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Austria and Germany - Read the latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, investment, diplomacy, culture and tourism

Austrian Foreign Trade Figures Flattening

After record results in 2011, the growth in Austrian foreign trade was substantially down in the first months of 2012. Austrian politics promotes exports to non-European markets like China, Brazil and the U.S.

July 12, 2012

Schuler Recommends Accepting Takeover Bid by Andritz

The Board of Management and the Supervisory Board of the German engineering company recommend that shareholders accept the takeover bid issued by Andritz. A Bid price of € 20.00 per share is deemed to be fair.

July 12, 2012

Fischer Wants to Check ESM

Austria´s Federal President Heinz Fischer does not sign the ESM approval by the Austrian Parliament yet. „I am not under time pressure.“ he says.

July 11, 2012

Stable Outlook for Austrian Industrial Sector

Austrian industrial enterprises expect production, order intake and employment tob e stable in the second half of 2012. The uncertainty remains.

July 11, 2012

bwin.party´s Earnings Under Pressure

The Austro-British entertainment company issues a pre-close trading update. Due to new taxes in Germany, the expectations are decent.

July 10, 2012

Germany Still Biggest Investor in Austria

For years, Germany leads the ranking of foreign investors in Austria. The Northern neighbour country is followed by Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.S.

July 9, 2012

Economic Report: „Reducing Dependence on Europe“

Today, the Austrian government published its "Economic Report 2012".

July 9, 2012

Schlecker Austria Sees High Probability of Takeover

The insolvency manager of the German chemist chain Schlecker sees a favorized potential buyer for Schlecker Austria.

July 9, 2012

Active Direct Investments Higher than Passive Direct Investments

Austrian enterprises make more investments abroad than foreign countries do in Austria, Austrian Central Bank announced.

July 5, 2012

Railway Cartel: € 8.5m Fine for voestalpine

The steel group participated in a railway cartel in Germany. The cartel proceedings are finished now.

July 5, 2012

Austrian Airlines: Operated by Tyrolean

The transfer of undertakings is completed. About 2,000 AUA staff members shifted to the regional airline Tyrolean.

July 3, 2012

„Up to 70% of European Steel Capacities are Endangered“

Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian voestalpine, thinks that the European steel industry faces fierce competition from the East.

July 3, 2012

Iveco Shuts Down Austrian Factory

Fiat´s Subsidiary Iveco plans to close five factories in Europe. In total, 1,075 workers will be laid off. In Austria, 110 workers are affected.

July 2, 2012

„Good Prospects“ For Schlecker Austria

The insolvency manager of the bankrupt German chemist chain views „promising talks with potential investors“.

June 30, 2012

Strong Increase in Unit Labor Costs

Since 2008, the Austrain economy records a disproportionately high increase in unit labor costs. The average of the eurozone amounts to 6.4%. In Austria, the unit labor costs were up by 11.1%.

June 29, 2012

Orange Sale: EU Commission is Concerned too

After the Austrian Federal Competition Authority (BWB) expressed its concerns about the acquisition of Orange by Hutchison Austria, the EU Commission announces to deepen its examination.

June 29, 2012

Uniqa Completes Sale of Mannheimer Group

The Austrian insurance group Uniqa completed the sale of the Frankfurt listed company Mannheimer AG Holding to Continentale Versicherungsverbund. Growth in CESEE countries should be strengthened.

June 29, 2012

Euro-Crisis Continues

According to RCB, the factional dispute between Germany and France decisive for the eurozone. An easing of the situation is not expected.

June 29, 2012

Infineon to Invest € 250m in Austria

In 2012, Infineon Austria´s CEO Monika Kircher-Kohl wants to make investments of € 250m. The high tech company is already looking for new staff.

June 28, 2012

WIFO Wants Unlimited Firewall

According to the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, the firewall must be big enough in order to make speculation against the euro unattractive.

June 28, 2012

Credit Crunch in CESEE?

Anglo-Saxon banks and funds are most aggressive in deleveraging; Austrian bank are not relying on funding from countries in hotspots of deleveraging.

June 27, 2012

Fiscal Pact More Expansive for Austria than for Germany

According to the latest calculations, small Eurozone member states would have to pay higher transfers than Germany.

June 26, 2012

Survival of the Euro Questionable

Regarding the future of the common currency, the Austrian economist Fritz Breuss is highly skeptical.

June 26, 2012

Dismal Prospects for Schlecker Austria

An insolvency of Schlecker Austria seems likely. A sale to MTH is still uncertain.

June 25, 2012

U.S. Hedge Funds Hinders Andritz

The Austrian technology group Andritz plans a complete takeover of the German Schuler Group. The U.S. hedge funds Elliott Capital recently acquired a stake in Schuler.

June 25, 2012

Investment Attractivity: Poland Ranks Second

According to Ernst & Young, the most attractive location for investments in Europe is Germany, which is followed by its Eastern Neighbour Poland.

June 25, 2012

Albrecht: „We Will Remain Austrian“

AUA´s CEO explains that about 80% of the reorganization of Austrian Airlines has been achieved. The airline would be on the right way, Albrecht affirmed.

June 23, 2012

Fekter Promotes Financial Transaction Tax

There was no agreement on a common financial transaction tax in all EU member states. Austria´s Finance Minister Fekter wants to introduce the tax in a group of countries instead.

June 23, 2012

Alpine Establishes Joint Venture with German RGM

Alpine establishes the AFM - Austrian Facility Management joint venture with Germany's RGM.

June 23, 2012

Green Party: ESM Approval Depends on Financial Transaction Tax

The Austrian Green party will only vote for the ESM if there is a basic consent for the financial transaction tax.

June 22, 2012

Orange: Takeover Is Questionable

The takeover of the third-biggest telecommunication operator in Austria by the Hong Kong-based Hutchison may fail.

June 22, 2012

Controversy About Nowotny

Ewald Nowotny, the governor Austrian Central Bank (OeNB) argued that the austerity policy in the 1930s caused the rise of the Nazi regime. A wave of indignation emerged.

June 21, 2012

Austria Pushes for Danube Strategy

Together with Germany, Slovakia and Bulgaria, Austria wants to implement a common transport strategy for the Danube.

June 21, 2012

Schlecker Austria Threatened by Insolvency

The Austrian subsidiary of the insolvent German chemist chain must find a buyer in order to prevent its own bankruptcy.

June 19, 2012

Tax Treaty with Switzerland Finally Confirmed

The second chamber oft he Swiss Parliament approved the tax deal with Austria, Germany and the U.K.

June 16, 2012

Success for CA Immo in Frankfurt

The Austrian real estate company CA Immo has concluded another lease for approximately 1,350 m2 (14,531 ft2) of office space in Frankfurt’s Tower 185.

June 15, 2012

Fitch: „AAA Endangered in Case of Greek Exit“

The U.S. rating agency warns the remaining AAA-Eurozone members of the consequences of a Greek exit.

June 13, 2012

MTH Group Considers Taking Over Schlecker Austria

The industrial holding group MTH may acquire the Austrian subsidiary of the insolvent German Schlecker Group.

June 12, 2012

Germans Have € 25bn Deposits in Austria

In the last six years, savings deposits owned by German nationals grew steadily in Austria.

June 12, 2012

Austrialian Mining Company Plans to Exploit Lithium in Austrian Alps

Global Strategic Metals NL plans a site with an investment volume of € 125m in Austria. For Austria, the lithium deposits would be a „highly strategic asset“.

June 9, 2012

Voestalpine Shuts Down Steelworks in Duisburg

The Austrian steel producer plans to close the mill in 2013. At the moment, voestalpine has talks with trade unions and the workforce.

June 9, 2012

Albrecht: „Common Collective Agreement in 2012“

The CEO of Austrian Airlines is optimistic to achieve unified collective agreement for the whole workforce. Costs for the transfer of undertakings are expected to reach up to € 90m.

June 9, 2012

Austrian Furniture Industry Increases its Exports

In 2011, the total production of the Austrian furniture industry decreased by 3.3 percent to close to € 2.3bn according to the latest figures.

June 6, 2012

Insolvencies: Stable Development Expected

In 2012, the number of Austrian business insolvencies is expected to remain stable. Whereas in Germany and the U.S. insolvencies are decreasing, Southern Europe faces a vast increase.

June 5, 2012

„India and China are not the Problems“

Voestalpine´s CEO Wolfgang Eder thinks that competitors from Turkey, Russia and Ukraine may become problematic for the European steel industry.

June 5, 2012

Keuschnigg: „Raising ESM for Italy and Spain“

Christian Keuschnigg, director of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies (IHS) argues for raising ESM funds to € 1,000bn.

June 4, 2012

Rates on Austrian Sovereign Bonds Reach New Record Low

The premium on ten-year Austrian sovereign bonds fell to a record low of 2.015%.

June 4, 2012

„Schlecker Austria is Solvent“

The spokesman of Schlecker Austria is optimistic to find a buyer for the Austrian subsidiary of the insolvent German chemist chain.

June 4, 2012

341 Staff Members Leave AUA

CEO Albrecht underlines that further austerity packages are not excluded. Now, Austrian Airlines faces new challenges.

June 4, 2012

State Visit: Fischer in Vietnam

On the occasion of the state visit of Austria´s Federal President Heinz Fischer, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce signed commercial contracts worth € 150m.

June 1, 2012