About: Austria Archives

Austria is on course to expand its 5G network, using Chinese supplier Huawei despite other countries refusing to partner with them and some going as far as banning the company due to supposed security risks. EURACTIV Germany reports.

This week our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on possible 'Polexit' and tensions with the EU following a Polish court's ruling that EU treaties were unconstitutional.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced his resignation on Saturday evening (9 October) over corruption allegations and a looming government crisis. Experts say that he will act as a shadow-chancellor and might return to office once cleared of the allegations.

There is no place for Afghan refugees in the European Union which should instead help them to stay in their homeland, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said on Tuesday (7 September).

This week our podcast focuses on a security conference organised by Austria with the Central Asian states to discuss further strategy regarding Afghanistan. Austria and other EU countries are asking Afghanistan’s neighbours to manage migrations flows and prevent a potential …

The Taliban government in Afghanistan would accept any Afghan migrants whose applications for asylum were rejected in Europe and they would then face court, an Austrian newspaper quoted a Taliban spokesman as saying on Monday (30 August).

Organic assocations and environmentalists have voiced their concerns about Austria's plan to transpose the EU's new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), pointing to the risk of leaving organic farms behind. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The European Union will kick off discussions this week on what consequences recent developments in Afghanistan may have for security and migration in the 27-nation bloc, a spokesman for the Slovenian EU presidency said on Monday (23 August).

Austria, which has insisted that it plans to keep deporting illegal immigrants back to Afghanistan even as the Taliban seized Kabul, on Monday (16 August) suggested setting up "deportation centres" in nearby countries as an alternative.

The crisis in Afghanistan and the actions of Belarus demonstrate the need for a fast overhaul of the European Union's migration and asylum rules, EU Commissioner Margaritis Schinas said on Sunday (15 August).

After notorious data activist Max Schrems already brought down the EU-US Privacy Shield data transfer agreement, his next coup could turn Facebook's entire data processing upside down. In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, Schrems spoke about his new case against the tech giant and the impact it could have.

Austria's Supreme Court has asked the EU Court of Justice for clarification on the legality of Facebook's processing of personal data after data protection activist Max Schrems brought a case before it. The Court in Luxembourg will now decide whether the US giant respected the GDPR since it came into force in 2018.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Sunday (16 May) it is "imperative" for Israelis and Palestinians to stop fighting and resume talks ahead of an emergency meeting this week with his EU counterparts.

EU nations fell out Thursday (1 April) over how to divide up 10 million extra doses of coronavirus vaccine, with Austria, Slovenia and the Czech Republic refusing to help five struggling countries.

Leaders from Israel, Austria and Denmark announced Thursday (4 March) in Jerusalem an alliance for the development and production of future generation coronavirus vaccines, a deal that has already sparked criticism in Europe.

A group of prominent Israelis have warned Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz not to cooperate with Israel on vaccines, citing what they termed vaccination “apartheid” vis-à-vis the country’s Palestinian population.

Geothermal energy could help central and eastern Europe break away from coal and gas, but it needs a quicker uptake and government backing to help meet renewable energy targets, advocates say.

Austria presented its anti-Semitism strategy on Thursday (21 January). It is ambitious, but feasible, says one expert. EURACTIV Germany reports. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) urged nations on Monday (30 November) to carefully consider the coming ski season's risks, as Switzerland runs lifts and Austria mulls following suit while Germany, Italy and France shutter mountain operations to slow the pandemic.

Austria has called on the European Commission to make online platforms more accountable for the hosting of illegal content in a series of recommendations for the EU's Digital Services Act, citing the country's Communication Platforms Act as an example for the EU to follow.

Austria's Supreme Court of Justice of Justice has decided that Facebook will have to delete 'hate postings' against former Green party leader Eva Glawischnig, not only in Austria but also worldwide. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Several key EU leaders, including France and Germany, promised at a mini-summit on Tuesday (10 November) to renew efforts to fight Islamist terrorism, calling for a reform of the Schengen area and measures against foreign fighters.

EU member states want more competences to be able to look into messages with end-to-end encryption, according to the draft Council decisions which has been made available to EURACTIV Germany.

Eight of those detained following Monday night's terrorist attack in Vienna had previous convictions, including for terror offences, the Austrian interior minister said Thursday (5 November), as the investigation extended to Switzerland and a second, unnamed country.