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Austrian Economic Policy News and Analysis
Read the latest headlines about policies and laws influencing the business and investment environment of Vienna and Austria
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Siemens Austria: Corruption Prosecution Expands Investigation
According to a media report, the prosecution has questioned two ex-managers of the group on suspicion of infidelity. They allegedly bribed business partners in South Eastern Europe.
September 21, 2010
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ÖIAG: ÖVP vs. SPÖ
Schieder and Rudas demand dissolution of the state holding ÖIAG, Finance Minister Pröll, on the other hand, wants to “strengthen” it.
September 17, 2010
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CESEE Bank Conference: Joint Supervisory Academy in Vienna
Finance Minister Josef Pröll wants to create common standards for the CEE region with an Eastern Bank Supervisory Academy in Vienna.
September 17, 2010
Austrian Post Refurbishes its Board
ÖIAG boss Peter Michaelis gives green light for the refurbishment of the Post’s board. Meanwhile, rumors are growing that the changes will not only affect the parcels sector.
September 16, 2010
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ÖIAG Boss Michaelis Under Pressure
ÖIAG Boss Peter Michaelis considers that the "campaign" against him evidences that "the actual work of ÖIAG provides no target for criticism." He considers his 700,000-euro salary as justified.
September 15, 2010
FMA and OeNB Welcome the Basel III Agreement
The package draws the right lessons from the financial crisis and provides for reasonable transition periods.
September 14, 2010
Gambling - Awarding of Austrian concessions not in line with EU laws
After Germany, the domestic monopoly must also be abolished. According to the EU Court of Justice, the awarding of the concession to Casinos Austria is against EU laws due to the lack of a call for tenders.
September 9, 2010
Kommunalkredit back in black
Kommunalkredit AG earned €7.5m ($9.5) net, in the first half of 2010. It is the first period since the split in November 2009; a comparison with the previous year is therefore limited.
August 30, 2010
Verbund - Fight over capital increase further delayed
The controversy over Verbund capital is likely to prolong. Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures will continue to insist on her initial position.
August 26, 2010
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Causa ÖBB - Verbund as top priority
Verbund AG wants to increase its equity, the federal government as majority shareholder will support the plan, which will be discussed, in tomorrows Council of Ministers.
August 23, 2010
OIAG to become an infrastructure holding
The OIAG aims to become an infrastructure holding company. The federal real estate company (BIG), Verbund (energy), Asfinag (infrastructure) and parts of the ÖBB (railway) will be slowly integrated in an ÖIAG structure.
July 23, 2010
Banks' equity - "Basel III costs 46 000 jobs"
The stricter rules for the equity of banks will reduce lending by up to 20 percent, says the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in Vienna.
July 21, 2010
Mitterlehner calling for judicious austerity measures
Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner warns EU countries about excessive savings. "Instead of linear cuts, you should save intelligently. Otherwise, domestic consumption is decreased too much," said Mitterlehner.
July 19, 2010
Wage dumping
It is unusual that the former Austrian Trade Union Federation President Rudolf Hundstorfer finalised a draft law without a vote of social partners.
July 16, 2010
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Defying EU fusion reactors
According to calculations of the Green Party Federal Councillor Elisabeth Kerschbaum the project costs Austria €158m.
July 15, 2010
Stress tests - according to Cernko, Austrian Banks in the bottom third
Referring to speculation according to which Austrian banks with their relatively low equity ratio should not perform that well, Bank Austria CEO Willibald Cernko said "If one considers capital only, they will be at the top of the bottom third."
July 15, 2010
Union speaks of "death blow" for Austrian Railway
In the context of the forthcoming increase of capital of Verbund hydro electrical plants could be bought from the Austrian Railway Network ÖBB.
July 15, 2010
Stress tests could be price-sensitive information
At the political level it is fiercely debated how detailed the publication of the stress test should be. The FMA currently tests whether the stress test results are stock market relevant, compulsory publications.
July 14, 2010
Nowotny - raising the "retirement age"
Higher life expectancy, rising deficits: Austrians should therefore delay retirement, says National Bank's CEO Nowotny.
July 13, 2010
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Transaction tax - OECD European solo attempt
According to Jeffrey Owens, head of the OECD's tax department, a transaction tax only makes sense if it relates to the financial centres on a global scale.
July 12, 2010
Crisis causing private bankruptcy
Unemployment and less income: more than 50,000 people last year turned to a debt counselling bodies.
July 12, 2010
Pröll on economic status quo, "thunder and lightning are over"
The EU has demonstrated that "it is able to act in one of the worst crises, even if there were some mistakes," says Austrian Finance Minister Josef Pröll.
July 12, 2010
The high debt burden of Austria as target for speculators
In the crisis years 2008, 2009 and 2010, the public debt mountains are exploding. In the EU, the debt within three years has increased from 60 to 80 percent of GDP.
July 9, 2010
Fight against early retirement - Companies should pay
The Wifo suggests that firms should pay if their employees are sick and are sent into early retirement.
July 8, 2010
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Stress tests - Erste Bank and RZB on the list
91 European banks will have to undergo stress tests of European regulators. Two Austrian institutions will be tested as well.
July 8, 2010
Higher property tax could bring a billion
A convergence of calculation basis to real market values could, according to the Wifo, generate additional income of half a billion Euros.
July 5, 2010
Commercial Court - 17 illegal clauses at Bank Austria
17 clauses at Bank Austria conflict with the new payment service law, according to the Vienna Commercial Court.
July 5, 2010
Short-time work massively reduced
At the height of the crisis in April 2009, 57 000 employees were short-time workers , there were only 8313 at the beginning of July 2010.
July 2, 2010
Nowotny strongly criticizes the Hungarian bank tax
The Austrian central bank chief Ewald Nowotny has practiced unusually sharp criticism of the Hungarian government, more specifically at the proposed Hungarian bank tax.
June 30, 2010
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Energy must not be at mercy of shareholders
The only treasure of Austria must remain in own sphere of influence.
June 30, 2010
Austrian federal government - Massive fall in revenue
The federal government is missing €4b ($4.9b) in revenue, in the first four months of this year. In total a decrease of €6.1b ($7.5b) was registered.
June 29, 2010
EU - Austria granted to extend bank aid package
The European Commission extended the authorization for the Austrian bank rescue package of €100b ($123b) for half a year.
June 25, 2010
EU accuses Austria of hurdles in buying property
The European Commission refers Austria to the European Court of Justice. Reasons are fundamental barriers to the acquisition of agricultural land in Vorarlberg.
June 24, 2010
INSITO international symposium on the quality of work in Vienna
Securing and improving working conditions, health and safety at work in times of crisis will be discussed from today by international scientists and interest representatives from Vienna.
June 24, 2010
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Migration barriers - Austria missing out on Human Capital
Due to existing migration barriers, Austria looses highly skilled workers who are hard to find, especially in the years of the boom in the domestic labour market.
June 23, 2010
Christoph Hinteregger new chief negotiator of metalworkers
Deputy chief negotiator is Alfred Hintringer - former chief negotiator Hermann Haslauer available as consultant.
June 17, 2010
Tumpel - No mass taxes!
Higher taxes would further boost inflation - rising prices mean less purchasing power and ultimately less growth.
June 16, 2010
Finance Minister Pröll against publication of stress tests
Finance Minister Josef Pröll has expressed his discontent at a press briefing this afternoon about the current European debate on the publication of stress tests of individual banks based on the U.S. model.
June 16, 2010
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Austrian Chamber of Commerce - Fritz Aichinger is the new chairman of trade
Aichinger succeeds Erich Lemler – Deputy: Jutta Pemsel and Wolfgang Sauer
June 16, 2010
Kogler accuses Leitl of fiscal incompetence
WKÖ chief to submit reorganization plan or to remain silent.
June 14, 2010
OMV could be an accomplice in war crimes and crimes against humanity
OMV produced oil from 1997 to 2003 in sector 5A in Sudan. The current report of the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan (ECOS) provides new evidence that there is a direct link between oil production and the intensification of the conflict.
June 14, 2010
Austria has 39,077 dollar-millionaires
The number of dollar millionaires did not only rise in Austria but also increased substantially worldwide.
June 11, 2010
Pröll - Austria will introduce a bank tax in a solo attempt.
"The bank tax will be discussed together with the banks and it will be implemented, I stand for that," announced Finance Minister Pröll.
June 11, 2010
Hochhauser - Austria's business landscape is becoming more and more an female entrepreneur landscape
Special Prize of the Economic Chamber of Austria "women in leading positions" goes to Margaret Fürtbauer.
June 11, 2010
Green Party Vienna sharply criticises the Summit Bank
"Scandalous interplay of politics and banks'
June 11, 2010
Fresh money for upcoming infrastructure projects
If it was for the BZÖ party, parts of the ÖBB should by privatised by being listed.
June 10, 2010
Austrian President Dr. Heinz Fischer - banks should also make contribution to costs of the crisis
Austrian President Dr. Heinz Fischer said today at the IIF conference in Vienna "a developed social system and equitable distribution of income and wealth for the economic efficiency and political stability of a country are particularly important".
June 10, 2010
Vassilakou - 50,000 new green jobs in Vienna possible
"50,000 new green jobs are possible in Vienna," says the club chairwoman of the Greens Vienna, Maria Vassilakou, in reference to a study by Greenpeace presented today in Berlin, that the world could produce 8.5 million jobs in the renewable energy.
June 7, 2010
Schieder wants ban on short selling
The Financial Secretary sees Germany as role model.
June 4, 2010
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