Exports Drive Growth – Domestic Demand Remains Subdued. Medium-term Projections for the Austrian Economy until 2015

Real gross domestic product will expand by 2.2 percent per year during 2011-2015. The unemployment rate (according to the Public Employment Service Austria, AMS) will amount to 6.8 percent on average during 2011-2015. Due to increasing foreign and domestic labour supply labour market conditions will not ease further. Owing to measures to consolidate public finances and improveing economic activity the budget deficit is expected to fall below 2 percent of GDP by 2015. The inflation rate will rise to 2.1 percent in 2011 driven by tax increases and rising commodity prices. Over the forecast period consumer price will increase on average by 1.9 percent per year.