Strategies for Higher Growth and Employment in Austria

Economic growth is neither in Austria nor in the EU as a whole strong enough as to make substantial inroads into unemployment. Against this background, the European Council of last March assigned the highest priority to the goals of growth and employment and invited each member state to elaborate a national strategy for higher growth. The Austrian government has asked WIFO to submit, for a government summit early last May, a set of proposals for growth-enhancing measures for Austria. Action in seven policy areas as outlined by WIFO should be able to accelerate economic growth and ought to be integrated into an overall strategy.