The OeNB is providing technical assistance and cooperation to transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the western Balkans and the CIS republics, both at a bilateral and at a multilateral level.
Over the years, recipient central banks, especially those in CEE, have made considerable progress, and many of them have graduated from transition. This new situation is reflected in changes both in the type of assistance provided and the tools used, but also in a shift in the regional focus of the OeNB’s training and assistance activities.
Eight former recipient countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) became members of the European Union in May 2004. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in January 2007. Although the need for specific tailor-made assistance persists, requests can now be dealt with in the ESCB framework. Moreover, some of the traditional recipients have become providers of technical assistance, so that the original distinction between "donors" and "recipients" is becoming blurred.
There is still strong demand for assistance and training in Southeastern Europe and the CIS countries, and much of the focus of the OeNB’s assistance and training efforts has therefore shifted to these regions. Bilateral technical assistance takes the form of on-site advisory services on the one hand, and study and information visits to the OeNB on the other hand.
At the multilateral level, the OeNB is working together closely with the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI). The OeNB has been involved in the JVI from the very beginning in 1992. Since 2003 the OeNB has been a Primary Member of the JVI, along with the International Monetary Fund and the Austrian Ministry of Finance. As a consequence of these new arrangements, the OeNB has increased substantially its financial contributions to the JVI, and has co-sponsored the new training facility located in the centre of Vienna.
Looking at the JVI’s course schedule for the months ahead, the OeNB will offer the following seminars tailor-made for central bankers:
Inflation, Exchange Rate Stability and Credit Growth: Challenges for EMU– September 22 - 26, 2008
Cash Circulation and Payment Systems in Austria –October 6 – 9, 2008
Monetary and Financial Statistics Collected and Compiled by the ESCB –November 10 – 14, 2008
Translation in a Central Bank Setting –December 3 – 5, 2008
Stress Testing -March 9 – 13, 2009
Institutional Challenges for SEE Countries on the Road to the EU and EMU -April 27 – 30, 2009
Applied Economic Policy (AEP) Course –May 25 – July 31, 2009
The segment “Financial Sector Issues” is taught by the OeNB.
Inflation, Exchange Rate Stability and Credit Growth: Challenges for EMU– September 21 - 25, 2009
Cash Circulation and Payment Systems in Austria –October 5– 8, 2009
Monetary and Financial Statistics Collected and Compiled by the ESCB –November 9 – 13, 2009
Economic and Monetary Integration in Europe –November 23 – 26, 2009
Translation in a Central Bank Setting –November 30 – December 2, 2009
Moreover, the Austrian authorities jointly organize one-week seminars on "Foreign Direct Investment Policies", "Public Governance and Structural Reforms” and "Public and Private Partnerships".
For more details, see www.jvi.org.
Last but not least, the OeNB participates in various projects coordinated by the ECB and financed by the EU, in which other ESCB partners are involved as well. Current projects are a TACIS programme on banking supervision and internal audit with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and a programme with the National Bank of Serbia to assess preparatory needs in view of the country’s possible future entry into the EU.