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

Austria Ranks Third in EU Productivity Study

The report points out structural weaknesses and suggests more effective public spending in the fields of education, research and innovation.

October 14, 2011

CRM of Doka Group Awarded

An international jury awarded prizes for the best customer-relationship management projects, ranking Doka among the top three companies, at the Customer-Relationship Management (CRM) Expo in Nuremberg, Germany.

October 14, 2011

VBAG Expects Massive Loss

The Austrian bank has to write off € 700m on the book value of its participations in Investkredit and Volksbank Romania. The state’s participation capital will not be repaid this year.

October 14, 2011

Binder+Co Presents Promising Technology

The Austrian machine and plant manufacturer and a Chinese partner together developed a new method for production of lightweight materials.

October 13, 2011

Slovakia Approved EFSF

After unsuccessful voting on Tuesday, Slovak lawmakers supported today the enlargement of the European Financial Stability Fund.

October 13, 2011

Polish Foreign Trade Will Increase by 125% by 2025

The world trade will increase only by 73%, states the report of HSBC Trade Connections. The document presents forecasts for the international trade in the perspective of several years.

October 13, 2011

CA Immo Commences Hotel Construction in Berlin

The Austrian real estate company invests € 53.2m in the Europacity development project. The hotel is scheduled for completion in 2013.

October 13, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Has Its Own Funds to Buy the Polish Insurer Warta

Guenter Geyer, the head of the Austrian insurance company quoted by the Polish daily Gazeta Prawna confirmed the interest in an auction of the Warta Insurance and Reinsurance Company.

October 13, 2011

Greiner Packaging Expands its Network in Romania

The Austrian packaging producer took over the major share of S.C. Amplast Co S.A. from a group of private owners.

October 13, 2011

International Russia - Austria Conference

Austrian Standards hosts a conference on 2 and 3 November in Vienna. Its topic: International standards as a basis for successful economic co-operation.

October 12, 2011

OeEB Grants Credit to Azerbaijani Bank

DemirBank receives $ 25m from the Austrian Development Bank, RBI and other lenders to support entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan.

October 12, 2011

Immofinanz Opens Shopping Center Extension in Poland

The Austrian real estate company invested € 50m in the project, making it one of the top five shopping centers in Poland.

October 12, 2011

Slovakia Against the Enlargement of the Euro Zone Bailout Fund

After six hours of heated debate Slovak lawmakers failed to approved the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF).

October 12, 2011

Czech Consumer Price Index Increased by 1,8% Compared to September 2010

According to research released by the Czech Statistical Office, consumer prices decreased in September by 0.2 %, month-on-month.

October 12, 2011

Hungarian Consumer Price Index Increased by 3,6% Compared to September 2010

In September 2011 consumer prices increased by 3.6% compared to September 2010, it was the same rate as in the previous month, registered the Hungarian Central Statistic Office.

October 12, 2011

Drop in Car Production in Poland

In September 2011, the production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Poland amounted to 70,521 units, an increase by 63,24% (27,319 units) compared to August 2011 reported the Samar Institute.

October 12, 2011

Verbund´s Subsidiary Expands in Italy

Sorgenia, the Italian subsidiary of the Austrian energy group Verbund, now provides electricity also for private households.

October 11, 2011

Bank Austria Optimizing its Activities in Russia

Sergey Sidorov to remain CEO until year end and to support the organizational and strategic Changes. Alexander Cheporov to become Head of Equity Brokerage Operations.

October 11, 2011

Skoda’s Domination in Poland

According to research conducted by Samar, Skoda has been the unquestionable leader of the Polish car market during last 30 months.

October 11, 2011

Gloom Over Clothing Industry in Poland

In the first half of this year over 13 thousand of clothing shops disappeared from the Polish market.

October 11, 2011

Santander Close to Become a Leading Player in Poland

According to the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita, Santander, the Euro zone’s top lender, made a binding offer for Polish Kredyt Bank.

October 11, 2011

NKE Expands in Spite of Stagnation

The Austrian engineering company invests massively and created further jobs. The entry to China should bring growth again.

October 10, 2011

Austrian Food Exports are Booming

About 66% of the domestic food production is being exported. Germany remains the most important foreign market.

October 10, 2011

Vienna Airport to Cooperate Closer With Bratislava

The Vienna International Airport (VIA) is looking for potential synergetic effects in Bratislava, which should bring further passenger growth.

October 10, 2011

UniCredit: Sale of Bank Austria?

According to market rumors, the Italian bank considers to sell its Austrian subsidiary in order to strengthen its own position. Bank Austria´s CEO Cernko denies fiercely.

October 8, 2011

Upper Austria Waits for Google

The Austrian province already has provided the infrastructure for the U.S. internet service provider google. But construction works for the data processing center did not began until now.

October 8, 2011

Kärntner Sparkasse Finalized Withdrawal from Italy

The Carinthian bank will close its operating business in Italy. The branches have been overtaken by the South Tyrolean “Südtiroler Sparkasse”.

October 8, 2011

RBI: Capital Injection for Hungarian Subsidiary Likely

The Austrian bank’s losses from the conversion of foreign currency loans will amount to approximately € 100m.

October 7, 2011

OMV’s Petrom Opens Wind Park in Romania

The subsidiary of the Austrian energy group invested a total of € 90m. The park has an installed capacity of 45 MW.

October 7, 2011

Energieallianz Austria Continues Expansion

The Austrian energy trading company opened its third office in Germany, where supply volumes have increased more than tenfold since 2007.

October 6, 2011

New Board Member for Slovak Subsidiary of VIG

Erik Nikmon was appointed to the Managing Board of Kooperativa. He will take up his position on 1 November.

October 6, 2011

New Record in Agricultural Foreign Trade

The first half of 2011 brought double-digit growth rates in all product categories. Exports to Hungary increased by 43%, making it the number three buyer country.

October 6, 2011

Kneissl Acquired by “Friends of Sports”

The bankrupt Tyrolean ski producer is taken over by a German holding company. The brand name will be retained; the Kufstein production site will be expanded.

October 6, 2011

Teak Holz Wins Major Order

The Upper Austrian timber company signed a € 50m contract for external forest management activities in Costa Rica.

October 6, 2011

Personnel Changes in the Managing Board of Czech VIG Subsidiary

The Austrian Vienna Insurance Group reshuffles the board of the Czech Kooperativa.

October 5, 2011

Trade Chain Adeg to Achieve Turnaround in 2012

The Austrian subsidiary chain of the German Rewe group still faces losses. By 2012, Adeg should leave the red zone.

October 5, 2011

Generali Austria Report Small Rise in Premiums

The Italian insurance group shows a small rise in premiums in spite of a difficult Austrian insurance market.

October 5, 2011

Ukraine Guarantees Gas Supply to Austria

The Ukraine invites Austrian companies to construct liquefied gas terminal.

October 5, 2011

conwert Takes Over Property Management for German Tower Group

Additional management of more than 4,600 residential and approx. 300 commercial units in Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia At 30 June 2011, Austrian conwert managed a total of 60,825 residential and commercial units.

October 5, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Merges Bulgarian Subsidiaries

The Austrian insurance corporation intends to strengthen its market presence via the merger of Bulstrad and Bulgarski Imoti,

October 5, 2011

BMW Austria Fears Lack in Skilled Labor

The German automobile corporation´s factory in Steyr, Austria, already produces 5000 engines per day. 200 new workers were hired this year.

October 4, 2011

OMV: Withdrawal from Czech Republic Possible

The Austrian energy company plans to leave the Czech petrol station market, reports the Czech Television (CT). Proceedings will be needed for the expansion of the gas business.

October 3, 2011

Hostile Takover of Telekom Austria?

According to market rumors, Telekom Austria prepares measures against a potential takeover. Currently, the corporation faces several troubles.

October 3, 2011

Potential for Austrian Suppliers in Spain

The Austrian AWO started a market exploration journey to Spain in order to create first business contacts. In the first term of 2011, exports to Spain grew by 6.6%.

October 3, 2011

Dutch Imtech Acquires Austrian Comnet

The Dutch Imtech (technical services provider in Europe) announces that it acquires the Austrian ICT company Comnet. This acquisition will strengthen Imtech’s position in the Austrian ICT market.

October 3, 2011

Czech Railways Orders 16 Railjets from Vienna

Major Order for Siemens Austria from the Czech National Railways Ceske Drahy: the railway group exercises an option, which was reserved for the Austrian Federal Railways originally.

October 3, 2011

Chinese Interest for ATB

After the collapse of the takeover of A-Tec, the subsidiary has to be sold separately. The Chinese Wolong group plans to acquire the Austrian automotive company.

October 1, 2011

Springer Shows Interest for „Krone“ and „Kurier“

The German media group is willing to purchase the major stakes of the Austrian newspapers “Krone” and “Kurier” held by the German WAZ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung).

October 1, 2011

Slight Increase in Unemployment

Austria´s unemployment grew by 1.9% in September 2011. The main reason is the lower number of trainings.

October 1, 2011

RHI Buys Irish Raw Materials Producer

The Austrian producer of refractory materials takes over Premier Periclase Ltd. for a price of € 21m.

September 30, 2011