CEE’s role in the global economy

16 April 2018

At the wiiw Spring Seminar, Jan Svejnar explored key questions for the region’s economic future in the European and global context. Watch his full presentation here.

By Veronika Janyrova

Jan Svejnar, James T. Shotwell Professor of Global Political Economy and Director of the Center on Global Economic Governance at Columbia University, presented an optimistic assessment of the CEE region’s economic achievements and performance at wiiw’s Spring Seminar on April 12th. At the same time, however, he noted key challenges for the regional economy, and stressed the key parameters that will determine its future. In particular, he asked: 

Whether Europe can…

  • Stay together and continue its integration (single market, policy coordination);
  • Sustain economic growth and raise innovation (digital technology; artificial intelligence, robotisation).

…and whether CEE will…

  • Remain within the EU and speed up convergence with Western Europe;
  • Diversify its export destinations and raise the value added of exports; 
  • Increase the quality of education;
  • Avoid authoritarianism.

Watch his full presentation here:


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