Sponsored Content
Latest Headlines about other Business & Economic Developments
Read more headlines about Austria's international business environment (which are not covered in the other topics, including commodity and currency markets)
Preliminary Presentation in Vienna of UN Study Results on Fast Fashion and Old Clothes
The Austrian-based foundation COMÚN and the Chilean study author, Beatriz O'Brien, exclusively show the disastrous consequences of "waste colonialism" in research ordered by the UN in the run-up to the "Austrian Consumer Dialogues: Textiles".
June 19, 2023
Austrian National Bank Publishes Macroeconomic Forecast for 2023 to 2025
According to the published forecast of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB), the Austrian economy is expected to pick up speed in the second half of 2023, with GDP growing by 0.5 percent in 2023. Accelerated growth of 1.7 percent is forecast for 2024. Although HICP inflation will fall steadily after the highs at the beginning of the year, it will still be above average at 2.9 percent in 2025.
June 18, 2023
Research Presentation: Western Balkans 20 Years after the EU Summit in Thessaloniki
On Friday, June 30, 2023, at 09:00, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), together with prominent politicians from Austria and the Balkans, will present their new study on the EU's geo-economic influence in the Western Balkans. The event will take place in the Reitersaal of the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank in Vienna.
June 15, 2023
NEFI Study Shows Paths to Climate-Neutral Industry in Austria
A recent study by the innovation network NEFI - New Energy for Industry has provided important impetus for a climate-neutral future for Austrian industry. In 2021, the domestic manufacturing industry was responsible for more than one-third of the total CO2 emissions in Austria. The NEFI experts have now developed three scenarios that show concrete ways to transform the industrial energy system.
June 11, 2023
Vienna Business Agency and Climate Lab For Sustainable Economic Development
Since its founding in September 2022, the Climate Lab has strived to achieve Austria's climate neutrality targets and the goals of the Austrian circular economy strategy as quickly as possible through innovative collaborations and alliances.
June 4, 2023
New Unitary Patent Paves the Way for Innovative Companies in Europe
As of June 1, 2023, a unitary patent (unitary patent) will be introduced that will be valid in most member states of the European Union. Austria already ranks eighth in the EU for future technologies.
June 1, 2023
Austria's Best Tax Consultants Were Awarded
The Institute for Investment Consulting (IFA AG) and the daily newspaper "Die Presse" presented the coveted "Tax Consultant of the Year" award to the best tax consultants in Austria. The festive award ceremony took place in the Sofiensälen in Vienna and was accompanied by Federal Minister of Finance Dr. Magnus Brunner as keynote speaker. More than 16,000 nominations demonstrate appreciation for both the industry and the award.
May 25, 2023
Austria Shows Interest in Developing the Railroad Infrastructure to the Slovenian Port of Koper
Despite expansion projects, rail capacity remains limited compared to road. The seaport in Koper, Slovenia, which is important for Austria, is an example of current efforts in rail expansion, but at the same time shows the limits of rail-bound freight transport. With regard to Koper, Austrian experts emphasized the importance of an efficient rail connection for freight traffic.
May 24, 2023
Gazprom Austria Inventory is Now Being Auctioned Off
The Gazprom subsidiary in Austria has become insolvent, and now its assets are being auctioned off at the Aurena auction house. The offer includes 240 exhibits and the purchase of Russian business memorabilia.
May 22, 2023
India and Austria Sign Migration and Mobility Agreement
In a significant development, Austria and India have signed a comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership agreement to strengthen cooperation on legal migration and repatriation.
May 14, 2023
Vienna Stock Exchange Reports High Profits for Third-Year Running
Vienna's stock exchange, Wiener Börse AG, has announced high profits for the third year in a row, despite the turbulent economic environment of 2022. Vienna's stock exchange plans to continue its focus on consistent market modeling and alignment with international standards and is calling on the government to act to take advantage of the capital market's potential as a powerful lever.
May 10, 2023
Political Support for Southern Hydrogen Corridor: Austria, Germany, and Italy Sign Joint Letter
The Southern Hydrogen Corridor, developed by major European transmission system operators, aims to connect North Africa, Italy, Austria, and Germany to supply important European demand clusters with competitive renewable hydrogen.
May 10, 2023
Austria's Foreign Disaster Fund is Increased
Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg have praised the increase of the Foreign Disaster Fund (AKF) to 77.5 million euros in 2023 before the Council of Ministers.
May 4, 2023
Trilateral Meeting Discussed Energy Transition and Energy Innovation
A trilateral conference was held at the Technical University of Vienna, where Italian, French, and Austrian energy actors discussed the topics of energy innovation and the energy transition. The discussion panels included topics such as the role of gas and nuclear power in European decarbonization, the importance of renewable energy sources, and the potential of solar energy in Europe.
May 3, 2023
Austrian President Van der Bellen Welcomes Slovenia's First Female President on Inaugural Visit
The new Slovenian President, Nataša Pirc Musar, paid her inaugural visit to Vienna, where she was welcomed by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen with military honors. "It is an honor to receive today in Vienna the first female head of state of Slovenia," Van der Bellen said.
May 2, 2023
German-Speaking Foreign Ministers Discuss International Trouble Spots in Salzburg
The German-speaking Foreign Ministers Alexander Schallenberg from Austria, Annalena Baerbock from Germany, Dominique Hasler from Liechtenstein, Jean Asselborn from Luxembourg, and Ignazio Cassis from Switzerland met to discuss global and European challenges.
May 2, 2023
City Administrations in Focus: Vienna Conference on Human Resources
Demographic development, inflation, and international crises have an impact on all areas of our lives and bring new challenges for cities. Particularly in the area of human resources, cities must adapt to changing conditions and find new ways to attract and retain qualified personnel.
May 2, 2023
Space Diplomacy: International Space Partnership Funding by the UK Space Agency
In support of international partnerships, the UK Space Agency is launching a £20 million fund to leverage the UK's strengths, support new capabilities, and catalyze investment.
April 26, 2023
Tax Burden in Austria Still High According to OECD
According to a study conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), taxes and duties for Austrian employees continue to be high in international comparison.
April 25, 2023
New Austrian Award for Champions of Regional Cooperation
In recognition of Erhard Busek's tireless commitment to bringing the countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe closer to the European Union, the Austrian Foreign Ministry, together with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the successor organization to the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe headed by Erhard Busek from 2002 to 2008, is offering the Champion of Regional Integration Erhard Busek Award.
April 23, 2023
Austrian Leadership Programs Begins With the Subject of “Life Science”
The Austrian Leadership Programs (ALPs) will run its 15th edition this year from April 17 to 21. Young leaders from around the world will gather in Vienna to discuss and represent the topic of “Life Science”
April 18, 2023
New Chinese Ambassador Held Welcome Reception at Vienna International Center
The new permanent representative of the People's Republic of China to the international organizations in Vienna, Li Song, held a Welcome Reception at the Vienna International Center.
April 13, 2023
Science Museum Vienna: 150 Years Women's Pavilion of the Vienna World's Fair
Starting next month, the Vienna Museum of Science and Technology will present an anniversary show focusing on women's work, referring to 150 years of the Women's Pavilion at the Vienna World's Fair.
April 12, 2023
Norwegian Aker BP and Austrian OMV Cooperate for CO2 Storage License
Norwegian oil and gas company Aker BP ASA and the Norwegian offshoot of Austria's OMV AS have signed a cooperation agreement on carbon capture and storage (CCS). As a result, both companies have been granted a license under CO2 storage regulations on the Norwegian continental shelf.
April 3, 2023
OPEC+ Surprisingly Cuts Oil Production
The OPEC+ alliance has announced a surprise cut in oil production. There will probably be a reduction of about one million barrels per day from May onward.
April 3, 2023
New Chairpersons of the Austrian Citizens' Forum Europe
The ordinary general assembly of the Citizens Forum Europe (BGFE) in Vienna elected a new board. While Othmar Karas was reconfirmed as chairman, ex-Chancellor Christian Kern and ex-Vice President of the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek will be his deputies in the future.
April 2, 2023
French Embassy in Vienna Held the Day of Francophonie
The French Embassy celebrated Francophonie Day in the form of an exchange on French as a "business language" at the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce.
March 30, 2023
Patents Issued by Austria Reached Record Levels
In 2022, Austrian companies have filed more inventions with the European Patent Office than ever before. Semiconductors increased strongly.
March 29, 2023
Austrian OMV Declares Exit from Russian Gas as "Extremely Difficult"
The CEO of the Austrian energy group OMV, Alfred Stern, currently sees hardly any possibility to get out of the Russian business with natural gas. He also sees no alternative to fossil fuels in the short term and talked about relations with Asia-Pacific.
March 28, 2023
Austria Wants to Bring New EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority to Vienna
Austria is bidding for the seat of the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) and wants to bring it to Vienna, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner said. However, it is still unclear whether this is feasible in the current climate of Austrian politics.
March 23, 2023
First European Gaia-X Community Event in Vienna
The European Association for Data and Cloud (AISBL) of the European Gaia-X Initiative, in collaboration with Gaia-X Hub Austria, hosted the first European Market-X Community Event at the Aula of the Sciences in Vienna. At this event, Market-X brings together stakeholders from different industries to shape the digital future of Europe.
March 19, 2023
OPEC Fund Approves New Financing to Fulfill its Climate Action Plan
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) approved more than $300 million in new funding in the first quarter of 2023, reflecting the institution's commitment to fulfilling its Climate Action Plan. Three of the four projects approved by the OPEC Fund's Governing Board directly support climate finance.
March 15, 2023
Cell Phone Contracts in Austria to Become More Expensive From April
Existing cell phone contracts will become up to 11.5 percent more expensive for many customers in April. Drei and A1 have already confirmed price increases in charges, the Chamber of Labor (AK) said in a press release.
March 14, 2023
Airport Strikes in Germany Also Affect Vienna
There will be many strikes in Airports in several cities in Germany. This will be the reason for plenty of flight cancellations occurring in Germany and the world. Vienna airport in Schwechat is also being affected.
March 13, 2023
New Executive Board for the Austrian Institute of Technology
The largest research and technology organization in Austria, the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), with 1,400 employees, is getting a new three-person management team. Read more about Austria's largest research and technology organization!
March 9, 2023
What is the Houskapreis? 13 Projects Nominated for the B&C Private Foundation Research Award
The nominated projects for the Houskapreis 2023, the research prize of the B&C Private Foundation, have been determined. But what is the renowned Austrian Houska Prize all about?
March 6, 2023
Customs at Vienna Airport Seized 44,830 Counterfeit Branded Products from China
At Vienna Airport, customs officers made a brilliant bust during the inspection of an air cargo in mid-January. In 73 cartons, which should have been transported from China via Austria to Poland, the customs authorities found 44,830 counterfeit products of various product groups and brands.
March 5, 2023
City of Vienna: Europe's Nuclear Energy Sector is Heavily Dependent on Russia
The European Union's recently adopted tenth package of sanctions against Russia continues to leave one area completely untouched - nuclear energy. A new study by the Cities for Nuclear Free Europe network, where Vienna is also involved, aims to prove interconnections between the European and Russian nuclear sectors.
March 5, 2023
Ex-OMV Chief Doubts Policy Statements on Russian Gas Pullout
Russian gas supplies to Austria are currently causing discussions. While the Austrian government wants to do without gas supplies from Russia altogether by 2027, OMV refers to long-term contracts.
March 1, 2023
New Funding for Economic Transformation in Austria
The Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs (BMAW) has announced a new funding track under the Climate and Transformation Offensive. The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) supports the Austrian economy in the transformation and the BMAW provides €300 million for research funding until 2026.
March 1, 2023
AACC Receives a Delegation from the Council of Slovak Exporters
Following an initiative from the Council of Slovak Exporters, AACC Secretary-General Mouddar Khouja hosted the Council of Slovak Exporters' Chairman and Vice Chairman during a visit to AACC's Vienna.
February 23, 2023
Technology Start-ups from Israel and Vienna Meet at a Conference
The consulting and tech company weXelerate will organize a conference to bring together the technological fields of Israel and Vienna. The conference will expect mostly Jewish young professionals and give them a platform.
February 20, 2023
Finnish Prime Minister Marin Visited Vienna
The Finnish head of government Sanna Marin visited Vienna for the first time for working talks and was received by Chancellor Karl Nehammer and President Alexander Van der Bellen. Finland and Austria share enough interests, but not the status of neutrality.
February 20, 2023
Wien Energie and Wiener Linien Continue Photovoltaic Offensive
Exactly 1,369 photovoltaic modules will make Vienna's public transport even greener with immediate effect, as part of the City of Vienna's plan to drive forward climate-friendly energy policies.
February 19, 2023
Raiffeisen Probed by U.S. Sanctions Authority
Raiffeisen Bank International, an Austrian lender that plays a critical role in the Russian economy, is under investigation by the US sanctions authority over its Russia-related business.
February 18, 2023
Markus Braun Denies Any Acknowledgment in the Wirecard Trial
The Austrian businessman Markus Braun is the main defendant in the whole Wirecard-Scandal. Now he testified for the first time in court. He denied any acknowledgment of alleged crime in the company, which contradicted the testimonials of key witness Oliver Bellenhaus.
February 13, 2023
AACC and Vienna Economic Forum Signed a Memorandum of Understanding
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and the Vienna Economic Forum (VEF) to enhance mutual relations and strengthen cooperation.
February 13, 2023
Combating Human Trafficking and Money Laundering Discussions Occurred at the Ministry of Finance
The Austrian Ministry of Finance invited several experts on the human trafficking and money laundering issue. They discussed possible solutions to these problems and the ministry's help in it.
February 12, 2023
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Received Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg
Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Washington, D.C., as a sign of the strong transatlantic partnership. In the first bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers, the two discussed cooperation on the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Western Balkans, the expansion of Austria's Strategic Partnership with the United States, and the Turkish earthquake disaster.
February 12, 2023
Austria Wants to Accelerate the Integration of Displaced Persons into the Labor Market
The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) and the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF/AIF) want to accelerate the integration of Ukrainians into the labor market. A letter will be sent to displaced persons encouraging them to contact ÖIF and AMS in order to find employment.
February 12, 2023