Sponsored Content
Bulgaria in Austria | Bulgarians in Vienna | Bilateral Relations
Austria and Bulgaria - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism
EU Special Summit Deals with Foreign Policy Issues
The EU government heads have come together to discuss foreign policy issues in Brussels. Chancellor Kurz is representing Austria at the meeting and has already met with Council President Michel, EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Borrell and Commission President von der Leyen.
October 1, 2020
European Commission Publishes First Report on Rule of Law
The European Commission has published its first report on the rule of law among member countries. Although the European Union requires high standards, there are still some procedures that need revision in order to assure independency and proper democratic systems. Even Austria has some catching up to do.
October 1, 2020
EU eGovernment Benchmark 2020: Austria in Top 3
New services on oesterreich.gv.at and the "Digitales Amt" app are having an effect - Austria is one of the top nations in the Europe-wide comparison. Only Malta and Estonia received better results in this year's EU eGovernment Benchmark.
September 24, 2020
Schallenberg at Council of EU Foreign Ministers
The EU Foreign Ministers met in Brussels to discuss current issues such as developments in Belarus and Libya. Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg demands a "strong signal" from the EU towards the Belarusian government.
September 22, 2020
European Capital of Democracy Coming Soon
The newly formed initiative "European Capital of Democracy" will try to give civilization more access to democracy by supporting activities and events that aim to improve and strengthen democracy. The first capital will be selected next year.
September 21, 2020
EU Supports Young Researchers with EUR 677 Million
The European Commission is providing a total of EUR 677 million to over 400 recipients of a "Starting Grant" from the European Research Council. Eleven of the selected junior researchers are conducting research at Austrian institutions.
September 4, 2020
Climate and Energy Goals: Additional Measures Will Be Needed for Austria
Austria's Ministry for Climate Protection recognizes the need for additional protective measures in order to meet the climate targets established by the European Union. An increases of investments in sustainable ideas is demanded.
September 3, 2020
Dombrovskis in Alpbach: Economy Must Serve All People
Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Dombrovskis highlights the importance of the young generation in rebuilding the economy after Covid-19. Unemployment needs to be tackled and sustainability and digital innovation will be supported.
September 2, 2020
Higher Unemployment Rate in Euro Zone, Decreasing Numbers in Austria
Even though many EU Member States have loosened Covid-19 containment measures, unemployment increased once again in the euro zone. Austria's rate decreased slightly from June to July 2020.
September 2, 2020
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Berlin
Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg has come together with the other EU Foreign Minister to discuss current foreign affairs. The main topics were the conflict between Greece and Turkey, the current situation in Belarus, relations between the EU and Russia, and the peace process in the Middle East.
August 28, 2020
IPU World Conference: National Council President Sobotka Highlights Importance of International Cooperation
The 5th IPU World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, originally planned on being conducted in Vienna, was held virtually from August 19 to August 20. Austrian National Council President Sobotka as well as the majority of the representatives underlined the importance of international cooperation.
August 21, 2020
Austrian Officials Open 13th IPU Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament
The 13th IPU Summit is held virtually and will cover important topics dealing with countless inequalities women face today. The organization of the event is a common effort between the Austrian Parliament and the United Nations.
August 18, 2020
Austria Lifts Landing Bans for Airplanes from All 18 Countries that were Previously Banned
The previous landing bans for aircraft from 18 countries expired on 1 August 2020. From now on, new entry regulations will apply, requiring a mandatory Covid 19 test. There are exceptions for diplomats and some other groups.
August 1, 2020
The 2020 Vienna Election: 230,000 Non-Austrian EU Citizens Are Eligible to Vote
A total of 1,362,795 persons are entitled to vote in the Vienna municipal and district elections on October 11, 2020. This figure includes 229,784 non-Austrian EU citizens who are eligible to vote and may participate in the district representative elections.
July 27, 2020
Illegal Migration: Austria Calls for More Coordination and Cooperation on Eastern Mediterranean Routes
Agreement reached at the Ministerial Conference to Combat Illegal Migration on the Eastern Mediterranean Routes in Vienna. It was decided to establish a platform for the fight against illegal migration.
July 24, 2020
New IOM Regional Director Renate Held Presents Credentials at UN Vienna
The new Permanent Representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to the United Nations, Renate Held, presented her credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna. The IOM has offices in 19 countries and territories in the "South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region" (SEEECA) including sub-regional offices in Central Asia and the Western Balkans.
July 22, 2020
Coronavirus Worldwide Update
Worldwide deaths has exceed 610,000, according to data collected by the ECDC Centre in Sweden. More than 14.7 million people have been infected, while some 8.6 million have recovered. According to the WHO World Health Organisation, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is still the USA, where there are already more than 140,000 deaths. The number of infected and dead continues to rise sharply in most countries. Following is the situation update as of July 22, 2020.
July 20, 2020
Landing Ban at Austrian Airports Extended from 10 to 18 Countries
In the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Austria will reinforce the landing bans for aircraft from COVID-19 risk areas as of Thursday, 16 July. Thus, landing bans will apply to aircraft from the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Iran, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, United Kingdom and Ukraine.
July 14, 2020
Stricter Border Controls and Travel Warning for Western Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova
Due to the high infection rates in these countries, Austria declares the highest security level. Anyone who travels to Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova or, for example, to the countries of the Western Balkans, despite an upright travel warning, must undergo a 14-day home quarantine or a negative covid test upon returning to Austria. This is not a recommendation, but a legal regulation. Fines of up to 1,450 euros will be imposed.
July 8, 2020
COVID-19: Risk Assessment on Travel and Visits to Austria
The coronavirus outbreak has now reached Austria and the disease is spreading further. What is the risk of infection when travelling in and to Austria?
February 28, 2020
Reception of Austria-Accredited Ambassadors in the Federal Chancellery
The new Austrian Federal Government is in favour of continuing multilateral cooperation, especially in cooperation with the European countries.
January 31, 2020
Traditional New Year Reception for the Diplomatic Corps in Vienna
The Federal President's Reception for the Diplomatic Corps annually gathers all diplomatic representatives in Vienna in the Ceremonial Hall of the Hofburg.
January 17, 2020
Bulgarian Head of State Radew Met Austria's Heads of State
During the first official visit of the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to Vienna, he met with President Van der Bellen in the Hofburg, Chancellor Bierlein in the Federal Chancellery and President Sobotka in Parliament.
October 7, 2019
BMW to Invest 28 Million Euros in Salzburg Location
Within the framework of a festive event under the theme "Good for Salzburg. Good for Austria." the BMW Group recently laid the foundation stone for its new BMW Group Campus Salzburg for Central and Southeastern Europe. BMW is investing 28 million euros in the expansion of 400 employees. The inauguration of the new campus is planned for autumn 2020.
August 5, 2019
Updated Directory of Foreign Ambassadors in Austria 2019
Below you will find the updated Vindobona.org list of foreign ambassadors and representatives of the bilateral and multilateral missions and representations in Vienna, Austria (including description of persons, pictures, CVs, etc.).
November 19, 2018 · Updated: July 19, 2019; 11:50
40 Years of the UN in Vienna - The Tireless Commitment of António Guterres
UN Secretary General António Guterres completed a busy programme when he came to Vienna for the 40th anniversary celebrations and the R20 Austria World Summit. The VIC Vienna International Centre is the place where, with the help of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the 193 member states, 15 Vienna-based UN organisations and more than 5000 people from 125 countries from around the world are bound together.
May 31, 2019
1989-2019: Europe Exhibition Opened at Vienna`s Heldenplatz
The new exhibition "Moving Moments - The End of the Division of Europe" (Bewegende Momente - Das Ende der Teilung Europas) looks back on the fall of the Iron Curtain and pays tribute to the achievements of the people in these mostly peaceful revolutions. It also shows how the European Union is seen today by young people from these countries.
May 10, 2019
EU Citizens in Austria - Vote for Your Austrian MEP at the European Elections 2019
EU citizens who have their main residence in Austria can vote for Austrian members of the European Parliament. Here we show you how this works and who you can choose.
February 25, 2019
Austria Signed Memorandum with Economic Chambers of Western Balkan States
The representatives of the Economic Chamber and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harald Mahrer and Karin Kneissl, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Chambers of the Western Balkan states Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. The aim is to strengthen regional cooperation at the economic level, particularly in the area of dual vocational training.
January 18, 2019
New Appointments of Austrian Diplomatic Posts Abroad
At its meeting of 25 April 2018, the Austrian Council of Ministers decided to entrust the following Foreign Ministry officials with the direction of Austrian Missions.
April 25, 2018 · Updated: January 11, 2019; 17:15
New Austrian Foreign Trade Strategy: Growth, Jobs, Prosperity
In a joint event in the Aula of Sciences, the Federal Government's new foreign trade strategy was presented by Economics Minister Margarete Schramböck, Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and President of the Chamber of Commerce Harald Mahrer. The key points of the strategy are the following: Perspective, value orientation, location effect, focal points, future orientation, communication, efficient coordination.
December 20, 2018
Enlargement Perspectives for the Western Balkans - The Role of Parliaments
During a panel discussion in the Austrian Parliament, the perspective of enlargement for the Western Balkans and, in this context, the role of parliaments were discussed. The future of the six candidate countries in the Western Balkans is within the EU. They need an honest perspective for this common future with the EU Member States. The EU must contribute to ensuring the stability of the democracies in these countries. The former President of the German Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, attended the discussion.
October 11, 2018
Danube Region Business Forum - Infrastructure and Its Implications on Business in CEE and SEE
The Danube Region is one of the traditionally important markets for Central European regions and companies. However, the infrastructure of this region does not yet meet the requirements of the economy. The 8th Danube Region Business Forum will take place on 9 October 2018 at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna. The aim of the forum is to ensure that the infrastructural quality and cooperations in the region meet the requirements of the economy.
October 3, 2018
Key Border Control Strategies Identified at UNODC's Annual Law Enforcement Experts Meeting
A working document on informal standards for border management and control was drafted and shared with participants at UNODC's annual Law Enforcement Advisors Meeting (LEA), held recently in Vienna. The annual meeting allowed for the exchange of best practices within UNODC and with partners.
October 2, 2018
Generation Next - Europe's Futures Conference
The conference is the first event of the Future of Europe Task Force meetings, which are to be held in Austria and Romania during their respective Presidency in the Council of the EU. The gathering seeks solutions and encourages action to face the upcoming challenges both to the European Union and to the regions of Central and South East Europe.
September 14, 2018
Marcus Grausam Confirmed as CEO of A1 Telekom Austria AG
Marcus Grausam has been confirmed as CEO of A1 Telekom Austria AG, a subsidiary of A1 Telekom Austria Group. He was appointed interim CEO in October 2017. Grausam will also continue to perform his function as CTO.
September 4, 2018
Austria Prepares for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union: ‘A Europe that protects’
On 1 July 2018 Austria takes over the EU Presidency for six months. The Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will focus on three topics: the fight against illegal migration, digitalisation and stability in the neighbourhood.
June 5, 2018
What does the Vienna-based ICMPD and its Director General Michael Spindelegger do?
The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) was founded in 1993 in Vienna on the initiative of Austria and Switzerland with the aim of making migration and mobility of people orderly, safe and regular, including through the implementation of planned and well managed migration policies. The aim is to counteract the often short-term thinking of governments so that sustainable solutions can be found and implemented in the medium and long term to combat and overcome the migration crisis. From this point of view, the tasks of the ICMPD have become extremely topical and important due to the refugee crisis.
April 26, 2018
Goals for Austria's Presidency of the Council of the European Union
On 1 July 2018, Austria will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Bulgaria. During its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (1 July to 31 December 2018), guided by the motto "A Europe that protects", Austria will focus on three key areas: security and the fight against illegal migration, retaining competitiveness through digitalisation, and stability in the neighbouring regions (particularly the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU).
April 25, 2018
The New Balkans in the Year of Hope for EU Enlargement
2018 has been frequently described as the „year of hope“ for EU enlargement and for the Balkans. In February 2018, a new Enlargement Strategy was presented in Strasbourg by the EU Commission. Bulgaria, currently having the Presidency of the Council of the EU, will organize a major Balkan’s Summit in May 2018. Austria, for a long time one of the most prominent promoters of the EU Enlargement for the Western Balkans and a country deeply intertwined with the region, will assume the EU presidency in the second half of 2018. 2018 represents one of the crucial moments for enlargement as major steps need to be undertaken to reach the goal of making enlargement perspective realistic for 2025.
April 20, 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
Kapsch TrafficCom AG / Kapsch TrafficCom awarded contract for nationwide tolling system in Bulgaria
Kapsch TrafficCom, a listed company, has been awarded the contract to implement a nationwide tolling system in Bulgaria for trucks over 3.5 tons, including technical configuration and provision of technical support.
October 10, 2017
Western Balkans Summit was Held in Paris
Following the 2014 Western Balkans Summit in Berlin and the Vienna Western Balkans Summit of August 2015, the third Western Balkans Summit was held in Paris in the context of the ‘Berlin Process’. More than 500,000 of the people with migration background who live in Austria are from the region. Austrian companies have hundreds of branches or subsidiaries in the Western Balkans, which clearly illustrates the very close economic relations.
July 8, 2016
Western Balkans Countries Discussed Investment, Jobs and Integration in Vienna
The World Bank and the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) held a high-level policy dialogue on ‘Investment, Jobs and Integration’ last week. Ministers and senior officials from the Western Balkans region as well as policy experts from international organisations and the business community gathered to discuss the challenges the region is currently facing, in particular the high unemployment rate, low international competitiveness, and lack of modern infrastructure.
July 8, 2016
CESEE Outlook: Modest Recovery - EU is Obstacle to Growth – BREXIT Poses Uncertainties
According to the latest prognosis of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, the countries of Central, East and Southeast Europe (CESEE) will have a trend growth rate of up to 3% in the period of 2016-2018. This is 1-1½ percentage points higher than average growth in the eurozone. Consumption will be the main growth driver. The Austrian economy is still benefiting from its economic ties with the region. Direct effects of BREXIT on the region will be limited – indirect effects for the European economy as a whole may be considerable.
June 29, 2016
Closing of Visa Takeover Brings EUR 97 Million Pre-Tax Profit to RBI
The expected pretax profit from the cash payment of the transaction will be EUR 97 million. It should be booked under net income from financial investments in the second quarter of 2016. Visa Inc. had announced the takeover of Visa Europe Ltd. in November of 2015. The cash payment of this one-off effect will be split between Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland, the RBI head office, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Zuno.
June 21, 2016
20 Years Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT): Ministerial Meeting at VIC
Marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a Ministerial Meeting was held at Vienna International Center. Hosting some 40 international organizations, Austria is a hub for the promotion of peace, safety and security, sustainable development and the fight against crime, drug abuse and terrorism.
June 20, 2016
The Western Balkans Conference Which Led to Row Over Worsening Refugee Crisis
Convened on the initiative of Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and Austrian Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Western Balkans conference “Managing Migration Together” was held at the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna. 18 foreign and interior ministers from the Western Balkans attended the conference. The participants included the foreign and interior ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.
February 26, 2016
Central and Eastern Europe's Financial Elite Gathered at the CEE Forum in Vienna
The 21st Euromoney Central and Eastern European Forum ended in Vienna today, where 1000 delegates from the region joined local and international investors to help plan, debate and analyze the economic agenda for the region for the year ahead. The vast majority of the delegates have a negative outlook for the year 2016. Only one of the participants expects that this year CEE will grow more than 3.5%.
January 20, 2016
Report: Drug Money and Opiate Trafficking on the Balkan Route
A report recently launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that the total value of illicit heroin and opium trafficked from Afghanistan to Western Europe through the Balkans amounts to some $28 billion every year. Sixty-five per cent of this total ($18 billion) is generated in Western and Central Europe.
December 14, 2015
Fast News Search
This category only
