Skip to main content

Central and Eastern Europe: competitive again

The pre-crisis boom years in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) led to an erosion of external competitiveness which is one reason why the recovery from the 2008-09 crisis has been so sluggish. But following five years of weak wage growth and currency depreciation, it looks like the region has managed to restore lost competitiveness, removing one of the key impediments to growth. In the near-term, the outlook for the region will hinge on developments in Western Europe. But so long as the euro-zone manages to muddle through, the CEE economies could see a period of sustained growth over the coming years.

Become a client to read more

This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.

Already have an account?

You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.

Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it

Register for free

Sign up for a free account to:

  • Unlock additional content
  • Register for Capital Economics events
  • Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
  • Request a free trial of our services


Get access