Vienna's Foreign and Bilateral Relations
Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, diplomacy, culture and tourism between Austria and its partners
Repatriation of Austrian Gold Reserves Nearing Completion
This year, and not in 2020, the OeNB Austrian National Bank is already concluding its repatriation campaign for half of its gold reserves. By the end of the year, 140 tonnes of gold are to be stored in Austria, with the other 140 tonnes remaining in London (84 tonnes) and Switzerland (56 tonnes).
March 30, 2018
Harvard Government Professor Michael Sandel to Lecture Austrian Opposition How to Win Back Popular Support
The election of Donald Trump was an angry verdict on decades of rising inequality and a version of globalization that benefits those at the top but leaves ordinary people feeling disempowered. American political philosopher and a political philosophy professor at Harvard University Michael J. Sandel will give a lecture on "Is Democracy in Peril? - Politics in the Age of Trump".
March 29, 2018
Vienna - Moscow: Maintaining All Communication Channels Is Crucial
All the evidence suggests that Russia is to blame for the poison attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. To date, 19 EU countries and 7 non-EU countries have expelled more than 150 diplomats. By deciding not to expel Russian diplomats, Austria is opposing most of its partner countries.
March 27, 2018
AUA Starts with Summer Flight Schedule 2018: More Flights to Germany, but CEE Remains Core Market
Austrian Airlines offers a flight program with 138 destinations in 55 countries in summer 2018.
March 26, 2018
Jens Weidmann Demands in Vienna an End to Massive Bond-Buying Program
The head of Deutsche Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann, visits Vienna to receive the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold (Grosses Goldenes Ehrenzeichen) from Finance Minister Hartwig Löger. In his speech he called for a rapid end to bond purchases by the European Central Bank (ECB).
March 26, 2018
Austrian Support for Peace and Security Programm in Horn of Africa Region
Vienna based ADA - Austrian Development Agency signs an agreement on peace and security in the Horn of Africa with EU and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development). The EUTF - EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa provides 40 million euros. 35 million of this will be made available to ADA and 5 million directly to IGAD. The ADA passes on one million euros to IGAD. The Swedish International Development Agency SIDA will also contribute one million euros..
March 26, 2018
Gisela Stuart: How Does a Europe-Endorsing German-British MP Become a Brexite Proponent?
Gisela Stuart, born and raised in West Germany and a Member of the British parliament (Labour party, 1997 – 2017), will give a guest lecture at the IWM - Institute for Human Sciences. She will answer the question of how an EU advocate can turn into a passionate advocate for Brexit.
March 22, 2018
Analysis: Vienna's 900 Years of Close Ties With Former Tax Haven Liechtenstein
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen visited the Principality of Liechtenstein during a state visit to Vaduz. After 14 months, he has finally visited the last of Austria's neighbouring countries. The state was known as a tax haven until November 2013. The Liechtenstein tax affair and offshore leaks have contributed to the neighbouring country signing an international agreement to prevent tax evasion.
March 22, 2018
80th Anniversary of Mexico’s Protest Against Anschluss of Austria to Hitler-Germany
On 19 March 1938 Mexico submitted a note of protest to the League of Nations against the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany (known as “Anschluss”). At that time Mexico was the only member of the League of Nations to issue a written protest.
March 21, 2018
Ryanair Acquires 75 Percent of LaudaMotion
The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is paying 100 million euros for the share. Ryanair will initially take over 24.9 percent of Laudamotion and intends to increase it to 75 percent, subject to the approval of the EU competition authority. The airline founder will continue to be in charge.
March 20, 2018
Culture Tech at SXSW in Austin, Texas: The Austrian Version of Cultural Diplomacy
Austria was present at the 2018 music festival South-by-Southwest-Festival (SXSW) in Austin with a selection of its most innovative entrepreneurs and artists from culture, music and the start-up industry. The heart of the domestic performance was the Austrian Day at the German House in the legendary Barracuda Club. In the setting of a traditional Viennese coffee house inspired by Café Landtmann, the menu included inspiring discussions, technical innovations and entertaining performances in addition to Viennese sausages and Sacher cake.
March 16, 2018
Hungary Forces Central European University of US Billionaire Soros to Move to Vienna
In view of the political pressure exerted by the Hungarian government under the proposed amendments to Act CCIV of 2011 on Hungarian National Higher Education, the Central European University (CEU) of US billionaire George Soros feels compelled to look for alternatives. The city of Vienna naturally offers itself as an excellent alternative or supplement. The CEU and the City of Vienna are already in negotiations about a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would enable CEU to open a satellite campus site in Vienna. The Otto Wagner area at Baumgartner Höhe is being examined as a possible location.
March 16, 2018
TTTech Sets Up Joint Venture in Shanghai to Deploy Key Technology for Autonomous Driving Cars in China
The Vienna-based technology company TTTech and China's largest automotive group Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) announced a joint venture with the intention to produce an Intelligent Driving Central Controller (iECU), which will be installed on the first China-made intelligent driving vehicle later this year. TTTech holds 49.9 percent in the new joint venture.
March 15, 2018
LGT Group Reports Profit of CHF 283.4 Mln
LGT, the private banking and asset management group owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein, reported strong net asset inflows and a significant increase in profits for the 2017 financial year. Group profit for the full year rose 23% to CHF 283.4 million. Net asset inflows, excluding acquired assets, amounted to CHF 17.7 billion, which corresponds to organic growth of 12%. As at the end of 2017, assets under management increased by a total of 33% to CHF 201.8 billion.
March 12, 2018
Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria / 在ウィーン国際機関日本政府代表部
Updated address, contact and mission details of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria (Ständige Vertretung Japans bei den Internationalen Organisationen in Wien), including its priorities in the nine international organizations where the Permanent Mission of Japan (PMJ) is engaged.
March 12, 2018
Embassy of Japan in Vienna, Austria
Updated address and contact details of the Embassy of Japan in Vienna, Austria (Japanische Botschaft in Wien, Österreich), including Department of Politics and Economics, Consular Department and Public and Cultural Relations Department / Japanese Information and Culture Centre.
March 12, 2018
Austrian Delegation Seeks to Improve Economic and Political Relations with Jordan
An official visit of President Van der Bellen to Jordan will take place from 17 April to 19 April 2018. The delegation to Amman will be accompanied by an economic mission headed by WKO Vice President Richard Schenz. The economic mission of the WKO is the response of an invitation issued some time ago by the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Kingdom.
March 8, 2018
The OSCE in 2030: Undivided Security in Europe Now More at Risk Than 10 Years Ago
In the Austrian National Defence Academy, the security issue "The OSCE in 2030: Undivided Security in Europe restored?" was discussed in the form of a public panel discussion. At the invitation of the International Institute for Peace (IIP), the Karl-Renner-Institut, the Scientific Cluster for Polemology and Legal Ethics, the FES Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe (ROCPE), the Austrian National Defence Academy and the ISP Institute for Security Policy, Hannes Swoboda as moderator and the panelists Thomas Greminger, Fyodor Lukyanov, Stephanie Liechtenstein, Alena Kupchyna discussed the hoped-for security policy development of Europe and the OSCE.
March 7, 2018
Mainland Chinese Billionaire Guo Guangchang to Take Over Austrian Asset Wolford AG
Shanghai based Fosun Group through its Hong Kong (Central) vehicle Fosun Industrial Holdings Limited (Fosun) has taken over control of one of Austria's last remaining lingerie assets. According to Wolford, its new strategic core shareholder has agreed to pay at least €36M for a 50.87% majority stake in Wolford AG. Wolford has been struggling with management problems for some time. It also has been loss making for several years. Fosun Industrial Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Fosun International Limited (British Virgin Islands) is an investment holding company with interests in asset management and entertainment services. Fosun wants full control of the lingerie maker. Upon the closing of the share purchase agreement Fosun intends to launch a takeover offer to the remaining shareholders. Fosun was co-founded in 1992 by Fudan graduate Guo Guangchang who meanwhile became the 34th richest person in China with a net worth of €7 billion.
March 3, 2018
Trevor Traina Looks Forward to Become the United States Ambassador to Austria
Today Mr. Trevor Traina testified before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Nomination Hearing. If confirmed, Mr. Traina is to become the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Austria. Traina: I am humbled to be President Trumps nominee to be the United States Ambassador to Austria. If confirmed, his grandmother, who just celebrated her hundredth birthday and who is the widow of his late grandfather Wiley T. Buchanan Jr. (who also served as U.S. ambassador to Austria), would have the confusing honor of being the wife and the grandmother of the Ambassador to Austria.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Austria
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Vienna. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Botschaft des Fürstentums Liechtenstein in Wien.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of Austria in the Principality of Liechtenstein
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of Austria in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Österreichischen Botschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of Austria in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of Austria in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Österreichischen Botschaft in Islamabad, Pakistan.
March 1, 2018
Austrian Airlines to Hire 600 New Employees, to Fly to Tokyo and Cape Town
Close to 12.9 million passengers flew with Austria’s national carrier last year, comprising a rise of 12.8 percent compared to the previous year. In 2018 the airline plans the integration of another long-haul aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 jet, in its fleet. It is planned to hire 150 employees just to operate this one new aircraft. In total about 200 pilots, 300 flight attendants and 100 employees in the fields of aircraft maintenance and ground handling will be hired. The additional capacity will enable Austrian Airlines to expand its intercontinental route network to Japan and South Africa.
March 1, 2018
Chancellor Kurz Visits President Putin: "The situation in Syria is dramatic"
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz traveled to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin. The focus of the trip was a working meeting with the Russian President, with whom Kurz discussed, among other things, the bilateral relations of both countries, the relationship between Russia and the EU, the Ukraine conflict and the current situation in Syria.
February 28, 2018
The Western Balkans Remain a Priority of Austrian Foreign Policy
Because of a common history and the tradition of political, cultural and economic relations, Austrian foreign policy has always attached particular importance to the Western Balkans. The primary goal of Austrian foreign policy is to support the transformation of the Western Balkans area into a zone of stability. From the Austrian perspective there is only one option for the Western Balkans: a full European integration of the region. However, the political commitment from the regions' leaders is expected.
February 28, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria: Juan Bautista Sunye Mendia
Updated background details of Mr. Juan Bautista Sunye Mendia, the current Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria.
February 23, 2018
Federal President Widow Margot Klestil-Löffler Designated to Become Special Envoy to Russia and China
Due to tensions in the CEI Central European Initiative in Trieste between the Italian diplomat Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri as CEI Secretary General and his deputy Margot Klestil-Löffler, it is rumored that the Foreign Office must find a new job for Klestil-Löffler. This is what the daily "Der Standard" writes in its Thursday issue.
February 23, 2018
KTM to Manufacture Motorcycles in China
The Upper Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM plans to produce motorcycles in China from 2020/21 as well. Currently KTM manufactures at the company headquarters in Upper Austria (Mattighofen), as well as together with the partner Bajaj in India (Pune).
February 23, 2018
How do Russian Politicians and Oligarchs Withdraw their Money from Austria?
The Russian money nobility has begun to repatriate large amounts of its western-hoarded money back to Russia in order to deprive it of access by Western authorities. The countries of origin are above all Switzerland, but also Austria and Great Britain. Sberbank, Russia's largest and state-owned bank, speaks of an atypically high capital inflow to Russia. Within a few weeks, a tripling of such repatriation transactions took place compared to the same period of the previous year. The sum is hundreds of millions of dollars. The average transfer amount has increased within a year by 50% to 3 million dollars. This meets with the Kremlin's desire to repatriate Russian assets.
February 22, 2018
IIASA Builds Bridge through Science with Israel
The Laxenburg based international research organization IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) has recently announced that Israel has become its newest member country. Israel joins 24 other countries whose National Member Organization’s representatives constitute the IIASA Governing Council. Israel has established the Israel Committee for IIASA - made up of representatives from Israeli universities, government ministries, and the public - to represent the Israeli membership of IIASA.
February 19, 2018
Historical Connection Between Klosterneuburg Monastery and Croatia
The Croatian ambassador in Austria, DDr. Vesna Cvjetković, visited the monastery Klosterneuburg, where the close historical ties became visible.
February 15, 2018
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria: Alberto Carnero Fernández (2013-2017)
Updated background details of Alberto Carnero Fernández, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria.
January 1, 2015 · Updated: February 14, 2018; 17:47
Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Vienna, Austria
Updated address and contact details of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Vienna, Austria
February 14, 2018
Telekom Austria AG / Results for the Full Year 2017
Telekom Austria Group announces its results for fourth quarter and full year 2017, ending 31 December 2017. Group total revenues rose by 3.0% on a proforma basis (reported: +4.1%), EBITDA increased by 2.0% (rep.: +3.2%). Revenue increase driven by growth in fixed-line service revenues and equipment revenues, while mobile service revenues were lower due to roaming; the revenue increase was driven by all markets except for the Republic of Macedonia.
February 13, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Benin to Austria: H.E. Mr. Eloi Laourou
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Benin to Austria Eloi Laourou presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi to Austria: H.E. Ms. Else Nizigama Ntamagiro
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi to Austria Else Nizigama Ntamagiro presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Austria: H.E. Ms. Fatima Sidikou
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Austria Fatima Sidikou presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with her letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Austria: H.E. Mr. Le Dung
The new Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Austria Le Dung presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to Austria: H.E. Mr. Roger Albéric Kacou
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to Austria Roger Albéric Kacou presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to Austria: H.E. Mr. Abdallah Saleh Possi
The new Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to Austria Abdallah Saleh Possi presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal to Austria: H.E. Mr. Prakash Kumar Suvedi
The new Nepalese Ambassador to Austria Prakash Kumar Suvedi presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Austria: H.E. Mr. Heng Wing Chan
The new Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Austria Heng Wing Chan presented President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
January 9, 2018
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Vienna, Austria
Updated address and contact details of the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Vienna, Austria. (Updated Consular Section information please see below.)
January 2, 2018
Changes in the Supervisory Board of Aircraft Component Manufacturer FACC
Board member Mr. Wang Xuejun will be replaced by Ms. Li Li as a new member of the Supervisory Board of FACC AG. She will be delegated by FACC International Company Limited, Hong Kong, which holds a stake of 55.5% of the total of Xi’an Aircraft's stake of 91,25 %. Ms. Li is currently Director of Accounting at the Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group. She holds a law and economics degree from Zhongnan University. She also obtained an MBA from Missouri State University Branch Campus Dalian in the People's Republic of China.
November 20, 2017
Strabag Secures Orders in Poland for 170 Million Euros
Austria's largest construction group has received orders worth 170 million euros in Poland. The General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) awarded three road contracts to the Polish subsidiaries of Strabag, said the listed company in a release.
October 31, 2017
Andritz Receives 90 Million Euros Order for Power Plant Renewal in Canada
The listed technology group Andritz has landed a major order for the renovation of a hydroelectric power station in Canada. "The order value is over 90 million euros," said Andritz by press release. The Styrian company will therefore renew six of the eight turbine units of a power plant in the province of Saskatchewan for the Canadian electricity supplier SaskPower.
October 31, 2017
Lenzing AG / Lenzing Opens New Application Innovation Center in Hong Kong
The Lenzing Group is setting a further milestone in intensifying its cooperation with the partners along the value chain by its opening of a new Application Innovation Center (AIC) in Hong Kong. New applications for Lenzing fibers will be developed and tested at the new facility, among them applications for recent innovations like the RefibraTM branded lyocell fiber and the EcoVeroTM branded viscose fiber.
September 12, 2017
RHI Sells Production Sites in Italy and Spain to Unnamed European Refractories Supplier
The planned combination of RHI AG with the Brazilian Magnesita was approved by the European Commission on June 28, 2017 subject to conditions. Today, RHI signed a contract with a European refractories supplier regarding the sale of its dolomite business in the European Economic Area. The sale consists of the production sites in Marone, Italy, and Lugones, Spain. The contribution to revenue of the two RHI plants amounted to roughly EUR 50 million in the financial year 2016 and represents roughly 3% of the Group's revenue in the year 2016.
September 8, 2017
Moody's Lifts Outlook for Austrian Banks
Moody's lifts outlook for Austrian banks on positive, because the economic recovery in Austria makes it possible to improve the outlook for domestic banks.
August 24, 2017
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