The UK, Austria and the European Union
While the UK and Austria enjoy excellent bilateral relations, a lot of our day-to-day governmental contacts are in the context of the EU. The UK Prime Minister and the Austrian Chancellor meet at least four times a year at EU Summits (European Councils) and other ministers meet regularly at other Council formations.
A tight network on many levels
At official level, there are exchanges of information and discussion of approaches to EU dossiers. Experts are from time to time seconded from the UK to work in Austrian Ministries, and vice versa.
The Political Section of the Embassy supports this work by following developments in Austria which are relevant to the UK, analysing these for policymakers in the UK from all government departments, and identifying examples of best practice. We also promote and explain UK policies and initiatives to interested Austrian partners. We facilitate direct contacts between officials, members of parliament and other important stakeholders in public life and the private sector.
The Political Section of the Embassy supports this work by following developments in Austria which are relevant to the UK, analysing these for policymakers in the UK from all government departments, and identifying examples of best practice. We also promote and explain UK policies and initiatives to interested Austrian partners. We facilitate direct contacts between officials, members of parliament and other important stakeholders in public life and the private sector.
A wide range of topics covered
The subjects covered range from detailed technical ones, such as the UK’s use of some non-metric measurements, to broad themes such as how to ensure the EU is best placed to respond to the opportunities of globalisation and enhance its competitiveness. Topics covered in UK-Austria contacts over the last year include:
- fiscal policies to support poorer families (Minister Buchinger visited the UK in December to look at UK “working tax credit” model)
- reform of the EU budget that results in spending focussed where it is most relevant to citizens and can add the most value in a modern EU (visiting UK officials for talks in Vienna with counterparts on Budget Review and CAP health check)
- EU approach to international climate change negotiations (UK delegation to the UNFCCC Vienna meetings in round table discussion)
- energy policies that support security of supply, a low-carbon high-growth European economy, and a liberalised energy market (discussions on carbon capture and storage, and future structure of power companies in the EU).
