Insights from a New Survey

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been maturing as the region prepared to join the European Union (EU). Since the beginning of transition the pattern of FDI has evolved, reflecting new business strategies pursued in anticipation of EU membership. Based on first results from a questionnaire survey conducted in 2003 in Hungary, Lithuania and Poland, we portray the recent patterns and developments in foreign investment, the motives for investment, and managers’ assessment of the local business environment. Some questions have been replicated from a study conducted in the emerging economies of Egypt, India, South Africa, and Vietnam, which allows us to benchmark FDI patterns in CEE against other emerging economies in different parts of the world. We find that find fewer changes over the period of the 1990s then we expected, but some interesting differences across the three countries in our study, and between CEE and other emerging economies

Climate Change, Employment and Local Development in Poland

This report presents analysis on the cases of Podlaskie and Pomorskie in Poland in the context of a transition to the green economy. This study seeks to examine the current situation in these two regions in terms of labour market, economic development, and skills provision, with a specific focus on the green economy. The report analyses the impacts of climate change (including its effects on policy and regulations) on the local labour markets in Podlaskie and Pomorskie and provides policy recommendations on how make the best use of the assets in place to boost green economic activities while creating greener jobs. The report examines the role that the public sector and other key labour market institutions play in facilitating the transition to a green economy. Although it is certain that the impact of this transition on jobs, on the workforce and on businesses will vary from region to region, it is also certain that those regions investing in the right skills and removing barriers to green entrepreneurship and growth will gain from this new context.