EU European Union
War in Iran: Austria for EU Mediation Role
In view of the tense situation in the Middle East, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg pleads at a special meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels for a return to dialogue, the continuation of the nuclear agreement and a possible mediation role for the EU.
January 10, 2020
EU Climate Neutrality by 2050, but Austria Against Nuclear Energy
The EU's commitment to climate neutrality by 2050 is an important milestone. Each state is free to evaluate its own national climate mix. The Austrian head of government stressed that nothing had changed in Austria's attitude that nuclear energy is not a safe and sustainable source of energy.
December 13, 2019
Austria's Budget Planning in Line with EU Rules
In its assessment of the budget planning of the euro states, the European Commission has established that Austria fulfils the requirements of the EU Stability and Growth Pact in its budget planning for 2020.
November 20, 2019
Prorussian Alexander Lukashenko Meets Van der Bellen
The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994 (now in his fifth term of office), was received by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen during an official visit with military honours.
November 12, 2019
Upper Austria's Bad Ischl Becomes European Capital of Culture 2024
Together with two other capitals of culture, Tartu in Estonia and Bodo in Norway, Bad Ischl (together with 20 other municipalities of the Salzkammergut) was elected European Capital of Culture 2024.
November 12, 2019
House of the European Union in Vienna: More than 500,000 Visitors in 10 Years
For exactly 10 years, the House of the European Union in Wipplingerstraße has been a meeting place for all those who wish to exchange views on the EU. The Representation of the European Commission and the Liaison Office of the European Parliament in Austria operate under this same roof. Together with numerous partners, they have organised some 2450 events over the past ten years, welcoming some 530,000 visitors.
October 16, 2019
Turkey: Schallenberg Calls for an End to EU Candidate Status
The meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg focused on the Turkish military offensive in Northern Syria. In the run-up to the meeting, Foreign Minister Schallenberg emphasised that the military action was "simply wrong" and that it was now the EU's turn to take clear decisions.
October 16, 2019
EU Once Again Fails to Reach Deal on North Macedonia and Albania
The two Western Balkan states must continue to wait for the hoped-for start of EU accession negotiations. France, the Netherlands and Denmark blocked an EU decision in support of the two Balkan states and justified it with doubts about the progress of reforms. Austria has pledged its support until the last minute and has tried to turn the tide.
October 16, 2019
Vienna Migration Agency Develops Recommendations for EU
Entitled "Breaking the gridlock and moving forward: Recommendations for the next five years of EU migration policy", participants of the Vienna Migration Conference 2019 will explore migration policy options and the formulation of future strategies.
October 11, 2019
Bulgarian Head of State Radew Met Austria's Heads of State
During the first official visit of the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to Vienna, he met with President Van der Bellen in the Hofburg, Chancellor Bierlein in the Federal Chancellery and President Sobotka in Parliament.
October 7, 2019
Juncker: EU Requires a Strong Austrian Voice
European Commission President Juncker congratulated Sebastian Kurz on his victory in the National Council elections.
October 1, 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
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
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
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
European Commission: Changing of the Guard in Austria
Dr. Martin Selmayr takes over the position of Head of Representation in Austria from Dr. Jörg Wojahn as of 1 November 2019. Mr. Wojahn has been appointed as the new Head of the European Commission's Representation in Berlin.
August 13, 2019
EU Appoints Austrian Dr. Johann Sattler as New Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Council of the European Union appointed Johann Sattler as EU Special Representative (EUSR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will also take over the role of the Head of the European Union's Delegation in Sarajevo.
August 9, 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
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
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
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 - 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
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
46% Fewer Asylum Applications in Austria
13,375 asylum applications were received in Austria last year - 46% less than in 2017 (24,715). A total of 664,480 applications for international protection were filed in the EU (including Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein) in 2018. The number of asylum applications in Austria and the EU has thus declined for the third year in a row and has returned to pre-crisis levels.
June 27, 2019
First Visit Abroad Leads Foreign Minister Schallenberg to Finland
His first bilateral trip abroad took Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to Helsinki. The trip focused not only on European policy issues but also on the EU Presidency, which Finland will take over on 1 July 2019.
June 25, 2019
Potential President of the EU Commission Michel Barnier Met Top of New Austrian Government
Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier was in Vienna to meet several members of the new government, including Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Officially, the Brexit negotiations were the focus of the talks, however, unofficially Barnier repeatedly shows interest as Jean-Claude Juncker's successor in the office of EU Commission President.
June 11, 2019
Karas Remains Head of People's Party EU Delegation for One Year, then Follows Edtstadler
The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) members of the European Parliament have elected Othmar Karas as their leader for only one year. From 2020, the second on the list, Karoline Edtstadler, will automatically take over. As reported by Vindobona.org, Edtstadler received more preferential votes in the EU election than Karas, the previous head of delegation.
June 4, 2019
Diplomats for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019
More and more embassies, delegations and permanent representations to international organisations supported this day (IDAHOBIT), that raises awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide, as well as EuroPride 2019 in Vienna.
May 29, 2019
European Elections 2019: Austrian Preliminary Final Results
The preliminary result of the 2019 European elections (without absentee ballot) has been announced. The Austrian People's Party won clearly ahead of the Austrian Socialist Party (SPÖ) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). The Greens and NEOS followed in places 4 to 5. Votes cast by absentee ballot are not yet included in this result. The turnout without postal votes was 50.6%. In Vienna, the turnout including postal votes was 58.71%.
May 27, 2019
EU and UN - 40 Years Together in Vienna
Both the UN United Nations and the EU European Union celebrate their 40th anniversary in Vienna. The Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna was established as soon as the United Nations opened their Vienna headquarters in 1979.
May 27, 2019
Austrian Government Dismissed: National Council Denies Government Confidence
The parliamentary motion of no confidence of the Social Democrats (SPÖ) was supported by the right-wing populist Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Liste Jetzt. The majority of the members of the National Council thus expressed their distrust of Chancellor Kurz's government and removed it from office.
May 27, 2019
Austria's Government Faces Expected Motion of No Confidence
After the victory in the election to the European Parliament, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his government are threatened with an abrupt end. The Social Democrats (SPÖ) will table their own motion of censure against the entire Kurz cabinet. A clear decision by the Freedom Party (FPÖ) is still pending.
May 27, 2019
European Elections - Who Stands for Election and How Can a Non-Austrian EU Citizen Vote in Austria?
After the political earthquake in Austria and the end of the turquoise-blue government, the EU election on Sunday is eagerly awaited. A decision will be made on 18 EU mandates from Austria. In European elections, EU citizens are entitled to vote in Austria as long as they are registered in the European electoral register.
May 24, 2019
Vienna Sticks to Iran Agreement
At the Eastern Partnership meeting in Brussels, the foreign ministers of the EU states discussed the rescue efforts for the nuclear agreement with Iran, specifically the maintenance of trade relations despite US sanction threats. Austria's Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl demanded that the nuclear agreement with Iran should be an EU priority.
May 16, 2019
1989-2019: Europe Exhibition Opened at Vienna`s Heldenplatz
The new exhibition "Moving Moments - The End of the Division of Europe" (Bewegende Momente - Das Ende der Teilung Europas) looks back on the fall of the Iron Curtain and pays tribute to the achievements of the people in these mostly peaceful revolutions. It also shows how the European Union is seen today by young people from these countries.
May 10, 2019
Migration Agency Demands New EU Migration Policy
Vienna based think tank International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is teaming up with its 17 member states to draw up migration policy recommendations for the next EU Commission.
May 10, 2019
CETA Complies with EU Law - Austria Signs Free Trade Agreement with Canada
The agreement had been provisionally in force since the previous year and exports to Canada had recently risen by 7.5 percent. Now that the European Court of Justice has ruled that CETA, especially the arbitral tribunals, is in conformity with EU law, this is welcomed in Austria by business-oriented institutions and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has confirmed his willingness to sign the agreement.
May 2, 2019
Exclusive Mini-Davos Conference in Austria's Most Beautiful Ski Resort
European Commissioner Günther Oettinger invited for two days leading politicians, bankers and industrialists to his Europe Forum 2019 in Lech am Arlberg in the Austrian Alps.
April 26, 2019
Vienna's Jewish Square and Europe
The US historian Timothy Snyder will give a lecture on the topic "Judenplatz 1010 - A speech to Europe 2019". The place and time chosen for the lecture are no coincidence: European history is presented at Vienna’s Judenplatz like in no other place.
April 18, 2019
EU Citizens in Austria - Vote for Your Austrian MEP at the European Elections 2019
EU citizens who have their main residence in Austria can vote for Austrian members of the European Parliament. Here we show you how this works and who you can choose.
February 25, 2019
What Does No-Deal Brexit Really Mean for British-Austrian Travel Behaviour?
As of March 29, 2019 at 11.00 p.m. (UTC Universal Time Coordinated) or March 30, 2019 at 00:00 (CET Central European Time) the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member and is to be treated as such by Austria. In order to close the legal gaps in the course of a disorderly Brexit, a comprehensive law is in preparation. This law will be subject to numerous amendments in several Austrian ministries. The main areas affected are civil rights (in particular right of residence, social security), transport and customs. In following we look at the effects of the No-Deal-Brexit on travel behaviour.
February 13, 2019
Visit to the Palestinian Territories: Austria's Van der Bellen for a Two-State Solution
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah: "We are friends of Israel AND of the Palestinians. We want to deepen relations with both sides". Mahmoud Abbas thanked Austria for the "historical relationships" cultivated since Bruno Kreisky.
February 5, 2019
What Does the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement Mean for Austria?
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs has calculated that the savings potential through the elimination of customs duties amounts to around one billion euros across the EU and to around EUR 34 million for Austria. For Austria this means a rather modest growth effect of 0.011 percent of GDP.
February 4, 2019
EU-Japan Agreement Secures EUR 34 Million in Jobs and Prosperity in Austria
The EU's Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan entered into force on 1 February 2019. For Austria, Japan is by far the second most important market in Asia and the third most important overseas trading partner. About 1000 Austrian exporters are active in Japan, 80 companies have local branches. In 2017 the trade volume reached an all-time high of 3.5 billion euros.
February 4, 2019
Indexation of Family Benefits: "There are no second-class children in the EU"
The EC European Commission opens an infringement procedure against Austria, as it pays families less child benefit if their children live in another EU country with a lower cost of living.
January 24, 2019
Mahathir - Kurz: World's Oldest Prime Minister Meets Europe's Youngest
Mahathir Mohamad, who has been Prime Minister of Malaysia for the second time since 2018 at the age of 93, paid a working visit to Austria. In Vienna he met, among others, Federal President Alexander van der Bellen and 32-year-old Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
January 22, 2019
Radio Interview with the Austrian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Rosie MacLeod spoke to Michael Zimmermann, the new Austrian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, about the presidency and Austria's place within the European Union more generally.
Rosie MacLeod · January 21, 2019
EU-Africa Forum - Heads of State Share Vision on Cooperation Between Africa and Europe
The High-Level Forum Africa-Europe met at the ACV-Austria Center Vienna to focus on "Taking cooperation to the digital age". The debates focused on the cooperation between the European Union and African countries in the areas of innovation and digitisation, in particular the question of how the benefits of digital change can benefit everyone.
December 19, 2018
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