Regional Project European Economies of the East

About the project

With the “European Economies of the East”-programme, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung contributes to the debate on economic, industrial and technology policy in the Eastern member countries of the EU. During the last twenty years, these countries have become important pillars of the European economy. The task now is to develop this model further, so to continue the process of convergence of living conditions and productivity within Europe: People rightly have the expectation that similar living standards will be achieved throughout the continent.

This requires also modifications of the economic development path that Central and Eastern Europe has been pursuing so far. More innovation and more knowledge-intensive forms of economic activities are necessary. Meeting the ambitious EU climate targets and securing Europe's technological and industrial competitiveness and "resilience" under the conditions of intensified geopolitical and trade rivalries is only possible with the active involvement of the industrial economies of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Together with our partners in the region we want to strengthen the debate about the upcoming process of change towards an innovation-driven form of economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe. For this purpose, we use scientific studies of renowned institutes as well as the divulgation of the contents of these studies through conferences, audio-visual contents, graphic communication and policy papers. We want to engage political forces, trade unions, academics and progressive civil society from the region, but also from Germany and Western Europe in this debate, contributing thus to the great transformation of the European economy towards ecological, economic and social sustainability und justice.