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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

Swiss-Austrian Tax Treaty to be Signed

The tax treaty between Austria and Switzerland will be signed tomorrow on Friday. The tax rate is set at 38%.

April 12, 2012

AUA Expected to Record High Losses Again

This year, Lufthansa-owned Austrian Airlines is anticipated not to reach the profit zone. In the first quarter, fees and fuel caused higher costs of € 28m.

April 12, 2012

Tax Treaty with Switzerland Close to be Finished

Austria aims for reach a tax agreement with Switzerland in order to tax illegal funds deposited by Austrian nationals at Swiss banks. An agreement seems to be within reach.

April 11, 2012

Where is Austria´s Gold?

The major part of Austria´s gold reserves should be located in the U.S. The Austrian Central Bank does not answer any questions.

April 10, 2012

Financial Transaction Tax: Schieder Raises Pressure on EU

Austria´s Financial State Secretary Andreas Schieder threatens to vote against higher EU contributions. To discuss about alternatives of the financial transaction tax is “too early.”

April 10, 2012

Zielpunkt: „Not for Sale“

The new owner of the Austrian supermarket chain, Jan Satek, says that there are no plans to re-sell Zielpunkt.

April 10, 2012

Lutz Continues Expansion Program

The world´s second largest furniture house intends to grow in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

April 7, 2012

Eder Ticks Off Rail Cartel

Voestalpine´s CEO Wolfgang Eder underlines the new compliance rules of voestalpine. Another participation in a cartel would be “impossible”.

April 7, 2012

„AUA Must Achieve Turnaround on its own“

Christoph Franz, CEO of Lufthansa explains that the Austrian subsidiary will act independently also in future. Also the restructuring must be completed without Lufthansa´s help.

April 7, 2012

Oberbank Aims For „Organic Growth“

The Upper-Austrian regional bank continues its growth course and underlines its financial stability and independence.

April 6, 2012

Strabag Germany Cancels Profit Warning

In November, the German subsidiary of the Austrian construction company published a profit warning. Now, the initial expectations were recovered.

April 6, 2012

Most Important Cities: Vienna Catches Up

In the ranking of the most important global cities, the Austrian capital could improve substantially. The most severe weakness is the economic activity.

April 3, 2012

Strong Rise in Foreign Direct Investment

According to Austrian Business Agency (ABA), total investment increased by 34%. 1,822 new jobs were created.

March 30, 2012

Schlecker: „Jobs in Austria are in Safety“

The Austrian subsidiary of the insolvent German chemist chain Schlecker is not affected by the shut-down program. Jobs are “relatively safe”.

March 30, 2012

Rewe Austria Shows Solid Growth

The German retail chain achieved sales of € 7.47bn in Austria last year, which is a rise of 6.26%.

March 30, 2012

Economic Upswing for Austria?

The economic research institutes IHS and WIFO anticipate that the Austrian economy accelerates by summer 2012. Both warn of “too much euphoria”, however.

March 29, 2012

Andritz Receives Order from ThyssenKrupp

The Austrian technology group is awarded to supply equipment for stainless steel production to ThyssenKrupp Nirosta, Germany.

March 29, 2012

Major Order at Strabag´s German Subsidiary

Ed. Züblin, a subsidiary of the Austrian construction group Strabag, was awarded to build new universites in Hamm and Lippstadt. The contraction volume amounts to € 100m.

March 29, 2012

Swiss Tax Treaty: Austria Under Pressure

The Austrian Minister of Finance is optimistic to conclude the Swiss tax deal by 2013. Proceeds of € 1.0bn are expected.

March 28, 2012

Austria Insists on Financial Transaction Tax

Despite Germany’s finance minister sees little chance of a European Union agreement on the levy, Austria is sticking to plans for a financial-transaction tax in Europe to help consolidate its budget.

March 27, 2012

BNP: Austrian Economy Recovers

GDP in Austria contracted slightly in Q4 2011 as exports fell, but weak growth is likely to have resumed at the beginning of 2012, says BNP Paribas.

March 26, 2012

Alpine to Build Railroad Tunnel for Stuttgart 21

The Austrian construction company is involved in the German Railroad’s large-scale Stuttgart 21 project.

March 26, 2012

MAN Austria Records Lower Revenues

The Austrian subsidiary of the German truck producer registers a decline in revenues by 12%. The number of produced driver cabs was up significantly.

March 21, 2012

Allianz Austria Improves Premium Intake

The Austrian subsidiary of the German insurance group could enhance results in all its segments. Due to a decline in investment results, net profits were down significantly.

March 20, 2012

AUA: „Restructuring, Not Breaking Up“

Jaan Albrecht, CEO of Austrian Airlines wants to make the airline competitive again. A new foundation is “no issue”.

March 19, 2012

Lufthansa Claims Exemption of Air Ticket Tax

In order to restructure the Austrian loss making subsidiary AUA, the German airline pushes the Austrian government to abandon the air ticket tax.

March 17, 2012

Tax Agreement with Switzerland May Be Postponed

The plans of the Austrian government to conclude a tax agreement with Switzerland soon is unlikely. For the budget, this could cause a loss of revenues.

March 17, 2012

Unemployment of Older Aged Workers Increases Disproportionately

The Austrian labor market registers a rise both in employment and unemployment of persons aged beyond 50. Especially unemployment of male persons aged beyond 50 rises dramatically.

March 17, 2012

Austrian Government Holds on Financial Transaction Tax

In spite of discordance at the EU-level, the Austrian government is convinced to impose taxes on financial transactions by 2014.

March 17, 2012

Lufthansa Grants Capital Injection to AUA

The German Airline raises the capital of the loss-making subsidiary by € 140m with reservations.

March 15, 2012

AUA Prepares Transfer of Undertakings

Austrian Airlines increases pressure on its aircrew. The deadline to negotiate the new collective agreements was extended again by one month.

March 14, 2012

Voestalpine Closes TSTG Schienentechnik

The shutdown of German TSTG is due to a “lack in efficiency”. Because of the current cartel proceedings, the Austrian steel company has to build provisions of € 205m.

March 13, 2012

Stagnation at Vienna Stock Exchange

At the moment, the Viennese Stock Exchange (VSE) has no new IPO´s to announce. The atmosphere in Vienna would be not investment-oriented enough, market observers say.

March 13, 2012 · Updated: March 13, 2012; 19:11

AUA: Negotiations Failed

Negotiations between Austrian Airline´s management and the aircrew representation ended without any concrete results. Yesterday, the workforce seemed to be willing to reach a compromise.

March 13, 2012

AUA: Compromise May Be Reached

After weeks of negotiations, the works council at Austrian Airlines seems to make concessions to the management. Tomorrow, the deadline expires.

March 12, 2012

Emirates Tries to Lure AUA´s Pilots Away

As uncertainty among Austrian Airline´s workforce is rising, the marketing officer at Emirates, Thierry Antinory, wants to attract AUA´s aircrew.

March 9, 2012

BWB Finishes Razzia at Rewe Austria

Due to suspicions of price arrangements, the Austrian Federal Competition Authority (BWB) secured comprehensive documents of Rewe Austria. The longest razzia in BWB´s history is finished.

March 9, 2012

Imports Grow Stronger than Exports

January to December 2011: Austrian imports rose by 15%, exports increased by 12%.

March 9, 2012

AUA: Confrontation of Management and Workforce Sharpens

The management of Austrian airlines must find an agreement with its pilots until March 13. A solution is not in sight.

March 8, 2012

Foreign Direct Investment in Austria Increasing

In 2011, a moderate decline in new enterprise settlements was registered. Investments grew by 34%.

March 8, 2012

Henkel CEE Achieves Stable Results

The Vienna based CEE-headquarters of the German Henkel Group raised sales by 7.2% in 2011.

March 8, 2012

Tax Treaty: Conflict with EU

The EU rejects Austrian tax treaty plans with Switzerland. Austria insists on the bilateral agreement.

March 7, 2012

Rewe is Said to Constrain Investigations

The Austrian Federal Competition Authority (BWB) suspects Rewe Austria to have made price arrangements. Rewe should have constrained BWB´s investigations.

March 6, 2012

EU ‘Surprised’ Austria Didn’t Warn on VBAG, Almunia Says

The European Commission was “surprised” Austria didn’t warn it about plans to bail out Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG (VBPS), according to Joaquin Almunia, the region’s commissioner responsible for approving state aid.

March 5, 2012

AUA: Negotiations Go On

Austrian Airlines does not face strikes. Not only AUA´s management is under pressure. Workers fear a new foundation of AUA or a re-sale.

March 5, 2012

Voestalpine Awarded Major Contract in the UK

Austrian voestalpine Group has been awarded a major contract for the supply of roughly 20,000 tons of pre-cut heavy-plate shapes for Siemens Wind Power for the London Array offshore wind tower project in the United Kingdom.

March 5, 2012

Razzia at Rewe Austria Continues

Investigators announced to have found substantial evidence at Rewe Austria, which is suspected of having made price agreements.

March 3, 2012

Komptech Increases Turnover to € 111m

The Austrian environmental specialist enjoys the best year in its company history. Infrastructure projects enable continued growth.

March 3, 2012

Change on Executive Board at Austrian Airlines

Karsten Benz to become new Chief Commercial Officer and succeeds Andreas Bierwirth. The supervisory board will decide on the change of management on 13 March.

March 3, 2012

AUA´s Insolvency Becomes More Probable

German newspapers report that Lufthansa could establish a new Austrian airline company. AUA could be left then.

March 2, 2012