Within the framework of the 13th Welfare State Enquete on 8 October 2019, the advantages and disadvantages of financing care expenditure via taxes and a social insurance contribution system were discussed. "Although much was said about this in the election campaign, there are still no reliable concepts for the future organisation and financing of the long-term care system on the table", said WIFO Director Christoph Badelt.

Economic growth in Austria is gradually decelerating to a moderate pace over the forecast period. The lack of dynamism in the global economy dampens exports and manufacturing output. Yet, favourable financing conditions, fiscal stimulus and resilient private consumption provide support to economic activity. GDP is expected to grow by 1.7 percent in 2019 and 1.4 percent in 2020.

WIFO's long-standing research tradition in the field of competitiveness is bundled on this new Thematic Platform. It pursues three objectives: firstly, the theoretical foundation and justification of measurement concepts and possible economic policy interrelationships and interventions; secondly, the processing of comprehensive, systematic and thus clear indicator systems on the results and determinants of competitiveness as an information basis for economic policy; and thirdly, the development of expertise in selected policy areas of competitiveness.