Promoting regional economic cooperation has been the goal of Vienna Economic Forum since its foundation in 2004, and we are proud that the economic cooperation between entrepreneurs from the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum - Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine - has developed successfully over all these years.

Among the founding members of the Vienna Economic Forum are some of the most renowned Austrian companies and industrialists. The Prime Ministers of the states of the region are, together with the Austrian Federal Chancellor, Members of the Patronage Committee of Vienna Economic Forum. All accredited ambassadors in Austria of the VEF- Members countries take part in the VEF- activities as Members of the Ambassadors Committee. To the organs of Vienna Economic Forum also belong the Honorary Committee and the Cultural Committee of the countries of the region of Vienna Economic Forum.

Vienna Economic Forum, which has been granted the Status of an International Non-governmental Organization and the Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is constantly growing and developing.

Since 2015, Vienna Economic Forum has also been listed in the Transparency Register of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

In all these years, Vienna Economic has remained true to its founding goals:

• To popularize and promote investment opportunities in the region from the Adriatic to the Black Sea.
• To provide impulses and, based on research, the joint projects required in the region for short-term, medium-term and long-term realisation, and promoting their implementation
• Becoming a place of definition, encounter, and of realising the public and private interests in connection with the various projects in the region as part of a united Europe.

These goals incorporate the vision that led to the creation of the VEF in 2004: to follow a strategy that contributes to economic cooperation and development of the VEF member countries as a region that is growing together, a “VEF economic area”!

The implementation of this strategy is always in focus and determines the planning and execution of all the work of the Vienna Economic Forum team over the years!

New perspectives for cooperation with the Chairman of the Board of VERBUND AG, DI Wolfgang Anzengruber 

In a very friendly atmosphere at the Headquarters of the VEF Cooperation partner Verbund AG, on 21. December 2020, the Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum, Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva met with DI Wolfgang Anzengruber, Chairman of Board of VERBUND AG, founding member of Vienna Economic Forum and member of the VEF Honorary Committee. 

The conversation, which was focused on the scope for design of future further cooperation, allowed new perspectives to be identified.  

The VEF General Secretary presented DI Wolfgang Anzengruber with the "Decoration of Honor of Vienna Economic Forum", expressing great gratitude for his services in the successful development and realization of the joint project - Vienna Economic Forum. 

17^th Vienna Economic Forum - Vienna Future Dialogue 2020

Special online Edition
„Economic meets Politics in a Digital World“

The unique hybrid "Special Edition of the 17th Vienna Economic Forum - Vienna Future Dialogue 2020" took place on 16. November under the challenging circumstances of 2020. The President of Vienna Economic Forum, DI Peter Umundum, Board Member "Paket & Logistics" of Österreichische Post AG and the Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva invited to an exciting online discussion under the motto “90 minutes with EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel” with the aim to take into consideration the highly prevailing topics of the "new types of mobility in a digital world" and the "challenges and opportunities for the regional economy" from the perspective of high-ranking political and economic representatives from the VEF member countries. 

Vienna Economic Forum is delighted to announce that more than 1200 viewers from 32 countries worldwide were able to watch the live online broadcast of the main interactive discussion of EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, with portfolio for research, innovation, education, culture and youth, with H.E. Avdullah Hoti, Prime Minister of Kosovo, H.E. Denys Schmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, H.E. Fatmir Bytyqi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, and Dr. Lilyana Pavlova, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB). 

In her opening speech, the Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva pointed out the currency of the topics of the 17th Vienna Economic Forum by highlighting the role of youth in our digital future. In addition, she turned to the political leaders from the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum to be aware of both the challenges, but also the new opportunities, by striving now more than ever to balance public and private interests as the most important condition for good economic development.