Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian politics with reference to the international interest
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New Croatian Foreign Minister in Vienna
The visit of the new Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić-Radman, to the Foreign Ministry in Vienna focused on the forthcoming EU Presidency, which Croatia will assume for the first time on 1 January 2020, as well as the possible start of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.
September 13, 2019
War in Yemen: 1 Million Euro for UNICEF
One million euros in humanitarian funds from the Foreign Disaster Fund has been disbursed by the Austrian Government to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
September 12, 2019
Syria Conflict: Humanitarian Assistance to Jordan and Lebanon
Austria has decided to disburse humanitarian funds totalling EUR 1 million for Syria's most severely affected neighbouring countries. The funds from the Foreign Disaster Fund will each amount to half a million euros for Jordan and Lebanon.
September 12, 2019
The European Way: Meet the Team of Ursula von der Leyen
At the heart of the new Commission's work is the need to address the changes in climate, technology and demography that are transforming European societies and way of life. Von der Leyen has structured and presented her team according to these requirements. Read below where the 27 commissioners come from and what they represent.
September 10, 2019
Austrian Johannes Hahn Becomes EU Budget Commissioner
Today, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented her team and the new structure of the next European Commission. Austrian Johannes Hahn will be in charge of Budget and Administration, and will report directly to Von der Leyen. According to the President-elect von der Leyen, as a long-serving member of the College, he knows about the importance of nurturing a modern administration.
September 10, 2019
Western Balkans: Meeting of Austria with the Heads of State of Croatia and Slovenia
Traditional meeting of the presidents of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Slovenia, Borut Pahor, and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in the Croatian coastal town of Šibenik. The objective was more common EU foreign policy.
September 5, 2019
Integration Report 2019: Asylum Applications Decline, Immigration Persists
The Expert Council on Integration chaired by Prof. Dr. Katharina Pabel presented Austria's ninth Integration Report. The report deals with integration monitoring and the perspectives of integration. It covers topics such as immigration, asylum, residence, school, apprenticeship, adult education, labour market, social issues, dealing with different gender roles, integration of young people, family reunification, marriage migration and dealing with religious diversity. Read the key findings here.
September 5, 2019
Schallenberg: "Europe is incomplete as long as the countries of the Western Balkans are not part of the EU"
Foreign Minister Schallenberg once again sees Austria within the framework of the EU as one of the strongest advocates for the Western Balkan states and calls at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Helsinki for a rapid rapprochement of the Western Balkan states.
September 3, 2019
Commemoration of the Beginning of the Second World War 80 Years Ago
The greatest military conflict in human history was the Second World War from 1939 to 1945, which began with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, involved directly or indirectly over 60 states and claimed the lives of over 60 million people. Both at home and abroad, the official Austria commemorated this terrible war.
September 3, 2019
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová's First Visit to Vienna
The first visit of the newly elected Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová to Vienna led to Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein.
September 2, 2019
Ban Ki-moon at the Forum Alpbach: Promoting the SDGs in Europe with a Global Mindset
Delivering a keynote, Chairman Ban Ki-moon encouraged all national leaders to act as global leaders with a global citizenship mindset, which he said is a truly crucial asset for every individual to have in order to achieve sustainable development in a global society.
August 29, 2019
Defence Minister Starlinger Emphasises Importance of Interdisciplinary Cooperation in Defence Policy
Austrian Defence Minister Thomas Starlinger reports on cooperation between his department and various institutes in the field of security and defence policy.
August 29, 2019
European Forum Alpbach: Promoting the SDGs in Europe
At the European Forum in Alpbach, Tyrol, experts, diplomats and politicians discussed the promotion of UN sustainability goals in Europe.
August 29, 2019
Slovakia's First Female President Comes to Austria
The newly elected Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová visits Vienna for an official visit and is welcomed there by the Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. The visit will also include a meeting with Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein.
August 28, 2019
Donor List of the Austrian People's Party: Heidi Horten Biggest Donor
The Austrian Conservatives (ÖVP) recently published the donations to the Federal Party from 2018 and from the first 7 months of 2019. The billionaire and art collector Heidi Goëss-Horten donated a total of 931,000 euros during these 19 months. A total of 2.76 million euros was donated to the party during this period. Here you can find out who the other major donors are.
August 26, 2019
USA and Austrian Ministry of the Interior Intensify International Cooperation
During his meeting with the Austrian Minister of the Interior, Wolfgang Peschorn, the US Ambassador to Austria, Trevor Traina, spoke among other things about the continuation of cooperation in the fields of organised crime and counter-terrorism.
August 24, 2019
Ibizagate: New Book Proves Allegations Against Former Freedom Party Leader Strache
A secretly recorded video led to the fall of Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz Christian Strache and Deputy Leader of the Freedom Party Johann Gudenus in May. Now the journalists of the Süddeutsche Zeitung who took part in the unveiling describe what else could be seen on the Ibiza video and how Strache was tempted to behave corruptly.
August 22, 2019
Chinese Ambassador in Vienna Warns with China's Intervention in Hong Kong
Li Xiaosi, the Chinese ambassador in Austria, has repeated the demands known from Beijing in an interview in the Ö1-Mittagsjournal and threatened with an intervention by China in the continuing violent protests in Hong Kong.
August 20, 2019
Alignment of the Western Balkans with the EU: Slovenian Parliament President Met Sobotka
The President of the Slovenian Parliament Dejan Židan and the President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka met on the sidelines of the Salzburg Festival to discuss the rapprochement of the Western Balkans to the EU and the EU after the elections to the European Parliament.
August 20, 2019
Meet Austria's New Minister of Finance Eduard Müller
Eduard Müller (58) is an Austrian civil servant and since June 3rd, 2019 Federal Minister of Finance (Secretary of the Treasury) in the Austrian Federal Government Bierlein. In addition to this function, he is also responsible for public service and sports.
August 15, 2019
What Does Vienna Have in Common with the New Silk Road?
In order to ensure sustainable development, the cities along the New Silk Road also have to face major infrastructural and social challenges, as well as climate-ecological challenges. More than 1000 participants from more than 178 cities are expected in September in the Vienna International Center for UNIDO's Bridge for Cities Conference as part of the Belt & Road Initiative.
August 12, 2019
Economic Growth: Austria Slightly Above EU Average
The Austrian economy is likely to grow by 1.5% in 2019. 1.2% growth is expected for the euro zone and 1.4% for the EU as a whole.
August 8, 2019
Head of the European Commission in Vienna Leaves for Berlin
The current head of the EC European Commission in Vienna, the German citizen Dr. Jörg Wojahn, will move back to Germany as Head of the European Commission's Representation in Berlin.
August 7, 2019
Nuclear Bomb Drops Remembrance Day: Austria Advocates Nuclear Weapon-Free World
The Austrian Federal Government is fully committed to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. "Nuclear weapons should be abolished once and for all."
August 6, 2019
Meet Austria's Minister of Education Iris Eliisa Rauskala
Iris Eliisa Rauskala (41) is an Austrian economist and civil servant. She was appointed Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research in the Austrian Federal Government Bierlein. She grew up almost five years in Finland and then in Upper Austria. After her appointment she outed herself in interviews with the media as an openly lesbian woman.
August 6, 2019
Schallenberg: End of Cold War-Era Missile Pact is Threat to European Security
Austria's Foreign Minister regrets the end of the INF Treaty and calls for the voluntary non-stationing of land-based medium-range missiles in Europe.
August 3, 2019
Southeastern Europe Remains Focus of Austrian Foreign and Security Policy
The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kemal Kozaric, and Interior Minister Wolfgang Peschorn met for a working meeting in Vienna. Bilateral cooperation and migration were on the agenda.
August 1, 2019
Austria to Support Syria and Mali with EUR 2.5 Million
The Austrian Council of Ministers approved a total of 2.5 million euros in aid payments from the Foreign Disaster Fund for humanitarian aid in Mali and Syria. The money is intended for refugees in the two crisis areas.
July 31, 2019
More EU Infringement Procedures Against Austria
Austria is confronted with an above-average number of infringement proceedings by the European Commission. These include not only proceedings concerning the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment, but also failures in the areas of public procurement, financial market regulation and the fight against tax fraud. Now the EC has also opened an infringement procedure concerning the indexation of family allowances.
July 31, 2019
National Council Election 2019: How Austrians Abroad Can Vote
Austrian citizens who have their main residence abroad can vote in the Austrian National Council elections on 29 September 2019. By August 8th, 2019, they have to make sure that they are listed in the electoral register of their last main municipality of residence.
July 30, 2019
Devastating - Austria is Only the 21st Most Innovative Country in the World
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) named Austria's neighbor Switzerland as the world’s most innovative country, during the launch of its latest Global Innovation Index. Austria isn't even in the top 20. Biggest issues are the stagnation of public expenditure on research and development and the increase of economic protectionism.
July 26, 2019
Ursula von der Leyen Gets Johannes Hahn Proposed as Austrian EU Commissioner
Ursula von der Leyen was approved by the European Parliament as the next president of the European Commission. Her first, and very tricky, task is to assign jobs to the commissioners of each country. Johannes Hahn was again nominated by the main committee of the austrian parliament as the Austrian member of the next EU Commission.
July 19, 2019
European Commissioner: Austria Sends Hahn for Third Time
The Austrian Federal Government under Chancellor Bierlein has announced that Johannes Hahn will again be nominated as an Austrian member of the future EU Commission.
July 12, 2019
Central European University Accredited as Private University in Vienna
The Austrian accreditation procedure for the CEU Central European University was successfully completed, so that the university can now start its operations in Vienna. Until now, the university was accredited in the USA and Hungary, the teaching took place exclusively in Hungary.
July 12, 2019
Vienna's City History: Red Vienna from 1919 to 1934
Vienna’s first free municipal election, held in May 1919, results in an absolute majority for the SPÖ - Social Democratic Party (at that time SDAPDÖ - Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei Deutschösterreichs). A reform project commences. The goal is a far reaching democratization of society as well as the dramatic improvement of workers‘ living conditions. A revolutionary fiscal policy, built around a luxury tax, provides funding for the creation of over 60,000 apartments along with numerous social, leisure, and cultural facilities by 1934.
July 9, 2019
Poznan Summit: Bringing Western Balkans Closer to EU Remains Priority
Chancellor Bierlein at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Poland. The sixth Western Balkans Conference as part of the Berlin Process, which brings together heads of government from several EU states and their counterparts from the Western Balkans, dealt with connectivity at all levels.
July 9, 2019
Austrian Federal Council Approves Reform of Party Financing
One day after the National Council passed its resolution, the new regulation on party financing also passed the Federal Council. The new rules already apply to the upcoming election campaign in summer and autumn 2019.
July 9, 2019
Paternity Leave Entitlement Decided by Parliament
Members of the Austrian National Council passed a resolution on the legal entitlement to Paternity Leave (Papamonat). Fathers now have the right to be granted time off. Changes have also been made to child benefit legislation.
July 5, 2019
Austrians Abroad: National Council Election at the End of September 2019
On 29 September 2019, the Austrian National Council is expected to be elected. Austrians living abroad have the opportunity to take part in the election by postal vote. This is possible if you do not have your main residence in Austria and if you have reached the age of 16 by election day at the latest and have registered in the electoral register of an Austrian municipality by 9 July 2019 at the latest.
July 4, 2019
How North Macedonia Learns from Austria - Best Practices on the Topic of Equal Treatment
During a visit of the delegations of the North Macedonian Ministry of the Interior and the OSCE Mission Skopje to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna, representatives of all sides exchanged views on the subject of equal treatment.
July 4, 2019
Don't Smoke - Austria to Finally Ban Smoking in Bars and Restaurants
Over 1 year after the smoking ban in gastronomy should have come into force, the parliament has once again voted in favour and is to come into force on 1 November 2019. The ban will also apply to shishas and e-cigarettes, with the exception of guest gardens. Through the smoking ban alone, there should be 1,000 fewer deaths per year from passive smoking.
July 4, 2019 · Updated: July 4, 2019; 20:44
Total Ban on Glyphosate in Austria Adopted
Austria is the first country in the European Union to ban the use of the controversial weedkiller glyphosate. The ban is legally controversial and could contradict EU law.
July 4, 2019
Austria Looks Forward to Collaboration with New EU Parliament President Sassoli
Congratulations come from the Austrian Parliament. National Council President Sobotka and Second National Council President Bures congratulate David Sassoli on his election and look forward to working with the European Parliament.
July 4, 2019
European Parliament - How are the MEPs in Key Functions Elected?
At the first plenary session after the European elections, Parliament elects a new President, 14 new Vice-Presidents and five Quaestors. The ninth European Parliament was elected in 2019 elections and is to last until the 2024 elections.
July 3, 2019
Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Austria
Italy's President Sergio Mattarella was on a two-day state visit to Austria. The main topics discussed were Sea Watch 3, South Tyrol and the situation of the European Union after the elections.
July 3, 2019
European Parliament - Karas to Be Vice President Again
Othmar Karas, member of the EU and Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), has been re-elected as one of 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament. Together with him further vice-presidents were confirmed.
July 3, 2019
Schallenberg Represents Austria in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg travelled to Geneva on the occasion of the current meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Last year Austria was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2019 to 2021.
July 2, 2019
So What Does the Future Hold for the Eurozone?
The Eurozone between crisis and reform. At the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the renowned European financial experts Agnès Bénassy-Quéré, Klaus Regling, Elke König and Josef Zechner discussed the structure, challenges and necessary financial market reforms within the euro zone.
June 28, 2019
Uber Ridesharing Threatens to Retreat from Austria
The US transportation network company Uber wants to mobilise against the taxi and rental car reform in Austria with a petition. The new law would be a setback for Austria in several respects. If the new law is passed on 3 July, we will no longer be able to offer services such as UberX, according to a statement by Uber.
June 27, 2019
Improving Brazilian-Austrian Relations in Science and Research
A new scientific and technological cooperation agreement with Brazil aims to promote bilateral relations in the field of science and research.
June 27, 2019
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