"It Is Time to Act". WIFO Director Christoph Badelt and IHS Director Martin Kocher in the Club of Economic Journalists

Markus Kiesenhofer

The Club of Economic Journalists invited to a press conference with WIFO Director Christoph Badelt and IHS Director Martin Kocher on 30 January 2020. © Heinz-Peter Bader

30.01.2020

"It Is Time to Act"

WIFO Director Christoph Badelt and IHS Director Martin Kocher in the Club of Economic Journalists

The Club of Economic Journalists invited to a press conference with WIFO Director Christoph Badelt and IHS Director Martin Kocher on 30 January 2020. Both institute directors defined the central challenges for Austrian economic policy and requested more evidence-based approaches.

According to Badelt Austria's economic policy faces major challenges. The lack of a government with a majority in parliament between the end of May 2019 and the beginning of 2020 led to a forced pause in political work, which further postponed reforms into the future.

The economic policy discussion of the past year only partially reflected the challenges facing the Austrian economy which the new government must also address. In the coming years, WIFO will strongly focus its research on these long-term issues: European challenges, competitiveness, digitization, climate change and sustainability, unemployment and shortage of skilled workers, demographic change as well as government responsibilities and the role of the public sector. Among other things, Badelt takes a closer look at these central topics in an article published simultaneously.