Radio Interview with the Austrian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Rosie MacLeod spoke to Michael Zimmermann, the new Austrian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, about the presidency and Austria's place within the European Union more generally.
Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the United Kingdom: H.E. Dr. Michael Zimmermann / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
Austria held the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second half of 2018.
In the October, and shortly before the torch was passed on to Romania, Rosie MacLeod spoke to the Austrian Ambassador to the UK, about the presidency and Austria's place within the EU more generally.
What emerges is a real affinity between the three nations who joined the EU in 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden, who also hold a close bond from being non-NATO countries.
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Listen to find out how His Excellency feels the EU has enhanced Austria and changed it for the better, as well as the role of recent history (USSR presence, Marshall Aid) in making the Austrians generally very pro Europe.
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Curriculum Vitae: |
Michael Zimmermann |
| Date of Birth: | 1958 (Villach, Austria) |
| Education: | |
| 1981 |
He studied law at the University of Vienna, where he received his doctorate in law. |
| 1981 - 1983 | He completed his studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. |
| 1983 |
He joined the diplomatic service. |
| Career History: | |
| 1986 - 1990 |
Assignement to the Austrian Embassy in Tokyo. |
| 1990 - 1995 | Head of the Austrian Cultural Institute in Tehran. |
| 1995 - 1999 | Head of the Cabinet of State Secretary Benita Ferrero-Waldner. |
| 1999 ‐ 2004 | Director of the Austrian Cultural Institute in London. |
| 2004 - 2005 | Head of the Cabinet of the Foreign Ministers Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Ursula Plassnik. |
| 2005 - 2009 | Head of real estate management at the Foreign Ministry. |
| 1/2009 - 1/2014 | Austrian Ambassador to Hungary. |
| 2015 - 2018 | Responsible for personnel and infrastructure matters in the Austrian Foreign Ministry. |
| Since August 2, 2018 | Austrian Ambassador in London, United Kingdom. |
| Memberships: | He is a member of a student fraternity which is an associate member of the CV and a friend of the ÖCV. |
About the Author Rosie MacLeod
Rosie MacLeod (London) has a strong background in European Studies. She has written extensively on language politics. When she isn’t writing, she can be found translating and making radio programmes. She is the host of 'What they don't tell you about the EU' on East London Radio.
Listen to her podcasts here: mixcloud.com/rosie-macleod.
Twitter: @RosieMacLeod4