Authors: Judit Ricz and Andrea Éltető,

In: Post-Communist Economies, 1–26

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14631377.2025.2587008

Abstract

In the emerging new geopolitical landscape, Central European (CE) economies experiment with alternative approaches, leading to the rise of illiberal politics and changed economic governance. With Hungary being the most critical example of a DME coupled with illiberal political tendencies, this study compares six Central European countries’ EV battery ambitions and strategies as well as the consequences thereof. Being a hub for the European automotive industry over the last decades, the CE countries’ recent turn towards the production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries is a step to reposition themselves in these regional value chains. Our exploratory study compares the main ambitions and strategies of the creation of the new EV battery sector across six Central European countries in the dependency-illiberalism nexus. Our results prove that besides the dependency arguments, illiberal political as well as geopolitical and strategic considerations are the main driving forces of recent changes.

A Ricz, J., Éltető, A.: Dependency meets illiberalism: expansion of the EV battery sector in Central Europe bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Tamás Csontos, Dorottya Szabó, Helena Drdlová

In: Köz-Gazdaság – Review of Economic Theory and Policy, 20(3), 60-94.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14267/RETP2025.03.05

Abstract

Industrial policy, which has long been marginalised in economic thought, is now experiencing a global revival. This new industrial policy renaissance has also reached the dependent market economies of the Visegrád Four (V4). However, there has been limited quantitative analysis of industrial policy in the region. This paper addresses this gap by using the recently developed NIPO database to evaluate industrial policies in Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland between 2017 and 2023. In addition to the core NIPO categories, we have developed a customised classification system to analyse the objectives, beneficiaries and primary funding sources of industrial policy interventions. According to our results, the V4 countries, which predominantly outsourced their industrial policy to multinational companies after the 1989 regime change and focused on attracting FDI, started to implement vertical, sector-specific interventions alongside horizontal industrial policy. Nevertheless, this shift remains heavily dependent on external financing, particularly EU and EIB funds, and continues to prioritise foreign firms, highlighting the ongoing reliance on the dependent market economy model. Based on the results, we identify four distinct national industrial policy trajectories: Slovakia’s industrial policy is the most EU-embedded, with a particular focus on the automotive industry. Hungary’s industrial policy is centred on domestic resources, but heavily supports foreign (notably Asian) capital. In contrast, Poland pursues an industrial policy oriented towards domestic firms, while the Czech Republic’s industrial policy is EU-embedded and focused on foreign firms, but with a more diverse and RDI-focused approach than Hungary’s.

A Szabó, D., Drdlová, H., Csontos, T.: Return of Industrial Policy in the V4 Countries: Insights From the NIPO Database bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Tamás Tibor Csontos

In: Global Economic Observer, 2(11), 22-30.

Abstract

The Coronavirus pandemic marked the end of an era in the catching-up process of East-Central Europe. A thorough evaluation of the growth model of the last decade is therefore needed in order to draw lessons for future industrial policy. The aim of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of the Bulgarian, Hungarian and Romanian growth models based on the examination of leading sectors. The paper compares the five leading sectors of the three countries in the period 2011-2018. The five leading industries are defined in terms of their contribution to gross value-added growth. The paper also examines foreign dependence and labour productivity growth in the leading sectors, the latter also being key to analysing the possibility of a middle-income trap. The results show a different sectoral specialisation in the three countries. The foreign dominance is higher in Hungary and Romania. Moreover, Romania is the best performer in terms of labour productivity.

Keywords: growth models, leading sectors, catching-up, middle-income trap, dependency, industrial policy

A Csontos, T., T.: Comparative Analysis of Leading Sectors in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Andrea Éltető

ELKH KRTK, Institute of World Economics, Working Paper Nr. 271 (2023) June 2023

Abstract

The significant expansion of Hungarian domestic electric vehicle battery manufacturing capacity by early 2023 has become a major topic of public debate in the country. South Korean battery factories have been operating in Hungary since 2019 with Asian-owned suppliers and further Asian plants have been established since then. This paper presents the various aspects of scaling up battery production, drawing on official documents, press information, studies, statistics, and video and audio material. It shows how the functioning plants operate in Hungary, how industrial safety and environmental regulations are breached, and what the attitude of local authorities and civil groups is. The study evaluates the location factors like availability of workforce, energy and water, pointing out their scarcity. There is also a painful lack of responsible cost-benefit analysis, a credible and flexible government strategy and fact-based information.

A Éltető, A.: Aspects of electric vehicle battery production in Hungary bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.