About: Austria
Seehofer testifies before committee investigating the ‘toll debacle’
On Thursday (28 May), German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) testified before the investigative committee tasking with deciding on the responsibility for the government's 'toll debacle,' which could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of euros.
Taming the ‘Frugal Four’: the challenge facing the German Presidency
The European Commission has presented its proposal for a recovery fund as part of the draft EU budget. Now the member states must be convinced, a task that will fall on Berlin when Germany takes over the EU Council Presidency in July, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Irish data protection authority under fire over Facebook case
In an open letter, online privacy activist Max Schrems has criticised the Irish data protection commission's handling of a complaint against social media giant Facebook and called on the European Union to step in. EURACTIV Germany reports.
‘Frugal Four’ present counter-plan to Macron-Merkel EU recovery scheme
The "Frugal Four" (Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden) presented their own draft for an EU recovery fund in a 'non-paper' sent to the EU capitals on Saturday (23 May). The most important point: aid money must be repaid. EURACTIV Germany reports.
‘Frugal Four’ working on counter-proposal to Franco-German recovery fund
The €500 billion Franco-German EU recovery plan, presented on Monday (18 May), is too generous, according to the "Frugal Four" countries, who are working on a counter-proposal insisting on loans instead of grants and subsidies, diplomatic circles confirmed to EURACTIV Germany.
EU files charges against Austria: Minister calls family benefits indexing a ‘question of justice’
The European Commission opened an infringement procedure against Austria in January 2019, and now a lawsuit is following after the government failed to allay Commission concerns that the indexation of family benefits are discriminatory. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austrian ministry could face GDPR penalty after publishing personal data online
Austrians' personal data has been publicly accessible on the Ministry of Economy's website since 2009. The liberal party NEOS and NGO epicenter.works call it the "biggest data protection scandal of the Second Republic." NEOS is considering legal action and a GDPR expert told EURACTIV Germany it could be successful.
Austria’s Kurz aims to lift border controls to Switzerland by June
Austria aims to ease some border controls with Switzerland within days and to end all controls by June, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told Swiss broadcaster SRF on Tuesday (12 May), as countries push ahead with loosening COVID-19 restrictions.
France kicks out Bulgarian seasonal workers despite Commission ‘guidelines’
Two groups of seasonal workers arriving in France by plane from Bulgaria have been sent back home by the French airport authorities, despite the European Commission's calls to ensure the freedom of movement of such “critical” personnel.
Austria’s Greens defend airline bailout climate-strings against EU Commissioner
A state aid request by Austrian Airlines could be an opportunity to make the carrier more sustainable. But climate conditioning bailouts was recently given short shrift by the EU's transport Commissioner, who is "undermining the Green Deal", according to Austria's Greens. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria’s Kurz pledges less tax for workers, more for multinationals
Austria, now easing its coronavirus lockdown, will ensure key workers pay less tax while multinationals should pay more as it seeks to accelerate the revival of its economy, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a televised address on Monday (27 April).
Austria demands ‘greater flexibility’ of EU state aid law in letter to Vestager
While EU member states are hardly allowed to support their companies financially in normal times, the coronavirus crisis has made state aid essential for the survival of most businesses. In a letter to Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, Austria's government called for the suspension of state aid law in sensitive areas. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria becomes second EU country to exit coal
Austria officially closed its last coal-fired power plant on Friday (17 April), becoming the second EU country to exit coal after Belgium in 2016.
Austrian Airlines bailout to be linked to climate targets
Coronavirus state aid for Austrian Airlines should support efforts to cut aviation’s carbon footprint, the Alpine republic’s environment minister said on Thursday (16 April), as the government negotiates with the firm’s parent company, Lufthansa.
Austria says it still prefers dialogue with Hungary
After the Hungarian parliament adopted an emergency law that gave Prime Minister Viktor Orbán extensive powers on 30 March, 13 EU member states issued a joint statement on the need to protect rule of law. Austria, however, did not join as it prefers to seek dialogue, the country's EU minister, Karoline Edtstadler, told EURACTIV Germany.
Austria’s government presents COVID-19 exit schedule
While small shops in Austria will be allowed to reopen on 14 April and all trade will be permitted from 1 May onwards, gastronomy and hotels will follow in mid-May at the earliest, with current initial restrictions extended until the end of April. According to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, the aim is "to get out of the crisis faster than others".
Dieselgate motorists in search of compensation boosted by EU court
EU consumers should be able to sue carmakers in their national courts if they have bought cars with emission cheat devices installed, an adviser to the Court of Justice of the European Union said on Thursday (2 April).
Austrian digital expert: Well-made disinformation is emotionally intelligent
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a flood of disinformation: Fictitious numbers of infection, ineffective treatments or false insider information. The Austrian author and digital expert Ingrid Brodnig, who monitors such cases, explains to EURACTIV Germany how and why coronavirus created a breeding ground for disinformation.
Austria imports workers from Bulgaria, Romania to plug gaps in COVID-19 care
Chartered flights brought more than 200 health workers to Austria on Monday (30 March) to ensure that care was not disrupted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, a regional official said.
Austria announces new COVID-19 restrictions
From Wednesday (1 April) at the latest, mouth and nose protection masks will be obligatory in Austria's supermarkets. People in COVID-19 risk groups are no longer allowed to go to work, and hotels are closed to tourists. Random sample tests are set to bring clarity to the country's unrecorded cases. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Privacy activists on COVID-19 surveillance: Either ineffective or questionable
In Germany and Austria, there are concrete ideas to monitor their citizens using Big Data, but to be truly effective, the methods would have to be deeply invasive. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria puts its economy on ice
Austria's economy has come to a standstill. To get companies through the dry spell, it is filling a crisis fund with €38 billion to keep them afloat until the economy restarts after the crisis. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria’s EU Minister: ‘I am not a diplomat’
A week before the European Council, the coronavirus is dominating the agenda. The EU is struggling to find solutions - but the world is not standing still and other challenges remain acute. Austria's EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) tells EURACTIV Germany how the virus will affect the summit and explains Austria's position in the crisis.