On the evening of June 16, 2025, we were pleased to welcome renowned economist Martin KOCHER as a speaker at our CIRCLE Talk. The topic of the evening: “What will get the European and Austrian economies back on track?”
In a incisive analysis, Martin Kocher discussed, among other things:
- Why the economy in Austria and the EU is currently stagnating
- The impact of Trump’s tariff policy on Europe—and what strategic responses the EU could develop
- The difficulty of genuine deregulation in the face of political realities—a point that resonated strongly with many guests from the business community
- Austerity measures and their effect on growth
- Education as a key driver of economic resilience and competitiveness
A quote from Jean-Claude Juncker summed up the political challenge: “We all know what reforms are necessary. But we don’t know how to implement them and then win an election.”
Our key takeaway:
Despite current challenges, there are many reasons for optimism: Europe and Austria have strong economic foundations, innovative capacity, and stable structures. The key is to make targeted use of these strengths now, to have confidence, and to courageously tackle reforms for the future.
A heartfelt thank you to Martin Kocher for his candid, clear remarks—and to all participants for their keen interest, thought-provoking questions, and engaging discussion. The evening demonstrated once again: We need new ideas, the courage to implement them—and platforms like the CIRCLE Talk.
