Policy Note 47: The new location competition is coming to a head: workers are becoming more mobile
By Philipp
In a recent study, the economic research institute EcoAustria looked at the effects of growing labor mobility on tax revenues …
Author: Philipp
Research Paper 17: Generation check 2021: Update against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic
By Philipp
The “Generation Check” model is based on the methodology of a generation account model. It is used to analyze the long-term effects of changes to the legal framework in Germany in order to …
Further expansion of elementary education necessary
By Philipp
The so-called Barcelona targets of the European Union provide for a massive expansion of childcare facilities for young children up to compulsory school age. Whilst elementary education places for children between the ages of 3 and 5 in Austria …
Measures to strengthen equity
By Philipp
In the coming months and years, companies worldwide will be increasingly threatened by a higher risk of insolvency. In Austria, too, the crisis has exposed problems in the equity base of domestic companies …
Policy Note 46: The impact of digitalization onCO2 emissions
By Philipp
Climate protection and measures to curb climate change are key topics of public debate both nationally and internationally. The digitalization megatrend offers potential for efficiency improvements …
COVID-19 measures: Status of disbursements and international comparison
By Philipp
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global economy. Lockdowns and legal closures as well as the resulting demand shock have created the need for extensive government support measures …
Economic education is not a luxury
By Philipp
“I’m almost 18 and have no idea about taxes, rent or insurance. But I can write a poetry analysis. In 4 languages”. This tweet was written in 2015 by a then 17-year-old schoolgirl from Germany …
Policy Note 45: Recruitment incentives – What the state can now do for the labor market
By Philipp
This policy note describes the diverse international experiences with targeted hiring subsidies by the public sector and discusses and provides information on how subsidies for new hires can be derived in Austria …
Brief analysis 13: Will working from home reduce the gender pay gap?
By Philipp
The coronavirus pandemic has seen the first widespread use of working from home. A current EcoAustria brief analysis discusses the effects of working from home on the gender pay gap …
Research Paper 16: Venture Capital Investor Networks and Company Performance
By Philipp
In this paper, we look at a particular aspect of the venture capital industry, namely syndication. Typically, VC investments are not made by a single company, but by a group of co-investors …
Brief analysis 12: Austria’s potential for a more climate-friendly industry
By Philipp
In addition to overcoming the current COVID-19 crisis, global climate change is probably one of the key challenges of the future. In Europe in particular, efforts have been intensified in recent years …
Policy Note 44: The economic and personal value of childcare
By Philipp
The corona crisis has taught us impressively that institutional childcare and the school system play an important role in our society. In this policy note, we show how important it is from an educational policy perspective that kindergartens are financially affordable and available with longer opening hours …
Climate instruments in comparison
By Philipp
On December 9, 2020, the EU Main Committee will meet before the European Council negotiations on new emission reduction targets for 2030 take place from December 10 to 11. Current forecasts do not assume that Austria will meet its targets by 2030 …
Research Paper 15: Do quotas help women into politics?
By Philipp
The issue of women’s representation in politics has recently gained more attention. This research paper looks at the policies in place to promote women’s participation …
Policy Note 43: Free trade and prosperity go hand in hand
By Philipp
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were increased calls to re-regionalize production in the future. Although this is understandable given the sometimes difficult supply situation for medical equipment during a global pandemic, it is not economically expedient …
Budget hearing: Austria faces challenges
By Philipp
Statement by Priv.-Doz. Dr. Monika Köppl-Turyna at the budget hearing in the National Council: “The situation is unique, it is imperative to prevent a wave of insolvencies and unemployment …
Research Paper 14: Economic complexity and economic growth
By Philipp
Existing approaches usually measure economic complexity based on the structure of gross exports at the product level. This research paper therefore approaches economic complexity on the basis of value-added exports at industry level …
Policy Note 42: Digital infrastructure and resilience in times of crisis
By Philipp
The lockdown in many countries in spring 2020 put modern digital infrastructure to the test. An EcoAustria Policy Note published today examines the central role of broadband infrastructure in normal times and in the current crisis …
Policy Note 41: Teleworking can increase productivity
By Philipp
The restrictive measures taken by many governments to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increase in teleworking. In a policy note published today, EcoAustria compares the benefits of teleworking with the costs …
Monika Köppl-Turyna becomes new director of EcoAustria
By Philipp
Monika Köppl-Turyna, Ph.D., is the new Director of the EcoAustria Institute for Economic Research as of November 1, 2020. This was announced today by the President of the Institute, Dr. Karl Sevelda, following the Extraordinary General Assembly of EcoAustria …
Policy Note 40: Upper Austria with top marks for compulsory school efficiency, Tyrol at the top for childcare
By Philipp
The results of the EcoAustria federal state benchmarking in the areas of compulsory general education schools and childcare published at the start of the school year show that Upper Austria has the best ratio of use of resources to impact in the compulsory education system …
A new look at German-Austrian economic relations
By Philipp
Austria and Germany are closely intertwined, both historically and today. 100 years ago, economic relations between the young republics of Austria and Germany were taken to a new level.
Wolfgang Schwarzbauer is the new Head of Research at EcoAustria
By Philipp
Wolfgang Schwarzbauer was unanimously appointed as Chief Research Officer. “I am delighted to be able to continue shaping the development of EcoAustria with this experienced team,” says Schwarzbauer.
Moving towards sustainable public finances after the coronavirus crisis
By Philipp
Austria is facing huge challenges. However, if we succeed in overcoming the acute economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis, Austria will be in a better position after the crisis than before …
38 billion euros: an aid package of “whatever it takes”
By Philipp
With the 38 billion euros, the federal government has put together a “whatever it takes” aid package. After the crisis, the aim will be to return Austria to a stable path for growth, prosperity and employment with an Austria Recovery Program …
Corona and containing the economic consequences
By Philipp
The spread of the coronavirus is progressing at a rapid pace in Austria and Europe and is causing people great concern. This is associated with considerable economic consequences in Austria and worldwide …
Research Paper 13: Climate change in Austria: Can Germany and Switzerland serve as an example?
By Philipp
Many European countries are aiming for climate neutrality by 2050 or, like Austria, even by 2040. A comparison of the energy policies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland to date reveals serious differences …
Research Paper 12: Media influence perception and decision-making
By Philipp
The media play a particularly important role in democracies. Media coverage has a not inconsiderable influence on the perception and decisions of citizens as consumers, entrepreneurs or voters …
Policy Note 39: Climate Task Force faces a tricky task
By Philipp
Climate change cannot be denied. Austria has therefore rightly committed itself to reducing CO2 emissions at international level. The task now is to find suitable climate policy instruments for pricing CO2 emissions in areas that are not included in European emissions certificate trading…
Brief analysis 11: German income tax reform backlog
By Philipp
The German economy is growing at a snail’s pace. GDP increased by 0.6% last year and growth is only expected to be slightly higher in 2020. Austria is also affected by this…
Brief analysis 10: Tax reform and zero deficit are achievable
By Philipp
The current government program provides for tax relief for employees and companies. Specifically, the first, second and third stages of the income tax rate are to be reduced from 25% to 20%, from 35% to 30% and from 42% to 40%…
ECI 2020/Q1: Competitiveness makes strong gains
By Philipp
Austria’s competitiveness is making a strong start to the new decade despite the slowing economy. The EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI) has risen by 2.7 points compared to the previous quarter and, at 100.7 points, is now at its highest level since 2016…
Brief analysis 9: Income and corporation tax: 35,000 more jobs
By Philipp
The new federal government’s reform plans to reduce the burden on employees and companies are heading in the right direction. At present, employees only receive a good half of what companies pay for an hour’s work…
Research Paper 11: Ex ante evaluation of reform measures with the PuMA model
By Philipp
One of EcoAustria’s main research competencies is the ex-ante evaluation of economic and social policy measures, e.g. in tax, social or labor market policy, or the analysis of the economic consequences of other developments such as education, migration or technical progress…
New government: an opportunity for Austria!
By Philipp
The new federal government offers a great opportunity for Austria. If it succeeds in combining the goals of ecological, economic and social sustainability, Austria can act as a role model for many countries…
Brief analysis 8: Baby boomers retiring – 19 billion euros in additional expenditure by 2030
By Philipp
The number of pension recipients and the duration of entitlement will increase in the coming years. This is associated with a significant increase in expenditure in the pension system…
Policy Note 38: Considering the negative consequences of net neutrality
By Philipp
The term “net neutrality” has an extremely positive connotation in the public debate. Despite the extremely positive image in the public debate, the negative consequences of regulation have so far been insufficiently taken into account…
Felbermayr new Chairman of the EcoAustria Advisory Board
By Philipp
Gabriel Felbermayr is the new Chairman of EcoAustria’s Advisory Board. With the President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), one of the largest economic research institutes in Germany, EcoAustria is expanding its scientific expertise…
Brief analysis 7: Education pays off
By Philipp
Education is one of the key drivers of a country’s individual, economic and social development. There is potential for improvement in the Austrian education system…
Brief analysis 6: Trend reversal from the budget trend reversal necessary
By Philipp
The lax budget discipline in the “free play of forces”, together with the flattening economy, has clear consequences for the national budget. The Federal Ministry of Finance recently reported to the EU Commission…
ECI 2019/Q4: Medicine against weak growth
By Philipp
Austria’s competitiveness continues to face major challenges. The EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI) has fallen slightly compared to the previous quarter and now stands at 98.0 points…
Brief analysis 5: Increase prosperity through major tax reform
By Philipp
Last week, the National Council passed the first stage of the tax reform announced in May 2019. “Reducing the burden on the labor factor is a step in the right direction for more growth, prosperity and employment…
Policy Note 37: No time for a lack of budget discipline
By Philipp
Numerous resolutions are currently being passed in the National Council, many of which have an impact on the budget. Partly due to the positive economic development…
Brief analysis 4: End the additional burden of cold progression
By Philipp
At 42.8 percent of gross domestic product, the tax burden in Austria is very high by international standards. “In terms of the tax burden, Austria is in a top position in Europe…
Policy Note 36: Strengthening the business location for greater prosperity
By Philipp
Following the economic crisis, Austria has developed rather weakly in an international comparison and has built up a growth gap to comparable economies in the eurozone…
Brief analysis 3: Reduce tax burden, achieve better performance
By Philipp
Austria’s economy is currently growing more slowly. In addition, there are uncertainties from abroad, such as the weak growth in Germany, the unclear outcome of Brexit and the increasing trade conflicts worldwide …
Policy Note 35: EcoAustria Europe Benchmarking: Achieving better performance with less expenditure
By Philipp
The EcoAustria Europe Benchmarking compares the expenditure as input with corresponding performance indicators as output variables in the areas of administration, education and health.
Brief analysis 2: Without reforms, government debt will rise again from 2029
By Philipp
After Austria has undergone only a few significant structural reforms in the area of economic and social policy over the past ten years, few major reforms have been implemented in the last, shortened legislative period.
Brief analysis 1: Reforming the pension system for the future
By Philipp
Pensions are currently playing a central role in the run-up to the National Council elections. After the last government had already initiated an increase in minimum pensions, the latest pension summit …
Policy Note 34: Regulating digital platforms in the interests of consumers
By Philipp
More and more products and services are being offered on digital platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Ebay or Uber. “Digital business models often bring new providers onto the market and competition …
EcoAustria an der Columbia University in New York
By Philipp
Tobias Thomas, Director of the economic research institute EcoAustria, is currently conducting research at Columbia University in New York (USA) at the invitation of Anya Schiffrin and Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz …
Policy Note 33: Investments in education pay off
By Philipp
Education makes an important contribution to economic and social development. “An improved educational structure of a society leads to an increase in labor force participation and lower unemployment …
Uncertainty clouds growth prospects
By Philipp
Current economic forecasts see Austria on a fairly decent growth path. After an average of 1.8 percent real economic growth in the last 5 years, an average of 1.6 percent is forecast for the next 5 years.
ECI 2019/Q3: Competitiveness weakens in uncertain times
By Philipp
“Austria’s competitiveness is weakening in uncertain times,” says Tobias Thomas, Director of the economic research institute EcoAustria. The EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI), which measures the …
Consider the long-term effects of care financing
By Philipp
A new form of care financing is currently being discussed in Austria. “The topic of care financing is rightly on the political radar, as demographic change will lead to a significant increase in costs in the medium to …
Setting the course for greater prosperity
By Philipp
Austria is currently only moderately attractive for foreign direct investment. A recent study by EY shows that the number of investment projects by foreign companies in Austria is stagnating. The ECI also shows that …
Policy Note 32: Tax reform brings 50,000 more jobs
By Philipp
The federal government recently passed a comprehensive tax reform for the years 2020 to 2023. “The tax reform will have a positive impact on growth, prosperity and employment in Austria. By reducing the current …
Achieving more growth and prosperity through education
By Philipp
Empirical studies worldwide show a positive correlation between education and economic growth. Education is the knowledge fuel for the economic development of an economy. With an improvement …
Reaping the digital fruits of competition
By Philipp
Due to the digital revolution, more and more products and services have been offered on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Ebay or Uber in recent years. “Digital business models are creating …
ECI 2019/Q2: Competitiveness in a “have-eight” position
By Philipp
Austria’s economy is looking forward to upcoming decisions at home and abroad. Following a strong improvement in the previous quarter, the EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI), which measures the development of the …
Research Paper 10: Economists are perceived in camps
By Philipp
Political economists are often assigned to political-ideological camps. A recent study by Wolfgang Schwarzbauer and Tobias Thomas from EcoAustria together with Gert G. Wagner …
EcoAustria auf der European Public Choice Society Conference 2019
By Philipp
The annual conference of the European Public Choice Society will take place this year from April 1 to 4, 2019 in Jerusalem. EcoAustria Director Tobias Thomas and co-authors will present new research findings on the influence of the media.
Policy Note 31: Abolish cold progression completely
By Philipp
Cold progression leads to an increase in the tax rate and an additional burden on private households. “Cold progression considerably restricts the consumption options of private households …
Making the pension system sustainable
By Philipp
Financial security in old age is one of the biggest long-term concerns of the domestic population. This is the conclusion of a recently published study by the OECD. 79 percent of Austrians name this as one of their …
Policy Note 30: Aligning housing policy effectively
By Philipp
Rents are rising, especially in major cities such as Vienna, Berlin, London and Paris. The fact that rents are rising is primarily the result of increasing demand and a lack of corresponding growth in supply: increasing urbanization …
ECI 2019/Q1: Austria’s competitiveness on the upswing
By Philipp
Austria’s competitiveness is on the upswing,” says Tobias Thomas, Director of the economic research institute EcoAustria. These are the findings of the latest EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI) …
Policy Note 29: Achieving more employment and prosperity through tax reform
By Philipp
Austria has a high tax burden by international standards. “The high tax burden restricts companies’ investments and employees’ ability to consume,” says Tobias Thomas …
Shaping migration policy based on facts
By Philipp
Myths keep cropping up in the public debate on migration. According to the EcoAustria study, the statement that politicians are more supportive of immigrants than the Austrian population is inaccurate …
Policy Note 28: Public spending: Less can be more!
By Philipp
There is considerable potential for efficiency in public spending in Austria. “In some federal states, public services can be offered much more cheaply than in others,” says Tobias Thomas
Securing prosperity through structural reforms
By Philipp
Both the current Doing Business Report, the recently published Global Competitiveness Report and the EcoAustria Competitiveness Index emphasize the need for structural reforms …
Tackling challenges on the labor market
By Philipp
There is currently good news from the Austrian labor market. “However, it is too early to sound the all-clear. “There is still a mountain of challenges on the labor market,” says Tobias Thomas.
Policy Note 27: Digital framework conditions become a litmus test
By Philipp
The digital transformation is one of the biggest challenges, especially for Austria. “Efficient framework conditions for digital change are becoming the litmus test of modern business locations …
ECI 2018/Q4: Austria’s competitiveness moving sideways
By Philipp
While competitiveness has risen on average in the EU in recent years, Austria is moving sideways. This is the conclusion reached by the new EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI), which is …
Research Paper 9: Der EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI)
By Philipp
The EcoAustria Competitiveness Index (ECI) measures the development of competitiveness on a quarterly basis using net exports and direct investments at home and abroad and is presented in this EcoAustria Research Paper 9 …
Young employees at EcoAustria
By Philipp
Economist Wolfgang Briglauer joins the team of the economic research institute EcoAustria as head of the research area Digitalization and Regulation. “With Wolfgang Briglauer, we are delighted to have a proven expert …
Vorarlberg’s productivity is growing
By Philipp
In an OECD comparison, Austria’s productivity is well in the middle. However, a look at the development shows that it has been stagnating for years. While Vorarlberg is increasing its productivity, Vienna stands out in several respects …
Policy Note 26: Demographic development challenges financial policy
By Philipp
Despite the good economic situation and the current bubbling tax revenues, Austria’s financial policy is facing major challenges. “Due to the demographic development, expenditure in the areas of …
EcoAustria Director Thomas appointed to committee
By Philipp
Tobias Thomas, Director of the economic research institute EcoAustria, has been appointed to the Committee for Economic Systems and Institutional Economics of the Verein für Socialpolitik …
Policy Note 25: Putting care financing on a stable footing
By Philipp
Austrian care financing is facing as yet unresolved challenges, particularly due to demographic change. “Care expenditure will increase massively by 2060 …
Research Paper 8: Solidarity surcharge leaves employment opportunities untapped
By Philipp
While the economic experts recommend the complete abolition of the solidarity surcharge at the end of 2019, the German government’s coalition agreement only provides for the partial exemption of income tax from the surcharge.
Policy Note 24: Participating in robot progress through education and participation
By Philipp
The consequences of digitalization and the increasing use of robots are among the topics of the Forum Alpbach’s Economic Talks from 28 to 30 August 2018. In the public debate …
Policy Note 23: Reforming the pension system for the future
By Philipp
The Austrian pension system continues to face major challenges due to demographic change. “Despite the reforms that have already been agreed, the pension system is currently not sustainable,” says Tobias Thomas.
Income inequality, perception and democracy
By Philipp
Economists can make a scientifically sound contribution to many questions of economic and social policy. This is not the case with the question of the “right” level of redistribution. Only the voters can answer this question. This makes it all the more important …
Budget consolidation possible without restrictions for the population
By Philipp
The current good economic situation is a tailwind for budget consolidation at federal, state and local level. Nevertheless, financial policy is facing huge challenges.