Austria
General
Information & Brief Economic Summary
Standards
US Contacts in
Austria
Washington-based U.S. Government Contacts
Austrian
Government Contacts
Trade Associations
and Other Key Contacts
Trade Event
Schedule
General Information & Brief
Economic Summary
Austria, with a population of 8.3 million, is a small but dynamic EU member country
offering export opportunities and an investment market for U.S. companies of all sizes.
Austria offers some attractive features as an investment location, and recent Austrian
governments have sought to increase that attractiveness through economic reforms and
by highlighting Austria’s historical and economic ties to the surrounding region. At
present, approximately 340 U.S. firms have subsidiaries, affiliates, franchisees, and
licensees in Austria, of which about 150 have regional responsibilities for Central
European, Eastern European, or Balkan countries.
Austria is in a strong position, being one of the wealthiest and most stable of the EU member countries. Its economic system, a free market economy with a strong emphasis on social factors. Austria is a highly developed industrialized nation with an important service sector. Austria is an international crossroad, enjoying borders with eight European countries: Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Liechtenstein.
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Standards
Austria is a signatory to the WTO (GATT) Agreement on Product Standards. As a
member of the European Union, Austria is obligated to conform to European standards.
While some European standards are already legally binding, others may still be in a
transition phase, and still others may be awaiting national implementation. In the
absence of a European standard, the national standard will apply.
National Standards: Austrian national standards are prepared and administered by the
Austrian Bureau of Standards (Oesterreichisches Normungsinstitut -- ON), a private nonprofit
organization incorporated by the Austrian Parliament in the Standards Act of 1971
as the only Austrian body to issue and endorse Austrian standards. The ON can also
provide information on nongovernmental standards.
Products tested and certified in the United States to American standards are likely to
have to be retested and re-certified to EU requirements as a result of the EU’s different
approach to the protection of the health and safety of consumers and the environment.
Where products are not regulated by specific EU technical legislation, they are always
subject to the EU’s General Product Safety Directive as well as to possible additional
national requirements.
European Union standards created under the New Approach are harmonized across the
27 EU Member States and European Economic Area countries to allow for the free flow
of goods. A feature of the New Approach is CE marking. While harmonization of EU
legislation can facilitate access to the EU Single Market, manufacturers should be aware
that Regulations and technical standards might also function as barriers to trade if U.S.
standards are different from those of the European Union.
The European Union is currently undertaking a major revision of the New Approach
that will enhance some aspects, especially in the areas of market surveillance. To
follow the revision, please visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/regulation/internal_market_package/index_en.htm
Following is the Austrian Organization that develops standards:
Oesterreichisches Normungsinstitut (ON)
(Austrian Bureau of Standards)
Heinestrasse 38, Postfach 130
A-1021 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43 1 213 00-613 Fax: +43 1 213 00-650
Website: http://www.on-norm.at
The ON prepares standards in a variety of fields: ores and metals, mechanical
engineering, building and construction, health and medical equipment, non-metallic
materials, chemical and related industries, special technologies, personal safety, food,
environment, and waste management.
About 90 percent of the standards ON prepares are voluntary. The ISO 9000 series of
quality management standards is one of the most important sets of voluntary standards
in Austria, and it has become almost a requirement in many industries.
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US Government Contacts
U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Embassy in Austria
Boltzmanngasse 16
A-1091 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 313 39-0
Fax: +43 1 310 69 17
E-mail: vienna.office.box@mail.doc.gov
http://www.buyusa.gov/austria/en and
http://www.export.gov/cs
Mail from the United States:
Commercial Service Vienna
Unit 9900 Box 0016
DPO AE 09701-0016
U.S.-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
165 West 46th Street,
New York, NY 10036
Tel.: (212) 819-0117 Fax: (212) 819-0345
Website: http://www.usatchamber.com
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Washington-based U.S. Government Contacts
U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of European Country Affairs
Donald Calvert
Desk Officer, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Malta & Austria
1401 Constitution Ave., N.W. Room 3513
Washington, DC 20230
Tel.: (202) 482-9128 Fax: (202) 482-2897
E-mail: Donald_Calvert@ita.doc.gov
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Austrian Government Contacts
Embassy of Austria in the United States
3524 International Court N.W.
Washington, DC 20008-3027
Tel.: (202) 895-6700 Fax: (202) 895-6750
E-mail: austrianembassy@washington.nu
Consular Section:
Tel.: (202) 895-6711 Fax: (202) 895-6773
E-mail: consularsection.washington@mailbox.as
Website: http://www.austria.org
Austria’s official consultant for foreign investment:
In the U.S.: In Austria:
ABA – Invest in Austria ABA – Invest in Austria
120 West 45th Street, 9th floor Opernring 3
New York, NY 10036 A-1010 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: (212) 398-1221 Tel.: +43 1 588 58-0
Fax: (212) 398-1511 Fax: +43 1 586 86 59
E-Mail: office-usa@aba.gv.at E-Mail: office@aba.gv.at
Website: http://www.investinaustria.at
Austrian Federal Ministries:
Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor
Stubenring 1
A-1011 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 711 00-0 Fax: +43 1 713 79 95
E-mail: service@bmwa.gv.at
Website: http://www.bmwa.gv.at
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Stubenring 1, A-1010 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 711 00-0 Fax: +43 1 711 00-2127
E-mail: office@lebensministerium.at
Website: http://www.lebensministerium.at
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Austrian Trade Associations / Chambers of Commerce
Austrian Trade Commission operates offices in the U.S. at the following locations:
New York: 120 West 45th Street, 9th floor
New York, NY 10036
Tel.: (212) 421-5250 Fax: (212) 421-5251
E-mail: newyork@austriantrade.org
Illinois: 500 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1950
Chicago, IL 60611-3722
Tel.: (312) 644-5556 Fax: (312) 644-6526
E-mail: chicago@austriantrade.org
California: 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2420
Suite 2420, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel.: (310) 477-9988 Fax: (310) 477-1643
E-mail: losangeles@austriantrade.org
The following telephone number can be used for all Austrian Trade Delegates:
1-800-VIP-AHST. http://www.advantageaustria.org/us
American Chamber of Commerce in Austria
Porzellangasse 35
A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 319 57 51 Fax: +43 1 319 51 51
E-mail: office@amcham.or.at
Website: http://www.amcham.or.at
Wirtschaftskammer Oesterreich (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber)
Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63
A-1045 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 501 05-4204 Fax: +43 1 502 06-255
E-mail: awo.amerika@wko.at
Website: http://www.wko.at/aw
FEEI - Fachverband der Elektro- und Elektronikindustrie
(Association of the Electric and Electronic Industry)
Mariahilfer Strasse 37-39
A-1060 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 588 39-0 Fax: +43 1 586 69 71
E-mail: info@feei.at
Website: http://www.feei.at
The following telephone number can be used for all Austrian Trade Delegates:
1-899-VIP-AHST
Website: http://www.austriantrade.org
TPCC Trade Information Center in Washington:
1-800-USA-TRADE (1-800-872-8723), Fax: (202) 482-4473
Website: www.export.gov
National Trade Data Bank (NTDB): http://www.stat-usa.gov
Austria information: http://www.austrianinformation.org/
Economic news from Austria: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
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Trade Event Schedule
www.messen-austria.at/
NOTE: For further information, contact the Commercial Service Vienna:
Tel.: 43/1/313 39 Fax.: 43/1/313 39-2911
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Source: US Department of Commerce.
*This guide is not a complete list of trade associations or
publications. We welcome any additions to this document. The
Material Handling Industry does not assume a legal liability or
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of
the information contained herein. The listing of information
here does not reflect an endorsement of any of the particular
information by the Material Handling Industry.