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

Verbund´s Subsidiary Sorgenia Achieved Higher Profits

Net income climbed during the first three quarters to 57.6 million euros

October 19, 2010

Tax Evaders Targeted by the Ministers of Finance

Budget problems plague the majority of EU countries. In addition to budget discipline, the prosecution of tax evaders is to be addressed.

October 18, 2010

Do & Co Expands Rapidly in Turkey

After the successful expanion with Turkish Airlines, Do & Co plans to enter the event-catering market

October 18, 2010

Hypo-Group: Bavarian Lawsuit Against Carinthia

The balance sheet of the Hypo Group -nationalized in 2009- was artificially inflated, according to the accusation from Bavaria.

October 18, 2010

Supervision of Banks: Austria and Russia Intensify Cooperation

A Memorandum of Understanding just signed facilitates cooperation in banking supervision between the two countries.

October 18, 2010

Strabag Expands its Competence in Bridge Building – New Order in Poland

Strabag SE, a large construction company in Central and Eastern Europe, signed an agreement to build a new bridge complex in Toruń, Poland.

October 18, 2010

Austrian Post Cooperates with Swiss Post

The two companies plan a joint venture to bundle international activities in the field of addressed advertising mail.

October 15, 2010

Production of BMW X3 Shifts From Styria to USA

In Graz, where the BMW X3 has been manufactured until now, production will focus on Minis.

October 14, 2010

OeNB Governor Nowotny Contradicts the Deutsche Bundesbank

"The ECB should not give up purchasing bonds". Although the bond purchase program of the ECB was not needed in recent weeks, Nowotny wants to go on having it "in reserve”. The German Bundesbank warns of a too late withdrawal.

October 13, 2010

Kotányi: Sales in Russia Exceed 20 Million Euro

The Lower Austrian herb and spice producer expects sales in Russia for over 20 million euro this year.

October 12, 2010

Slovakia: Changes in Automobile Production Trend

Manufacturers operating in Slovakia invest again. Total production in 2010 may reach over half a million vehicles. An opportunity for foreign suppliers.

October 12, 2010

RZB Group Tatra banka among Lead Managers for Slovak Republic EUR 2 Billion Benchmark Bond

Tatra Banka (RZB Group), HSBC, SG CIB and UniCredit Bank Slovakia placed a Slovak Republic issue with a maturity of fifteen years.

October 11, 2010

Chip Manufacturer Infineon: Revalorization of the Development Center Graz

The German chip maker based in Villach is bundling competencies. All future research on tire pressure sensors will be made at the Infineon Development Center Graz with 250 employees.

October 8, 2010

Austria is Getting More Popular Among Arab People

Arab tourists find Austria increasingly pleasant. So far this year, the number of arrivals between January and August grew by 21% to 91,600 as compared to the same period of the previous year.

October 8, 2010

Bratislava: Investment in Slovak 'Las Vegas' in Danger

Bratislava might lose the planned amusement park "Metropolis", with an investment amount of 1.5 billion euro, if the Slovak government revokes the already approved tax concessions.

October 7, 2010

Zumtobel Closes Loss-Making Plant Space Cannon in Italy

Zumtobel, the shareholder of the company Space Cannon VH SRL, based in Fubine (Piedmont), a specialist in façade and event lighting and a member of the Zumtobel Group, has filed for liquidation.

October 7, 2010

Zumtobel Opened Light Center in Shanghai

More than 120 architects, designers and business partners enjoyed the Zumtobel opening gala for the new Light Center in Shanghai.

October 7, 2010

Qualified Workforce: Austria’s Target is to Attract Skilled Immigrants

ÖAAB General Secretary Lukas Mandl: "Germany has long been an immigration country. Austria also has to become one. Austria’s target should be to attract skilled immigrants, after identifying the needs."

October 6, 2010

AVL Opens Battery-Testing Lab in Shanghai

With the opening of its battery laboratory at AVL Shanghai Tech Center in China, the company has taken a further visible step on the path toward powertrain electrification in the area of battery development.

October 6, 2010

Schoeller-Bleckmann Acquired Dubai Based Special Tools Provider

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG (SBO), listed on the ATX market of the Vienna Stock Exchange, has successfully completed acquisition of Drilling Systems International Ltd. (DSI).

October 5, 2010

Alpine: New 140 Million Euro Motorway Contract in Poland

The construction company from Salzburg is to build an 18-kilometer motorway section for almost 140 million euro.

October 5, 2010

Doppelmayr: Major Contract from San Francisco for 121 Million Euro

After major orders for its cable car system for Las Vegas and Venice, the cable car technology group from Vorarlberg now also got on track in the greater San Francisco area with the largest order in the company’s history.

October 5, 2010

OMV: Gas Reservoir Found in Southern Tunisia

OMV has been successful again in southern Tunisia. "The two additional findings are of economic and strategic importance and round off the success of the present OMV-drilling campaign, with a total of nine strikes in a row."

October 4, 2010

Kapsch TrafficCom: Polish 1.24 Billion Euro Contract for Truck and Bus Toll System

The company listed in the Vienna Stock Exchange will build up the entire toll system for trucks and buses weighing over 3.5 tons on Poland's roads for July 2011.

October 4, 2010

FACC Grows and Hires

The aircraft supplier FACC, since recently Chinese property, plans to grow further this year. In order to do this, the company needs 150 new employees.

October 1, 2010

UniCredit SpA has appointed Federico Ghizzoni as its new chief executive

Italy's biggest bank UniCredit SpA named central and eastern European head Federico Ghizzoni its chief executive as expected on Thursday and underscored its commitment to an international role.

October 1, 2010

Bogner Edelstahl Continues to Grow

Austrian stainless steel specialist Bogner is pursuing an ambitious expansion plan in spite of the sales drop.

September 30, 2010

Energieallianz Austria Creates Subsidiary in Germany

Renewable energies are a rising trend. This has been recognized by the domestic Energieallianz Austria(EAA), a subsidiary of the energy provider for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland.

September 30, 2010

Raiffeisen Invests in New Branches in the Czech Republic

Raiffeisenbank a.s., the fifth largest bank in the Czech Republic, expands its network of branches in the neighboring country.

September 29, 2010

Mondi - Russia's Syktyvkar Mill modernized

Paper and packaging group Mondi confirmed that the modernization of its Russian mill was complete and the mill was ready to meet Eastern Europe's growing demand for uncoated fine paper and container board.

September 29, 2010

Deripaska: Back to Austria as Strabag Shareholder?

In 2 weeks, on October 15, the deadline expires for Oleg Deripaska to re-purchase his 25% share of the domestic construction company Strabag for about half a billion euro.

September 29, 2010

BayernLB has to Wait 7 Years for 3.9 Billion from Carinthia

After the debacle of the Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), the Bayerische Landesbank will have to wait up to 7 years for the repayment of the 3.9 billion euro. The repayment plan provides for this period.

September 28, 2010

UniCredit: Andrea Orcel is Possible Successor to Profumo

Andrea Orcel, chief executive of the Global Banking and Markets division of Bank of America Merrill Lynch is rumored to be the favorite in the race to succeed the retiring UniCredit CEO Alessandro Profumo.

September 24, 2010

Oerlikon: Acquittal for Stumpf, Vekselberg, Pecik

In the case of Oerlikon, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court acquitted investors Viktor Vekselberg, Georg Stumpf and Ronny Pecik from the charge of violating the Exchange Act in the case of OC Oerlikon.

September 24, 2010

MTH Handels-Holding of Josef Taus permitted to acquire German retail chain Mäc-Geiz

The sale of the insolvent German retail trade chain Mäc-Geiz has been completed. Anti-trust authorities have approved the takeover of the German company by MTH Handels-Holding GmbH (Vienna) controlled by the Austrian industrialist Josef Taus.

September 23, 2010

Austria Continues Being the Largest Investor in Romania

"Romania is an important market in Eastern Europe for the Austrian economy. Its great importance for us is proved by the fact that Austria is by far the largest investor in Romania"

September 23, 2010

Mitterlehner Meets Hendry: Development of Renewable Energies

The Finance Minister met with the British Energy Minister Charles Hendry for talks about the energy policy in the EU, the development of renewable energy sources and increasing the security of energy supply.

September 21, 2010

Wolford opened a production facility in Slovenia

The Bregenz based and stock exchange listed producer of lingerie and hosiery opened its plant in Murska Sobota, Slovenia.

September 20, 2010

Martin Schlaff: Acquisition of Several Latvian Oil Transport Companies Planned

After four years of delay Schlaff is reported to be planning the takeover of several Latvian transport companies.

September 20, 2010

A-Tec's Subsidiary AE & E: CFO Brandt Moves to Sulzer

AE & E’s CFO, Juergen Brandt, will be CFO of the Swiss industrial group Sulzer. Jürgen Boggild moves to the Board.

September 20, 2010

Swiss Post International is Not Interested in the Austrian Mail Business

According to its Austrian CEO, Georg Weidinger, the state-run Swiss Post is not one of the future competitors of the Post AG in the mail business,

September 20, 2010

Liquefied Natural Gas: Plans for a Route from Georgia to Romania

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is to be shipped from the Georgian port of Kulevi in the direction of Constanta.

September 17, 2010

Hypo Alpe Adria: Greek Entrepreneur Xeniadis Signals his Interest in Buying

The Greek businessman Vasileios Xeniadis is prepared to offer 1.35 billion euro for Hypo Alpe Adria.

September 16, 2010

Direct Connection with Kabul - Afghan Kam Air Lands in Vienna

The private Afghan airline Kam Air started with the direct flights Kabul-Vienna-Kabul.

September 16, 2010

Volksbank Vorarlberg: High Losses in Switzerland

Commitment to financial advisor JML did not go as desired: losses up to 3.9 million euro

September 15, 2010

Telekom Austria Buys Two Bulgarian Cable Operators

Telekom Austria buys two cable operators in Bulgaria: Megalan Network and Spectrum Net. The two companies are worth 83 million euro free of debt; Telekom will pay about 72 million through Mobiltel.

September 15, 2010

Russian Fund Accuses RZB of Money Laundering

The Russian fund Hermitage Capital, which has been at loggerheads with the Russian authorities for years owing to a major tax fraud case, now accuses the Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) for having aided and abetted the money laundering.

September 14, 2010

Magna - Siegfried Wolf to leave in November

Magna International Inc. today announced that Siegfried Wolf, Magna's Co-Chief Executive Officer, has resigned as a director and officer effective November 15, 2010.

September 13, 2010

EVN building cogeneration plant in Plovdiv/Bulgaria

Today, Prime Minister Bokyo Borissov, Provincial Governor Erwin Pröll and EVN's CEO Burkhard Hofer oversaw the ceremony for the construction of a highly efficient cogeneration plant in the city of Plovdiv.

September 13, 2010

The American Chamber of Commerce in Austria is celebrating its 50th Anniversary

For over 50 years AmCham Austria has been promoting economic and trade relations between Austria and the United States of America.

September 13, 2010