A finding of a comprehensive regional research was revealed yesterday at the “Observatory on New Europe” conference in Budapest, organized by The European House-Ambrosetti on behalf of a pool of leading international companies: GE, Enel, Prysmina, CIB Bank, ING International. The study examines the competitiveness of the so-called “New Europe” countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia) and their future prospects given the financial and economic crisis.
Key-note speakers in one of the panels (from right to left) – Vladimír Dlouhý, former minister of the Czech Republic and currently consultant to Goldman Sachs; Rudolf Riedl, CEO of Raiffeisen Evolution; Giovan Battista Campagnola, Ambassador of Italy; Dr. Zoltán Cséfalvay, Minister of State for Economic Strategy, Ministry for National Economy; Mariangela Pira, editor of CNBC
The key performance indicators were infrastructure, dynamic and innovative nature, education, ease of running a business, investment in human capital and R&D and sophistication of the financial sector.
The buzzwords emphasized by high-level government and business decision makers were competitiveness, trust, structural reforms, innovation/R&D, ability to change and positive image building around the region of CEE.
The ranking is the following:
- 1. Slovenia
- 2. Czech Republic
- 3. Hungary
- 4. Croatia
- 5. Slovakia
- 6. Poland
- 7. Romania
What is the secret of this winning tiny market? Outstanding GDP proportionate expenditure in R&D (1.86%) compared to the lowest spender from the region, Romania (0.47%); economic growth, business freedom and macroeconomic stability.
If you are interested in more details on the “Observatory on New Europe” research and want to hear the video interviews with some of the key-note speakers, visit GEforCEE in the coming days.
And if you are interested in being part of the high-level dialogue about the economic prosperity of CEE, please feel free to subscribe to the newsletter and regularly visit GEforCEE, the brand new platform for an interactive stakeholder dialogue for CEE.
Participants to the “Observatory on New Europe” Conference in 2011, Budapest (forrás: GEforCEE blog)