Austria and the EU

Latest business news about Austria and the European Union.

Greece should consider insolvency if cannot pay debt: German central banker — 19 March 2010, 14:01 CET

Greece should be prepared to declare itself insolvent if it cannot repay its debts, a director of the German central bank said in remarks published Friday, signalling a hard line against help for heavily indebted EU countries.

Austria to ban modified potatoes: ministry — 02 March 2010, 18:57 CET

Austria said Tuesday it planned to ban the cultivation of genetically-modified potatoes after it was approved by the European Commission in Brussels.

Austria set to impose US-style bank tax — 22 February 2010, 15:12 CET

Austria plans to introduce a tax on banks, similar to a highly disputed scheme in the United States, in a bid to fix broken public finances, Chancellor Werner Faymann said Monday.

Decade after sanctions, Austria far-right regains potency — 03 February 2010, 10:17 CET

Ten years after Joerg Haider's party entered government, prompting European Union sanctions against Austria, the far-right is back as a political force and more extreme than before, observers say.

Austria offers help in solving Macedonia-Greece name dispute — 22 January 2010, 13:32 CET

Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Friday offered his country's help in solving the 18-year-long name dispute between Macedonia and Greece that has prevented Skopje from joining the EU and NATO.

Europe's German-speaking countries to confer on bank secrecy — 16 January 2010, 14:47 CET

Europe's German-speaking countries will confer over the issue of banking secrecy and the automatic exchange of information demanded by the European Union, Austria's finance minister said Saturday.

Austrian general takes over Bosnia's EU force command: report — 04 December 2009, 16:27 CET

Austria's Major General Bernhard Bair on Friday took over command of the European Union's peacekeeping force in Bosnia (EUFOR), local FENA news agency reported.

Austrian Greens call for probe of new Commissioner — 02 December 2009, 17:07 CET

Austria's Green party has called for an inquiry into the EU's next commissioner for regional policy, Johannes Hahn, for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent property deal in June 1997.

EU can now focus on climate, economy: Austria — 01 December 2009, 14:12 CET

The European Union can finally focus on bigger issues like climate change and the economy, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Austria's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Austria in talks with Russia over South Stream: report — 21 November 2009, 13:49 CET

Austria has begun talks with Russia in view of joining Moscow's South Stream gas pipeline project, Austrian newspapers reported on Saturday.

Austria picks Johannes Hahn as its new EU commissioner — 27 October 2009, 12:37 CET

Austria has chosen science minister Johannes Hahn as its next European Union commissioner in Brussels, the government announced Tuesday.

Austria, Belgium sceptical about Blair EU candidacy — 19 October 2009, 19:12 CET

Austria and Belgium on Monday took a sceptical view towards former British prime minister Tony Blair becoming the European Union's first president, a key post set up by the Lisbon reform treaty.

EU opens new 'European House' in Vienna — 16 October 2009, 14:22 CET

EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso officially opened a new European House in Vienna on Friday, as part of an initiative by Brussels to bring the European Union "closer to its citizens".

Austria, Hungary press for Balkan EU integration — 15 October 2009, 20:53 CET

Austria and Hungary pushed Thursday for fast EU integration of the western Balkan states in a joint cabinet meeting.

Vienna 'milk summit' demands more money for dairy farmers — 12 October 2009, 20:57 CET

Europe's main milk producing states have requested EU aid of 300 million euros (443 million dollars) in 2010 to help the sector, Austrian Agriculture Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich said on Monday.

European Commission Representation in Austria — 07 October 2009, 16:47 CET

Contacts of the European Commission representation in Austria

Austria: Economy Overview — 07 October 2009, 23:18 CET

After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, Austria entered the European Union in 1995. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. In January 2009, Austria assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Austria Investment Climate 2009 — 07 October 2009, 23:20 CET

Major structural conditions and the decisive parameters for foreign investors remain unchanged and favorable, despite the global economic downturn. As a small, open and highly internationalized economy, Austria is swayed by world developments including the current downturn: 2009 will be the first full-year recession in Austria since 1981.

Austria - Access to Finance — 07 October 2009, 23:19 CET

There are various types of direct state support in Austria for the promotion of business as well as one-off subsidies, interest subsidies, low interest loans, state equity capital financing, state assumption of liabilities and state guarantees.

Setting up a business in Austria — 07 October 2009, 23:18 CET

The key laws for establishing companies in Austria are the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB), the Austrian Trade Law 1994 (GewO 1994), the New Companies Promotion Act (NeuFöG) and the Commercial Register Act (FBG) and the Federal Law on Special Assistance for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

EU approves Novartis bid for Austria's EBEWE — 23 September 2009, 11:17 CET

Europe's competition watchdog on Wednesday approved the bid by Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis for Austrian generic drugs company EBEWE Spezial-Pharma.

Austrian dairy farmers join milk strike — 12 September 2009, 15:07 CET

Austrian dairy farmers are on strike to protest falling milk prices, the country's dairy association IG Milch announced Saturday.

EU unlikely to agree on UNESCO candidate: commissioner — 04 September 2009, 17:02 CET

The EU is unlikely to reach consensus on a candidate to head UNESCO, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, seen as Egyptian Culture Minister Faruq Hosni's main rival for the job, said Friday.

Austrian parliament passes law to ease bank secrecy — 01 September 2009, 16:47 CET

Austria's parliament approved on Tuesday a law to ease banking secrecy in the last European Union country on the OECD "gray list" of tax havens.

Millions undernourished in EU — 31 August 2009, 17:27 CET

More than 30 million people in the EU are undernourished, many of them patients in hospitals and nursing homes, experts told a specialist nutrition congress in Vienna on Monday.