractive place of study in CENTROPE.
Karol Frank (EU SAV), Peter Huber (WIFO), Roman Römisch (wiiw)
Study by: Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – Austrian Institute of Economic Research – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Commissioned by: ARGE Centrope
Macroeconomic forecasts for Europe and the CENTROPE countries currently suggest that the recovery of the years 2010 and 2011
was only a short-lived interlude both in the CENTROPE countries as well as most other EU countries. The world-wide slowdown
in growth will affect the CENTROPE countries and it can be expected that Europe and thus also the CENTROPE regions are currently
entering a period of protracted slow growth. The long-run growth prospects of CENTROPE are, however, intact. GVA and in particular
productivity growth in the CENTROPE was substantially higher than in other cross-border metropolitan regions and much of the
improved growth performance in CENTROPE in the last years was due to a rapid improvement of regional competitiveness. According
to an analysis of demographic developments demographic decline seems to be a smaller problem in the CENTROPE than in many
other EU regions. Although this again reflects rather positively on CENTROPE in comparison to the EU, ageing of the population,
however, is a serious challenge to the economies of CENTROPE, which will necessitate developing long-term and coherent strategies
to maintain living standards and quality of life for citizens in all age groups.
Karol Frank (EU SAV), Peter Huber (WIFO), Roman Römisch (wiiw)
Study by: Institute of Economic Research Slovak Academy of Sciences – Austrian Institute of Economic Research – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Commissioned by: ARGE Centrope
Macroeconomic forecasts for Europe and the CENTROPE countries currently suggest that the recovery of the years 2010 and 2011
was only a short-lived interlude both in the CENTROPE countries as well as most other EU countries. The world-wide slowdown
in growth will affect the CENTROPE countries and it can be expected that Europe and thus also the CENTROPE regions are currently
entering a period of protracted slow growth. The long-run growth prospects of CENTROPE are, however, intact. GVA and in particular
productivity growth in the CENTROPE was substantially higher than in other cross-border metropolitan regions and much of the
improved growth performance in CENTROPE in the last years was due to a rapid improvement of regional competitiveness. According
to an analysis of demographic developments demographic decline seems to be a smaller problem in the CENTROPE than in many
other EU regions. Although this again reflects rather positively on CENTROPE in comparison to the EU, ageing of the population,
however, is a serious challenge to the economies of CENTROPE, which will necessitate developing long-term and coherent strategies
to maintain living standards and quality of life for citizens in all age groups.
Petr Rozmahel, Luděk Kouba (WIFO), Karol Frank (IER SAVBA), Peter Huber (WIFO), Mihaly Lados (WHRI), Roman Römisch (wiiw)
The economic crisis had a deep impact on the CENTROPE Region. In average the CENTROPE countries were harder hit than the EU
27. Moreover the relative growth performance of regions within CENTROPE shifted. While before 2008 the new EU countries among
the CENTROPE countries experienced (with the exception of Hungary) higher growth rates than Austria, in the crises year 2009
the opposite applied. This more than average affectedness of the CENTROPE countries does, however, not apply to the CENTROPE
regions. According to existing regional forecasts the GVA decline of the CENTROPE region as an aggregate was still lower than
that of the EU 27 and for 2010 as well as the years after this a return to above average growth performance is expected. Recovery
has been more rapid than expected. Already in 2010 all CENTROPE countries but Hungary will resume GDP growth and once more
economy in the new EU countries will grow faster than in Austria. On a regional level, by contrast, it is expected that all
CENTROPE regions but Vas and South Moravia will return to economic growth in 2010. From a long-term perspective the increase
in unemployment rates due to the crises seems to be more of a problem, since in the past unemployment rates have proven to
be rather persistent in the CENTROPE and have fallen only in times of very rapid growth.
Zoltan Csismadia (Coord.), Gabriella Barath, Nora Baranyai (WHRI), Karol Frank, Tomas Jeck (EU SAV), Philipp Hergovich, Peter Huber (WIFO), Luděk Kouba, Petr Rozmahel (MENDELU)
This report analyses the institutional setting of the innovation systems in CENTROPE. It finds a large heterogeneity in terms
of institutions, which tends to impede on possibilities in cross-border co-operation. In particular national innovation systems
differ with respect to centralisation of technology policy, as well as with respect to strategies developed and objectives
followed. In addition lacking continuity of policies and institutions in some countries represent a further problem impeding
on cross-border co-operation in this field.
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
The report proposes a methodology to estimate regional foreign trade data from national trade and regional employment data
supplemented by country level input-output data. The methodology allows estimating consistently regional exports and imports
from the regions of a country A to a country B as well as the foreign trade flows across the regions of country A and country
B. The estimation method is independent of the regional and sectoral aggregation levels of the data and can easily be implemented
using common statistical programs.
The aim of the pilot action "CENTROPE regional development report" is to enhance the analytic basis for cross-border policy
in the CENTROPE region and to provide policy advice in the form of three annual development reports and four focus reports.
The annual regional development reports will provide a regular update of the economic development in CENTROPE. The focus reports
will analyse individual fields relevant for cross-border activities in the region in depth. This report provided details the
working structure, concept and methodology of the pilot action from a project management perspective. It defines the partnership
of the project as well as the roles of each of the partners, outlines the workplan and defines the central instruments of
project management with respect to internal communication, quality control and dissemination. In addition a series of appendices
provide details on the contents of individual reports as well as on the human resources and data availability.
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Von der Integration mit der EU oder mit anderen Wirtschaftsräumen wie der Donauregion profitieren die CENTROPE-Regionen in
unterschiedlicher Form. Die vorliegende Studie analysiert das Ausmaß der räumlichen Integration, das künftige Potential sowie
Stärken, Schwächen und mögliche Konfliktpunkte im Integrationsprozess der Region CENTROPE mit Schwerpunkt sowohl auf der Integration
zwischen den CENTROPE-Teilregionen als auch auf der Integration der CENTROPE mit der EU 27 und anderen Regionen (z. B. Donauregion).
Die Arbeit befasst sich mit den Themen gesamtwirtschaftliche Entwicklung in den CENTROPE-Teilregionen, regionale Direktinvestitionen
und Unternehmenskooperationen, regionale Handelsströme und Arbeitskräftemobilität.