Foreign and European Policy Report 2019 Report by the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs

Home , Alexander Schallenberg, Ali Asadov, Angelika Mlinar, Arno Kompatscher, Christoph Grabenwarter, Iris Rauskala

Foreign and European Policy Report 2019

Report by the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Proprietor and Publisher: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs Minoritenplatz 8, 1010 Vienna, Austria Printed Edition: ISBN 978–3-902965–24-0 Epub: ISBN 978–3-902965–25-7 Edited and coordinated by: Dr. Johannes Strasser Natalie Raidl, MA English translation coordinated by: Sabine Hübler Production: Druckerei Berger, 3580 Horn Based on Außen- und Europapolitischer Bericht 2019. Bericht des Bundesministers für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten. Wien, 2020. Table of Contents

1. Europe and European Union...... 1 1.1 European Union...... 1 1.1.1 Austria in the European Institutions and the Permanent Representation of Austria to the European Union...... 1 1.1.2 Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union...... 6 1.1.2.1 CFSP...... 6 1.1.2.2 CSDP...... 6 1.1.2.3 Enlargement of the European Union...... 8 1.1.2.4 Countermeasures against Extremism and Terrorism...... 12 1.1.2.5 Cyber Security and Hybrid Threats...... 14 1.1.3 Brexit...... 16 1.2 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities...... 18 1.2.1 Austria’s Neighbours...... 18 1.2.2 South Tyrol...... 33 1.3 South East Europe, Western Balkan States and Turkey...... 35 1.4 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood...... 40 1.4.1 Russia...... 40 1.4.2 Eastern Partnership States...... 43 1.4.3 Central Asia ...... 49 1.5 The European Union’s Southern Neighbourhood...... 52 1.5.1 North Africa and Maghreb States...... 53 1.5.2 The Middle East...... 56 1.6 The Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula...... 58 1.7. Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union...... 61 1.8 America...... 69 1.8.1 United States of America (USA)...... 69 1.8.2 Canada...... 72 1.8.3 Latin America ...... 73 1.9 Asia...... 75 1.9.1 People’s Republic of China...... 76 1.9.2 North East Asia...... 77 1.9.3 South and Southeast Asia...... 79 1.10 Australia and Oceania...... 85

2. Austria’s Multilateral Engagement ...... 86 2.1 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies...... 86 2.1.1 General Assembly...... 86 2.1.2 UN Security Council...... 93 III Table of Contents

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2.1.3 International Court of Justice...... 97 2.1.4 United Nations Specialised Agencies ...... 98 2.2 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)...... 103 2.2.1 Regional Issues and Field Activities...... 103 2.2.2 Election Observation...... 105 2.2.3 The OSCE’s Human Dimension – Human Rights...... 105 2.2.4 The OSCE’s Security Policy Dimension ...... 106 2.2.5 The OSCE’s Economic and Environmental Dimension ...... 107 2.2.6 The OSCE’s Regional Policy Dimension ...... 108 2.3 Council of Europe...... 108 2.3.1 Political Issues...... 108 2.3.2 Monitoring Respect of Commitments by Member States...... 111 2.3.3 The Council of Europe and Austria...... 113 2.4 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 114 2.5 Austria as Host Country to International Organisations ...... 120 2.5.1 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)...... 122 2.5.2 Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)...... 123 2.5.3 United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)...... 123 2.5.4 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)...... 124 2.5.5 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)...... 125 2.6 Human Rights...... 126 2.6.1 Priorities ...... 126 2.6.2 Human Rights in the United Nations...... 134 2.6.2.1 Membership in the Human Rights Council...... 134 2.6.3 Human Rights in the European Union...... 139 2.6.4 Human Rights in the Council of Europe...... 142 2.6.5 International Criminal Court...... 143 2.7 Climate Protection, Environment and Energy Issues...... 145 2.7.1 Climate Change and Climate Policy...... 145 2.7.2 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)...... 146 2.7.3 Global Environmental Protection Agreements and Initiatives. 146 2.7.4 Sustainable Energy ...... 150 2.7.5 Nuclear Safety...... 151 2.8 International Disarmament and Arms Control...... 152 2.8.1 Risks posed by Weapons of Mass Destruction...... 153 2.8.2 Addressing the Issue of Conventional Weapons...... 157 2.8.3 Multilateral Export Controls...... 160 2.9 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)...... 162 IV Table of Contents

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3. Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs...... 164 3.1 Thematic Priorities...... 165 3.2 Bilateral Development Cooperation...... 167 3.3 Multilateral Development Cooperation...... 173 3.4 Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief...... 174 3.4.1 Bilateral Humanitarian Aid...... 174 3.4.2 Multilateral Humanitarian Aid and Assistance provided by the European Union...... 177 3.5 International Humanitarian Law...... 178

4. Foreign Trade...... 180 4.1 Foreign Trade Strategy...... 180 4.2 Bilateral Foreign Trade Policy...... 181 4.3 Multilateral Foreign Trade Policy...... 182 4.4 Department for Business Services...... 183

5. Consular Affairs...... 185 5.1 The Consular Department’s Areas of Activity...... 185 5.2 Citizens’ Desk and Operational Crisis Management Abroad...... 185 5.3 General Consular and Legal Matters...... 186 5.4 Austrians Abroad...... 187 5.5 Visa and Residence Matters...... 191 5.6 Asylum-related Issues and External Aspects of Migration...... 192

6. International Cultural Policy...... 195 6.1 Priorities ...... 195 6.2 Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue...... 199 6.3 International Cultural Policy Activities in the Context of the European Union and UNESCO...... 201 6.4 Bilateral Agreements in the Fields of Culture and Science...... 202 6.5 Science, Education and Language...... 203 6.6 Österreich-Bibliotheken (Austrian Libraries)...... 206 6.7 Multilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation...... 207 6.8 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and Issues related to the National Socialist Past...... 208 6.9 The Future Fund of the Republic of Austria...... 208

7. Integration...... 210 7.1 Key Issues...... 210 7.2 Integration Bodies...... 213

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8. The Austrian Foreign Service...... 214 8.1 Working at the MFA...... 214 8.2 The Foreign Ministry’s Budget...... 217 8.3 Global Infrastructure and Information Technology...... 218 8.4 Austrian Missions Abroad and Honorary Consulates...... 220 8.5 Organizational Chart...... 222 8.6 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads...... 224 8.7 Excursus: The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna...... 232

Index...... 235

VI 1. Europe and European Union

1.1 European Union

1.1.1 Austria in the European Institutions and the Permanent Representation of Austria to the European Union Since 2017, the Federal Chancellery has been responsible for fundamental matters relating to Austria’s membership of the EU, including coordination of matters relating to the EU and the European Council. Substantive EU matters, especially of a fundamental and institutional nature, continue to be the joint responsibility of the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Ministry for European and Interna- tional Affairs (MFA). The Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU, which is entrusted with these tasks, is a subordinate agency of the MFA and serves as Austria’s point of contact with the institutions of the Union, the Council Presidency and other Member States. Within the Permanent Representation, all federal ministries, the Liaison Office of the Federal Provinces as well as social partners and interest groups (the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Federal Chamber of Labour, the Cham- ber of Agriculture, the Trade Union Federation, the Association of Municipalities, the Association of Cities and Towns, the Federation of Austrian Industries and the National Bank) are represented by experts. The Permanent Representation’s central task is representing Austria during preparations for the political and legislative decisions to be taken by the EU and to inform the Austrian Federal Government, the competent authorities and the Aus- trian Parliament about projects at European level in accordance with the relevant legal framework. Negotiations on EU political and legislative decisions take place in the competent Council working groups and committees, which meet about 4,500 times a year and in which the staff of the Permanent Representation or the federal ministries participate. Before being formally adopted at ministers’ level, the negotiation results generally have to pass the ambassadorial level (and as required, the Political and Security Policy Committee as well as the Committee of the Permanent Representatives levels). The Permanent Representation’s tasks also include providing interested citizens with first-hand insights into its activities and the work of the European institutions and to raise the public’s awareness of both the functioning and the significant role played by the European Union. The Permanent Representation’s Visitor and Information Service thus hosted 166 groups of visitors (4,739 individuals in total). The Permanent Representation also assists Austrians wishing to apply for jobs advertised by EU institutions in Brussels. The related services range from providing information about jobs and vacancies that are advertised by the Com-

1 Europe and European Union mission for delegated national experts to internship opportunities in ministries, country offices or at universities.

European Parliament The elections to the European Parliament were held from 23–26 May and achieved a turnout of 50.66 % across Europe – the highest in 20 years. With a turnout of 59.77 %, the increase in Austria (AT) amounted to 14.38 % compared to 2014. In terms of the election outcome, the ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party) was able to record significant gains (34.6 %, +7.6 %), the SPÖ (Social Democratic Party) registered slight losses (23.9 %, -0.2 %), as did the FPÖ (Freedom Party) that registered 17.2 % (-2.5 %) and GRÜNE (Greens) with 14.1 % (-0.4 %), while the NEOS (New Austria and Liberal Forum) recorded slight gains (8.4 %, +0.3 %). Out of the total of 751 seats in the European Parliament, 18 are held by Austrian Members, which are now distributed as follows (changes compared to the 2014 EP elections): ÖVP 7 (+2), SPÖ 5, FPÖ 3 (-1), GRÜNE 2 (-1) and NEOS 1. Overall, the European People’s Party (EPP, AT:ÖVP) became the strongest group, having obtained 24.23 % of the votes, followed by the Socialists and Democrats Group (S&D, AT:SPÖ) with 20.51 %, the liberal Renew Europe (AT:NEOS) with 14.38 %) the Greens/EFA (AT:GRÜNE), with 9.9 %, the Identity and Democracy Group (AT:FPÖ) with 9.7 %, the conservative European Conservatives and Reform- ists Group (ECR) with 8.3 % and the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) with 5.5 %. As both EPP and S&D recorded losses, this term marks the first time they no longer enjoy a majority in the European Parliament. In accordance with European Council Decision (EU) 2018/937 establishing the composition and distribution of seats following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, the total number of seats in the European Parliament will be reduced to 705. The decision will enter into force when the United Kingdom (UK) leaves the EU, and the number of elected Members of European Parliament (MEPs) that represent Austria will subsequently be increased to 19. Currently, 131 Austrians work in the European Parliament, which corresponds to 1.3 % of its total headcount.

European Council In the European Council, Austria was represented by Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Having been entrusted with the chairmanship of the provisional federal government and the continuation of the administration at the Federal Chancellery, Hartwig Löger took on this responsibility from May onwards. From June onwards, Austria was represented in the European Council by Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein. Four ordinary meetings and one extraordinary meeting of the European Council were held. In addition, two informal meetings were convened in Sibiu and Brussels and four special meetings were held in the Article 50 format, i.e. without

2 European Union the participation of a UK representative. On 1 December, Charles Michel took over the office of President of the European Council from his predecessor, Donald Tusk.

Council of the European Union In the Council of the European Union, Austria is represented by the relevant members of the Federal Government. In the first six months of the year, the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU was held by Romania and in the second half of the year by Finland. In the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which is composed of the Member States’ foreign affairs ministers, Austria was represented by Federal Minister Karin Kneissl, and from June onwards by Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg. This Coun- cil configuration is chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (EU HR), who is elected for a period of five years. The Foreign Affairs Council held a total of ten meetings. In addition, two meetings were held in the Development Cooperation, the Trade and the Defence formats, as well as two informal meetings in the Gymnich format. A total of 29 Austrians work in the General Secretariat of the Council, which corresponds to 1.0 % of its total staff.

European Commission In office since 10 February 2010, the Austrian EU Commissioner and former Fed- eral Minister Johannes Hahn has held the position of Commissioner for Budget and Administration in the newly appointed Commission of President Ursula von der Leyen since 1 December. A total of 486 Austrians work in the European Commission, which corresponds to 1.6 % of its total headcount.

European External Action Service The European External Action Service (EEAS) was established at the end of 2010 by merging the Commission’s and the Council’s foreign policy services and by involving diplomats from the national diplomatic services. As of the end of the year, 320 members of the EU Member States’ national diplomatic services worked in the EEAS (this is equivalent to 33.7 % of the EEAS positions in the AD category). Of this staff, 153 worked at headquarters in Brussels and 167 in the delegations. At the end of the year, the EEAS headcount totalled 2,863 individuals, of whom 63.6 % worked at headquarters in Brussels and 36.4 % in the Union’s global network of 140 delegations and offices. Taking into account all employment groups covered by the EEAS budget (including permanent posts, contract staff and delegated national experts), 51 Austrians currently work in the EEAS. This corresponds to an average share of 2 % Austrians in the above categories.

3 Europe and European Union

Court of Justice of the European Union The Republic of Austria is represented before the Court of Justice of the Euro- pean Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, which consists of the Court and the General Court (EGC), by agents from the Constitutional Service of the Federal Ministry for Constitution, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice. Since March, Andreas Kumin has been the Austrian judge at the Court (CJEU). Viktor Kreuschitz (since September 2013) and, since the increase in the number of judges in September 2019, Gerhard Hesse have been the two Austrian judges at the EGC. Austrian courts have initiated 31 new preliminary ruling proceedings (i.e. proceedings, in which a national court refers a question relating to the interpretation or validity of Union law to the CJEU). At the end of the year, four infringement procedures were pending against the Republic of Austria for alleged violations of Union law. These concerned breaches of obligations under Directive 2004/18/EC for failure to launch a competitive tendering procedure, under Directive 2009/147/EC regarding authorizations for spring season hunting of male specimens of the species of woodcock bird in Lower Austria, under Directive 2006/112/EC on special VAT rules for travel agencies, and under Directive 2007/59/EC on the certification of train drivers. In the infringement procedure concerning Austrian provisions on restrictions on the activities of certain service providers, such as partnerships and companies of civil engineers, patent agents and veterinary surgeons, the CJEU ruled that they were in breach of Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the internal market. The infringement action brought by Austria in connection with the German motor vehicle toll was upheld; according to the CJEU, the toll infringes on Articles 18, 34, 56 and 92 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Committee of the Regions As a consultative body and forum for the representation of regional and local interests connected to European integration, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) takes part in the debate about Europe and contributes to its shaping. Austria is represented by twelve members in the CoR. In this body, each of the nine federal provinces has one seat, while towns, cities and municipalities together have a total of three seats. In accordance with Decision (EU) 2019/852 of 21 May determining the composition of the CoR following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom, the CoR will be reduced from 350 to 329 members from the date the UK’s withdrawal becomes legally effective. Austria is not affected by the changes. On 10 December, the members and alternate members for the CoR’s new five-year term from January 2020 to January 2025 were appointed by Council Decision.

4 European Union

European Economic and Social Committee The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body that involves economic and social interest groups in the EU’s legislative process. At the organisational level, the EESC’s members are divided into the Workers’ Group, the Employers’ Group and the Various Interests’ Group. Topics are dealt with in six thematic sections. Austria is represented by twelve members composed of representatives of the social partners and the Austrian Consumer Protection Associa- tion. In accordance with Decision (EU) 2019/853 of 21 May on the composition of the EESC following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, it will be reduced from 350 to 329 members from the date of the UK’s withdrawal. Austria is not affected by the changes.

The Initiative “Europa fängt in der Gemeinde an” (Europe starts at local level) In 2010, the initiative “Europe starts at local level” was launched by the MFA and the European Commission Representation in Austria. The initiative aims to establish mayors and municipal representatives as “Municipal Councillors for European Affairs” in as many cities and municipalities as possible. They will then act as the local population’s main contacts on topics related to the EU. By the end of the year, more than 1,000 representatives from all federal provinces had joined the initiative. Examples of relevant initiatives launched by Municipal Councillors for European Affairs in their respective municipalities and cities include, among others, a regular EU information page in the local council newsletters, regular “EU roundtables” and panel discussions, EU-related activities directed at pupils as well as “EU committees” at municipal level. The MFA acts as a central information, networking, service and contact point for initiative members. The range of services provided by the MFA to Municipal Councillors for European Affairs also includes the provision of information, such as a regular newsletter on current EU issues, an electronic networking platform, training seminars and information trips to Brussels. From 10 to 12 April and from 20 to 22 November, some 25 Municipal Council- lors for European Affairs took part in the fourteenth and fifteenth such information trips to Brussels, during which they had the opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the EU and its institutions at close quarters. With a view to promoting networking and basic knowledge sharing, the MFA hosted a welcome and information-sharing seminar for Municipal Councillors for European Affairs on 8 November. The initiative’s most important networking event is the regular General Meeting of European Councillors, with the next such event scheduled for June 2020.

5 Europe and European Union

1.1.2 Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union

1.1.2.1 CFSP Under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), current foreign policy issues and developments of relevance for all EU Member States are dealt with at EU level. In the Foreign Affairs Council(FAC) , decisions on CFSP issues are generally taken unanimously (constructive abstention is possible) on the basis of strategic guidelines set by the European Council. The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) forms part of the CFSP. The Brussels-based Political and Security Committee (PSC) is composed of representatives of all EU Member States and usually meets twice a week to discuss foreign and security policy developments. In addition, the PSC supervises the implementation of agreed policies and provides strategic direction in CSDP missions and operations. On 1 December, Josep Borrell i Fontelles took over as the new High Representa- tive of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from his predecessor Federica Mogherini, being at the same time also one of six Vice-Presidents of the European Commission (HR/VP). He chairs the FAC and may make statements on day-to-day political events on behalf of the EU Member States. On the basis of a proposal from the HR/VP, the Council may appoint EU Special Representatives (EUSRs) for specific policy issues. Mandates were issued for a total of eight EUSRs: for the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, Central Asia, Kosovo, the South Caucasus and the conflict in Georgia as well as the Middle East Peace Process. On 1 March, the Irishman Eamon Gilmore was appointed EUSR for Human Rights succeeding Stavros Lambrinidis. Succeeding Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, the Austrian Johann Sattler was appointed EUSR for Bosnia and Her- zegovina on 1 September. In the context of a debate on the effectiveness of the CFSP, held during the FAC in June, Austria actively participated in a discussion on the topic of better and more efficient support of the HR/VP by the EU Member States.

1.1.2.2 CSDP The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), which was strengthened by the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, is an integral part of the CFSP. The Global Strategy for EU Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS), adopted in 2016, has contributed to strengthening the European Security Strat- egy approach of 2003. Among other things, this led to the definition of a new level of EU ambition in the field of security and defence, which serves to implement the following three strategic EUGS priorities: (I) response to external conflicts and crises; (II) capacity building for partner countries affected by fragility/

6 European Union instability; and (III) protection of the Union and its citizens. From the outset, Austria has actively contributed to implementing all strands of the Global Strat- egy and during its Presidency of the Council of the EU continued to work towards strengthening the Common Security and Defence Policy. In this context, Austria advocates a comprehensive approach to security with a focus on prevention and increasing resilience, including better alignment and linkage between internal and external as well as civil and military security aspects. In June, the FAC adopted comprehensive Council conclusions on security and defence. The priorities highlighted included capability development, enhanced defence cooperation (Permanent Structured Cooperation – PESCO, Coordinated Annual Review on Defence – CARD), adaptation and strengthening of military and civil structures and instruments (Military Planning and Conduct Capability – MPCC) as well as partnerships with other international organisations and partner states. Further milestones were the partial agreement on the establishment of a European Defence Fund and the implementation of the Joint Declarations on EU-NATO Cooperation adopted in 2016 and 2018 by the EU and NATO leaders. Important cross-cutting topics addressed in this context were climate change, hybrid threats and military mobility. In October, the National Implementation Plan for the Common Civilian Security and Defence Policy Compact (CSDP Compact) was adopted by the Council of Ministers in Austria. Adopted by the Council and the Member States under the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in November 2018, this compact seeks to improve the quality and quantity of the civilian CSDP. It is to be implemented by 2023 at the latest in order to enable the Union to respond more effectively to current and complex security challenges such as terrorism and organised crime. Austria has pledged, inter alia, commitments to strengthening civil-military cooperation and to further second Austrian mission members such as police officers and experts into the fields of rule of law, border and customs administration, cyber security and the protection of cultural assets. In November, a third package of Permanent Structured Cooperation projects was adopted by the Council, bringing the number of projects to 47. Austria currently contributes as project co-ordinator to one project in the field of NBC protection and defence, as participant in four projects, and acts as observer in two projects.

Ongoing CSDP Operations and Missions and Austria’s Involvement The following missions/operations were conducted under the CSDP:

Civilian CSDP missions: • EUAM Ukraine (with Austrian contribution) • EUBAM Libya (with Austrian contribution)

7 Europe and European Union

• EULEX Kosovo (with Austrian contribution) • EUMM Georgia (with Austrian contribution) • EUAM Iraq • EUBAM Rafah (Palestinian territories) • EUCAP Sahel Mali • EUCAP Sahel Niger • EUCAP Somalia • EUPOL COPPS (Palestinian territories)

Military CSDP Operations and Missions: • EUFOR Althea (Bosnia and Herzegovina; with Austrian contribution) • EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia (Southern Central Mediterranean; with Austrian contribution) • EUTM Mali (with Austrian contribution) • EUNAVFOR Somalia Operation Atalanta (Horn of Africa) • EUTM RCA (Central African Republic) • EUTM Somalia

1.1.2.3 Enlargement of the European Union At its meeting in Thessaloniki in 2003, the European Council agreed to reiterate its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the South East Euro- pean, i.e. Western Balkan, countries. Building on this fundamental commitment, the Heads of State and Government reaffirmed in December 2006 that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union and endorsed the “renewed consensus on enlargement”, which has guided and defined the EU’s enlargement policy to this very day. These principles adopted by the European Council are based on the premise that the Union’s capacity to integrate new members must be taken into account and emphasise, alongside the consolidation of commitments made, the observance of a fair and at the same time rigorous conditionality. This means that progress in an accession process, such as the granting of candidate status, is based on clearly defined criteria and may only be recognised if such objectives have been fulfilled. In the accession negotiations, priority is given to the key areas of rule of law, fundamental rights, improvement of economic policy governance and reform of public administration (“fundamentals first” principle). The annual enlargement package including the country reports on the individual states (six South East European candidate countries and Turkey) was presented on 29 May. In this package, the European Commission for the second consecu- tive time recommended opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. While the reports on the four other countries of the Western Bal- kans (Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo) were positive to

8 European Union neutral, Turkey – as had already been the case in 2018 – was given an extremely critical assessment due to considerable regression, particularly with respect to the areas of rule of law and fundamental rights. Aware of the central and indispensable role a credible EU perspective plays for the peaceful and stable development of South East Europe, Austria has actively supported advancing the EU accession process of the six South East European candidate countries within the EU. In order to ensure the necessary credibility of the EU accession process, the EU needs to determine the accession candidates’ performance and, as applicable, acknowledge the progress made in the accession process. Accordingly, Austria strongly supported opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania both in the June and in the October General Affairs Council. The fact that the relevant decision has not yet been taken is in Austria’s view an omission that has not only damaged confidence in the reliability of the EU among the states of South East Europe but has also led to uncertainty in the region. In order to counter the risk of destabilisation of the region, Austria therefore advocates making up for delays and taking the decision on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania as quickly as possible. To this end, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg wrote a letter to the President of the European Commission in which he stressed the importance of a credible EU perspective and advocated a resolute continuation of the enlargement policy aimed at integrating all six countries of the region as full members into the EU. This letter was supported by 14 foreign ministers from other EU Member States. In addition, a meeting of the Western Balkan Directors of 13 enlargement- friendly EU Member States was held in Vienna in November. The topics addressed included ways of enhancing the EU enlargement process and overcoming the blockade on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. In recognition of its commitment to EU enlargement, Austria was invited to join the Tallinn or “Friends of Enlargement” Group, an informal group composed of 15 like-minded, enlargement-friendly EU Member States. On 10 December, nine EU Member States, including Austria, submitted a concept paper setting out proposals for enhancing the EU accession process. In response to this paper, the European Commission held out the prospect of presenting a communication on enhancing the EU accession process. Austria also provided tangible support to the pre-accession process via EU-funded twinning partnerships and short-term expert assistance (TAIEX), thus supporting candidate countries in strengthening their public administration. Austria contributed inter alia to supporting the parliaments of Bosnia and Herzegovina in matters relating to European integration and to assisting Serbia in the field of water management. In the context of TAIEX, Austrian authorities seconded experts to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ser-

9 Europe and European Union bia to share relevant specialised know-how in the fields of environment, justice and home affairs, finance, aviation safety, health, food safety, transport, agriculture, taxation, customs and excise as well as administrative law. The EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is the funding mechanism for supporting the pre-accession process of candidate countries (Montene- gro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and Turkey) and potential candidates (Bos- nia and Herzegovina as well as Kosovo). IPA provides flexible assistance depending on the overall progress made by the beneficiary countries and their specific needs, as identified in the European Commission’s evaluations and annual strategy documents. In this context, the migration and refugee crisis is also taken into account. The IPA II Regulation currently in force entered into effect on 1 January 2014 and expires at the end of 2020. Total funding for the period 2014–2020 amounts to 11.699 billion euros. On 15 June, the European Commission presented its proposal for the IPA III regulation for the years 2021–2027. In March, the relevant common position of the Council had been adopted, based on which the trilogue with the European Parliament was launched at the end of December under the Finnish Presidency.

Ongoing Accession Negotiations Accession negotiations with Montenegro were launched in June 2012 with a special focus on the areas of rule of law, the judiciary, human rights and the fight against corruption and organised crime. A total of 32 negotiation chapters had been opened, the most recent being chapter 27 (environment and climate change) on 10 December 2018 during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. During both the Romanian and Finnish Presidencies it was, however, not possible to open the last remaining substantive chapter, namely chapter 8 (competition). Three chapters have already been provisionally closed. Progress in the rule of law area will continue to have a significant influence on the pace of negotiations. The negotiation process has, however, lost some of its momentum. The next milestone to be achieved by Montenegro is meeting the interim benchmarks for chapters 23 and 24 related to the rule of law. Accession negotiations with Serbia were formally opened in January 2014. By the end of the year, a total of 18 negotiation chapters had been opened, the most recent being chapter 4 (free movement of capital) on 10 December during the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Previously, in June, chapter 9 (financial services) had been opened under the Romanian Presidency. Two chapters have already been provisionally closed. The pace of negotiations will continue to be highly dependent on progress made in the field of rule of law and normalisation of relations with Kosovo, which has been stagnating since summer 2018.

10 European Union

Following its official application for accession in 1987, accession negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005. So far, 16 negotiating chapters have been opened and one chapter closed. Turkey has been in a customs union with the EU since 1995. The enlargement rounds of the EU in 2004 and 2007 required incorporation of the new EU Mem- ber States into the customs union. To that end, the Ankara Protocol, an additional protocol to the 1963 Association Agreement (the Ankara Agreement) was signed in July 2005. Turkey, however, issued a declaration in which it stated that it continued to not recognise the Republic of Cyprus and that the customs union did not apply to Cyprus. Having repeatedly criticized this breach of contract, the Council of the EU decided in December 2006 to partially suspend accession negotiations. Until full implementation of the Ankara Protocol by Turkey, eight related negotiation chapters will thus remain unopened and it will also not be possible to close any of the previously opened chapters. With regard to the Country Report on Turkey submitted by the European Com- mission on 29 May, the EU Council, in its conclusions of 18 June, reiterated the previous year’s position, in which it stated that Turkey was “moving further and further away from the European Union”, that “accession negotiations have therefore effectively come to a standstill” and that “no further chapters can be considered for opening or closing and no further work towards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union is foreseen”. On 15 March, the EU-Turkey Associa- tion Council met for the first time in four years, enabling relations to be reviewed. Austria is in favour of breaking-off EU accession negotiations with Turkey and – considering the central role Turkey plays in the field of economy, security and migration – supports the development of an EU-Turkey neighbourhood concept.

Rapprochement of Further South East European States with the EU North Macedonia has had candidate country status since 2005. For a long time, the name dispute with Greece stood in the way of the start of accession negotiations. Following the successful agreement on the name issue with Greece in the Prespa Agreement and the subsequent change of name to North Macedonia, the European Commission again recommended the opening of accession negotiations. However, the Council on 18 June postponed the decision and merely committed to reverting to the issue “with a view to reaching a clear and substantive decision as soon as possible and no later than October 2019”. As the EU again failed to take a decision on accession negotiations at the Council on 15 October, early elections were called in North Macedonia for 12 April 2020. Albania was granted candidate status in June 2014. In the context of the presentation of this year’s enlargement package on 29 May, the European Commis- sion for the second time recommended opening accession negotiations, thereby acknowledging, among other things, the progress made in the field of judicial

11 Europe and European Union reform (in particular the re-evaluation of judges and prosecutors, also known as “vetting”). As in the case of North Macedonia, the Council on 18 June postponed the decision on opening accession negotiations, initially until October. In Octo- ber, however, it was again unable to reach a consensus on this issue. The EU’s strategy vis-à-vis Bosnia and Herzegovina continued to be based on the political leadership’s commitment to a comprehensive reform agenda. After having submitted its application for EU membership in 2016, Bosnia and Herze- govina in 2018 provided the answers to the questionnaire, which aims to provide information on the country’s readiness to acquire candidate status, to the European Commission. In March, Bosnia and Herzegovina replied to the follow-up questions asked by the European Commission. On 29 May, the European Com- mission presented its opinion (avis) and defined 14 key priorities to be fulfilled by Bosnia and Herzegovina prior to the start of negotiations. The relevant conclusions were adopted by the Council in December, stating that Bosnia and Herzego- vina currently did not sufficiently fulfil the Copenhagen criteria, neither politically nor economically, and needs to undertake further reforms, in particular in the 14 key priorities identified in the avis. Kosovo’s rapprochement with the EU depends to a large extent on its progress in the areas of rule of law, the judiciary, public administration and the establishment of a functioning market economy. Progress in the normalisation process with Serbia is also essential. A visa dialogue was launched with Kosovo on 19 January 2012. In July 2018, the European Commission presented a report, which concluded that Kosovo fulfils all the conditions for visa liberalisation and therefore recommended that the Member States lift the visa requirement for Kosovo. Following a positive opinion by the competent committee of the European Parlia- ment in September 2018, the EU Member States’ decision on the European Com- mission’s recommendation is still pending.

1.1.2.4 Countermeasures against Extremism and Terrorism The multidimensional phenomenon of terrorism poses complex challenges to the international community of states. As an important home to many international organisations, Austria considers itself a hub for the promotion of peace and security and plays a pivotal role in containing drug abuse. In this spirit, cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) , the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and/or the Counter-Terrorism Committee Execu- tive Directorate (CTED), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) has been further intensified. In the field of counter-terrorism, the EU’s joint action is based on the2005 Counter-Terrorism Strategy, whose four pillars are ‘prevent, protect, pursue and respond’, and the 2015 European Agenda on Security that focuses on the

12 European Union three core priorities of terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime. In addition, it is based on the Declaration of Heads of State and Government of 12 Febru- ary 2015 and the Declaration of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of 24 March 2016, both with a focus on citizens’ security and preventing radicalisation. This is supplemented by the EU terrorist lists, rules to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing as well as the Directive on the Use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) Data. In particular, the EU works towards preventing terrorists from using the Internet for radicalisation, recruitment and incitement to violence. The negotiations on an EU regulation on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online, launched in autumn 2018, were continued. There is consensus within the EU that the focus should now increasingly be placed on fully implementing the already adopted legislation. In the wake of the terrorist attacks of 2004, the position of EU Counter-Terror- ism Coordinator was created (held since 2007 by Gilles de Kerchove), who is tasked with coordinating the related activities within the EU and, inter alia, opti- mising communication between the EU and third countries. Implementing the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy for the Western Balkans, adopted in February 2018, which defines the framework for intensified cooperation between the EU and the region, the Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism for South East Europe, prepared during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and adopted in October 2018, was further operationalised: the EU prepared (non-binding) counter-terrorism arrangements with each of the Western Balkan states. The arrangement with Kosovo was signed on 30 Septem- ber, those with Albania and North Macedonia on 9 October, the arrangements with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro were signed in Skopje on 18–19 November. After five years, an important milestone was reached in the fight againstthe Islamic State (IS)/Da’esh in Syria and Iraq: on 23 March, Kurdish troops cap- tured Baghus, which was the last remaining IS stronghold in Syria. This is considered a success of the “Global Coalition against IS/Da’esh” that was established by the USA in 2014 and comprises 81 states and organisations, including Austria. On October 26, the killing of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by US special forces was reported. In the context of its involvement, Austria contributes primarily to the thematic area of “stabilisation”, i.e. supporting the development of state infrastructure in areas freed from the Islamic State, and on the topic of “foreign terrorist fighters” (FTFs). The members of the Global Coalition met at ministerial level on 6 Febru- ary and – in a smaller format – on 14 November, in order to discuss inter alia the Coalition’s future areas of activity.

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Following the military defeat of the IS/Da’esh, the latter has moved to pursuing its activities underground and is seeking new potential areas of operation, for instance in the Sahel and in Southeast Asia. Yet, there is still a potential threat from returnees, copycats and perpetrators acting alone. In this context, a special focus is being placed on the issue of potentially returning foreign terrorist fighters who had travelled in recent years from their home countries to Iraq and Syria specifically for the “Jihad” and are sometimes still on the ground, and/or in detention camps and/or prisons in the region. Lately, the terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda has featured less prominently on the public radar in Europe or the USA, which is attributable to the fact that these regions are currently not a focus of its activities. In the Middle East as well as in parts of Africa and Asia, however, Al-Qaeda continues to play a key role in local insurgency movements.

1.1.2.5 Cyber Security and Hybrid Threats With geopolitical tensions on the rise, conflicts have increasingly been waged also in cyberspace, which has evolved into an important theatre of operations. As cyberattacks are inexpensive and their origin can easily be disguised, they are generally used in the context of attacks that remain below the threshold of “armed attack” or “use of force”. In 2017, the EU adopted the Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox, which lists all the diplomatic options available to EU Member States in dealing at diplomatic level with violations of international law in cyberspace. In May, this was supplemented by a Cyber Sanctions Regime, on which work had commenced during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In addition to these measures, EU Member States increasingly seek to promote their own resilience, including through dialogue, exercises and cyber security capacity building in the EU’s neighbourhood and in developing countries. At international level, the USA and a group of like-minded partners have begun to publicly name and shame the state actors behind cyber attacks. Two parallel standard-setting processes were launched. All UN Member States participate in the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) whose mandate overlaps with that of a new Group of Governmental Experts (UN GGE) involving 25 members. The validity of international humanitarian law in cyberspace is a topic of controversial debate. Differences are also becoming apparent with respect to human rights. A number of states advocate drawing up new treaties to further expand state control over the Internet under the banner of combating crime and terrorism. EU Member States, on the other hand, attach importance to ensuring an open, secure and free cyberspace in which international law, including all human rights and fundamental freedoms, is upheld. The OSCE has continued work on the implementation of the 16 Confidence Building Measures on Cyber Security, which make it an international role model in this context. Cyber security was also a priority of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship. The expansion of 5G networks as a cyber security

14 European Union issue was the topic of intensive discussions. In accordance with a decision by the European Council, the EU Member States developed a common risk assessment for 5G cyber security. Generally speaking, most of today’s conflicts are no longer waged by military means, but rather by a combination of such means as influencing, disinformation, cyberattacks or economic pressure. Such hybrid threats are used, inter alia, to destabilize societies and to influence public opinion or elections. The development of EU policies on hybrid threats is closely related to the process of strengthening EU policy in the fields of security and defence. Based on the invitation of the FAC of May 2015, the HR/VP, in close cooperation with the Commis- sion and the European Defence Agency and in consultation with the EU Member States, developed a Joint Framework on Countering Hybrid Threats, presented in April 2016. This Framework outlines 22 actions aimed in particular at improving situational awareness of hybrid threats, building resilience and strengthening prevention and crisis response. In this respect, a special focus is placed on critical infrastructure, energy security, transport and supply chain security, the health and financial sectors, general improvement in the ability of EU institutions and Member States to respond to hybrid threats, and cooperation with third countries and international organisations. Implementing the Common Framework, a Hybrid Fusion Cell was created as part of the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre at the EEAS, and a European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats was established in Helsinki. To date, a total of 26 states, including Austria, have joined this institution, which is open to both EU and NATO member states. Action 1 of this Framework provides for launching a Hybrid Risk Survey to identify key vulnerabilities, including specific hybrid-related indicators, which could “potentially affect national and pan-European structures and networks”. One working group focuses particularly on a coherent approach to dealing with hybrid threats, strengthening the resilience of state and society, improving strategic communication and combating disinformation. It also contributes to capacity building aimed at countering hybrid threats and to implementing the Action Plan against Disin- formation, adopted in December 2018. Furthermore, the new Strategic Agenda 2019–2024 also calls for a comprehensive approach towards fighting cyber activities, hybrid threats and disinformation. The Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation adopted in 2016 by the EU and NATO leaders has identified the management of hybrid threats as one of seven areas of cooperation in which the EU and NATO are to collaborate more closely. At the Austrian level, an inter-ministerial working group was set up in the lead- up to the general election and mandated with performing weaknesses analysis in order to identify potential risks arising from hybrid threats as part of a strength and weaknesses analysis.

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1.1.3 Brexit The Brexit negotiations were formally concluded with the political endorsement of the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the EU including the Protocols on Ireland/Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and the sovereign base areas in Cyprus, as well as the Political Declaration (PD) setting out the Framework for the Future Relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom at a special meeting of the European Council (under Art. 50) on 25 November 2018. The date of withdrawal was set at 29 March. The Withdrawal Agreement covers key separation issues with chapters on civil rights, financial regulations, the agreement on a transition period (until 31 Decem- ber 2020), the arrangements addressing the very specific situations relating to Ireland/Northern Ireland and the parameters for the implementation of the agreement. During the transition period (until 31 December 2020), the full acquis of the EU will continue to apply for the United Kingdom. The Withdrawal Agreement is complemented by the Political Declaration, which contains the essential parameters for the negotiations on future relations with the United Kingdom as a third country as set out under Art. 218 TFEU. The main objective is to ensure closest possible partnership at all levels, in which context a balance of rights and duties, the need for a level playing field governed by fair conditions of competition, the integrity of the internal market and the indivisibility of the four freedoms are particularly important. Regular dialogue is envisaged with respect to Common For- eign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The UK will have the opportunity to participate on a case by case basis in CFSP and CSDP missions. Subsequently, both parties to the agreement focused their efforts on the necessary steps required for the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. On the part of the EU, the two Council decisions on the signing and the conclusion of the Withdrawal Agreement were adopted by written procedure on 11 January and the agreement’s text was forwarded to the European Parliament. In order to minimise the negative consequences of a possible no-deal Brexit, i.e. a withdrawal without a withdrawal agreement, the preparatory activities (preparedness and contingency measures), which had been underway since autumn 2018, were continued at both EU and national level. In this context, a total of 19 regulations and 63 non-legislative acts were adopted at EU level. In addition, the European Commission published more than 100 Technical Notes providing information on the possible effects of a no-deal withdrawal to citizens and companies affected. Of particular relevance to citizens were, among other things, the amendment of the Visa Regulation, which provided for a visa-free stay for UK citizens for 90 days over a period of 180 days, the continuation of study stays and teaching assignments already commenced, social security provisions and the temporary guarantee of air, road and rail connectivity.

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The high-level Austrian inter-ministerial “Brexit Steering Group”, which was set up in autumn 2018 to prepare for a no-deal withdrawal, met eight times in the year under review. Within the framework of this steering group, a Brexit Accom- panying Omnibus Bill was prepared, which was adopted by the Austrian Federal Government on 30 January. After the National Council had voted on this bill on 27 February and the Federal Council on 14 March, the law that creates the necessary provisions for a no-deal Brexit, was promulgated on 25 March. The omnibus bill relates to a total of 15 federal acts. Important amendments concern the Settlement and Residence Act, the Employment of Foreign Nationals Act and the Integration Act that fall within the scope of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (MFA). For citizens already residing in Austria, including their relatives, provisions for obtaining the “Red-White-Red Card plus” were simplified. The individuals covered by these provisions are exempted from certain requirements, including provision of proof of sufficient German-language skills before moving to Austria, of sufficient means of subsistence and of fulfil- ment of Module 1 of the Integration Agreement (A2 level German language skills). Furthermore, in a separate Brexit regulation, the MFA also issued an exemption from Module 2 of the Integration Agreement (B1 level German language skills) for the individuals concerned. Likewise, the federal provinces also adopted Brexit accompanying acts. With a view to protecting and promoting the interests of Austrian citizens in the UK, the Austrian Embassy in London launched comprehensive initiatives aimed at informing stakeholders about the necessary measures and activities to secure their residence rights in the UK. These initiatives included numerous information events held across the country, the initiation of specific co-operation activities with the Honorary Consuls and the network of Austrian associations as well as setting up a dedicated telephone hotline. At headquarters, staffing at both the call centre and the Citizens’ Desk was increased – especially prior to the envisaged withdrawal dates – and staff received specific training on Brexit-related issues and enquiries. On 26 February, Federal Minister Karin Kneissl met EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier in Vienna to discuss further procedures and the necessary preparatory work in the event of a hard Brexit. On 7 June, Federal Minister Alexander Schal- lenberg met EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier for talks. On 15 January, the government of Prime Minister Theresa May lost the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons. After the British Government had again been voted down on 12 March and in order to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 29 March, the European Council (invoking Article 50) decided on 21 March on a flexible extension of the withdrawal date, postponing it independently of the further procedure by the House of Commons to either 12 April or 22 May (in case of a previous positive vote). On 29 March, the House of Commons rejected the Withdrawal Agreement for the third time. On 10 April, the European Council

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(based on Article 50) decided to yet again postpone the withdrawal date, moving it this time to 31 October. Due to the opposition she faced within the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation on 24 May. On 24 July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was appointed as her successor and immediately announced that the UK would leave the EU on 31 October. Follow- ing the resumption of negotiations, both parties agreed on amendments to the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration, which mainly related to the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol to the Agreement. The outcome was endorsed by the European Council on 17 October (under Article 50). On 22 October, the House of Commons approved for the first time a bill implementing the With- drawal Agreement, however, the programme motion that outlined the timetable was rejected. In order to prevent a no-deal withdrawal, the European Council (in accordance with Art. 50) on 29 October agreed to move the withdrawal date to 31 January 2020. In the elections held on 12 December, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was able to secure a clear victory. On 20 December, the vote taken on the bill implementing the Withdrawal Agreement, which is a prerequisite for the Agreement’s ratification, generated the first ever positive result. Following completion of the further ratification activities still required by both parties including, for instance, approval by the European Parliament, the UK may leave the EU at the end of 31 January 2020.

1.2 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities

1.2.1 Austria’s Neighbours

Germany The election of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as new Chairperson of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) in December 2018 marked the start of the party’s preparations for the period post Angela Merkel. From the very outset, the Chancellor’s fourth and final term in office has been characterised by differences within the Grand Coalition. The controversial topics included family reunification for individuals entitled to subsidiary protection, model declaratory action (action for collective redress), reform of the eurozone, statements by federal ministers on Islam and Hartz IV (the country’s welfare/unemployment benefit system), revoca- tion of the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Hans-Georg Maaßen, measures in the diesel scandal and the basic state pension, to name but a few. The CDU, the CSU (Christian Social Union in Bavaria) and the SPD (Social Dem- ocratic Party of Germany) lost approval in the polls. In the Bremen state election in May, the SPD – for the first time ever since 1946 – failed to come out first, although it was still able to secure the mayor’s office under the first red-red-

18 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities green coalition in a West German state. Although it suffered losses in theelec - tions to the European Parliament, the CDU remained the strongest force. The big winners, however, were the Greens, who were able to double their support and secure second place, benefiting inter alia from the social disputes surrounding environmental and climate protection as well as the open society. This led to a redistribution in the balance of political power in Germany. The European elections also led to a cabinet reshuffle: Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) became the new President of the European Commission and was succeeded by CDU Party Chair Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Minister of Justice Katharina Bar- ley (SPD) become Vice-President of the European Parliament and was succeeded by State Secretary Christine Lambrecht (SPD). Reacting to the defeat her party suffered in the European elections and to strong internal criticism, SPD Party Chairperson Andrea Nahles announced her immediate withdrawal from politics on 2 June. On 6 December, Norbert Walter-Borjans, former Finance Minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bundestag (national parliament) member Saskia Esken jointly took over the chair of the SPD, which is thus for the first time headed by a leadership duo. In autumn, elections to the state parliaments of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thur- ingia were held. In all three states, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) became the second strongest force. However, all other parties ruled out cooperation with the AfD. Despite the losses suffered by the CDU and SPD, these elections did not have a direct impact on the government in Berlin. In October, the federal cabinet presented a mid-term review of cooperation in the coalition government highlighting that two thirds of the measures agreed upon in the coalition agreement had been initiated and/or completed. In November, the coalition partners were furthermore able to reach a compromise on a basic pension for low-income earn- ers. The budget increases granted to the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Min- istry for Economic Cooperation and Development as well as the discussion on increasing the budget resources for defence showed that Germany seeks to assume more responsibility at foreign policy level. The goal pursued in this context remains unchanged, namely to make the most of the opportunities offered by globalisation within the framework of free and fair world trade, which are considered a contribution towards strengthening the German economy and safeguarding social systems. German foreign policy is committed to multilateralism (UN, G7, G20, OSCE, NATO). Germany was elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Coun- cil for the period 2019/20; in October, it was elected to the UN Human Rights Council. The key priorities topping the country’s multilateral agenda include digitalisation, climate change, protection of human rights, economic affairs and strengthening women’s rights. Under the flexible format“Alliance for Multilat-

19 Europe and European Union eralism”, a number of initiatives were launched, such as hosting a side event on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September focusing on a rules-based world order, or a high-level conference on “Advocating Human Rights in the 21st Century” in December. Transatlantic relations as well as relations with Russia, Turkey and the Middle East continued to feature as challenges on the German foreign policy agenda, while cooperation with Africa continued to gain in importance. The USA remains Germany’s most important partner outside of Europe. Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is seen as a complementary instrument to NATO structures (“staying transatlantic and becoming more European”). At EU level, Germany advocated greater coherence in foreign policy matters and supported a strategic, substantive debate on fundamental issues such as climate policy or China. With a view to its forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2020, Germany repeatedly stressed the key role played by the EU’s foreign policy autonomy and unity as a fundamental prerequisite for a united Europe. At political, economic and social level, there was regular exchange involving numerous contacts at all levels. A recurring topic of bilateral discussions remains the growing volume of goods transport through the Bavarian and Austrian Inn Valley via the Brenner Pass. On this topic, a catalogue of measures setting out concrete cooperation projects was adopted in July at a transport summit held in Berlin between the ministers of transport and the Governor of Tyrol. Germany remained by far the most important foreign trade partner for Austria. In the first three quarters of the year, Austrian exports to Germany amounted to 33.93 billion euros. On an annual basis, Germany accounts for approximately one third of Austria’s total export volume. The most important goods sourced from Germany are mechanical engineering products and motor vehicles.

Czech Republic The minority government formed by ANO (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens) and the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), supported in parliament by the Com- munist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) continued its work. The elections to the European Parliament produced disappointing results for the government. ANO (RENEW) remained well below the result of the 2017 parliamentary elections and ČSSD was not able to reach the 5 % threshold and is thus no longer represented in the European Parliament. At domestic policy level, the dominant topic remained Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s role in the Agrofert conglomerate, which he had transferred to a trust company in 2017. Although the proceedings in the “Stork’s Nest” case (Farma Čapí Hnízdo), concerning a hotel resort outside Prague that used to belong to

20 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities the Agrofert Group, were discontinued by the Prague public prosecutor’s office without charges being brought, the chief public prosecutor ordered that the proceedings against Babiš be continued in order to collect further evidence. On 29 November and irrespective of this, the European Commission had sent an audit report on the use of subsidies from the EU Structural Funds to the Czech authorities. The report notes conflicts of interest on the part of the Prime Minister due to his continuing influence at Agrofert. A protest movement launched by citizens and civil society has been directed against Prime Minister Babiš, his government, President Miloš Zeman and the political situation in general with 23 June seeing the largest mass demonstrations since the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Since then, there have been repeated major demonstrations, for instance on 17 November on the margins of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and on 10 December following publication of the European Commission’s audit report. At domestic policy level, President of State Miloš Zeman continues to exercise significant influence on the composition of the government, most recently with respect to the appointment of the new Minister of Culture. At foreign policy level, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to regard the strategic dialogue with Germany, the Visegrád-4 cooperation – the rotating chair of which the Czech Republic took in July – and cooperation with Slova- kia and Austria in the context of the Austerlitz/Slavkov3 format as three essential pillars of Czech regional cooperation. In addition, membership in the EU and NATO, South East Europe and the EU’s Eastern Partnership have remained priorities of Czech foreign policy. The government aims to give the Czech Republic a stronger voice in the EU. The country sees a need for reform in the EU, holds the view that the EU should do less but be more effective in what it does and is in favour of strengthening the role of both the European Council and the Member States. With respect to the area of asylum and migration, the Czech Republic is of the opinion that competence for admission should remain with the Member States. The Czech Republic seeks to continue to play an active role in improving external border protection and supporting countries of origin and transit outside the EU. The bilateral exchange of visits, which had been intensified since 2014, continued with visits paid to Austria by President Miloš Zeman (2 to 4 April), Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (20 November), Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (17 January and 28 February) and other specialised ministers. Visits to the Czech Republic and their respective counterparts were paid by the President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka (1 and 2 April), Federal Minister Norbert Hofer (24 January), Federal Minister Maria Patek (12 and 13 September) and Federal Minis- ter Wolfgang Peschorn (21 November). Of particular symbolic importance was the meeting between Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Foreign Minister

21 Europe and European Union

Tomáš Petříček on 29 November at the state border in Hardegg and Čížov commemorating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain. Established in 2009, the Standing Conference of Austrian and Czech Historians (Ständige Konferenz Österreichischer und Tschechischer Historiker, SKÖTH) com- piled a joint history textbook financed by both states, which was first presented during the visit paid by the President of the National Council Sobotka to Prague on 1 April and officially on 12 April in the Haus der Geschichte (House of History) in St. Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria. The book reflects both sides’ efforts towards addressing and dealing with their common history in an objective manner and represents a milestone in coming to terms with the political past. On 5 November, the Austrian Embassy in Prague hosted the 4th Austrian-Czech Dialogue Forum on “Human Rights in Transition” involving representatives from government institutions, academia and civil society from both countries. Dis- cussions focused on the role of civil society against the background of current challenges such as digitalisation, topics related to NGO financing and exercising political influence. With regard to the planned expansion of the Dukovaný nuclear power plant, the environmental impact assessment procedure in which Austria had participated was concluded in August granting a permit subject to conditional approval. The dialogue on nuclear issues was continued on 5 and 6 November with the annual nuclear meeting at expert level. The Czech Republic remains Austria’s most important trading partner in Cen- tral and Eastern Europe and the third most important trading partner among the EU Member States after Germany and Italy. For Austrian companies, the Czech Republic is the fourth most relevant destination for investments, while Austria is the fourth largest investor in the Czech Republic.

Slovakia Standing as a candidate of the newly founded pro-European party Progressive Slovakia (PS), the lawyer and citizen activist Zuzana Čaputová was elected as the country’s first female president on 30 March. In the run-off election, she prevailed against the candidate of the strongest party, the ruling social democratic Smer, EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. The main topic of the election campaign was law enforcement in the face of corruption cases with a political background that had gone unpunished. The elections to the European Parliament on 25 May also resulted in a clear success for the opposition. In October, the public prosecution brought charges against the alleged murderers of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée. A politically well-connected businessman was accused of having masterminded their murder. The late autumn was already very much influenced by the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2020.

22 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities

At the foreign and European policy level, Slovakia’s official foreign policy as well as its pro-European and pro-Atlantic orientation remained unchanged. The topic of domestic policy consensus in Slovak foreign and European policy was a recurring theme, with dissent often occurring less along the fault line between opposition and government, but rather within the governing coalition itself, for instance, against the background of different positions with respect to the country’s policy towards Russia. Slovakia advocates active multilateralism and plays an active role in international organisations. The Slovak Chairmanship of the Organization for Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), for instance, was marked in particular by efforts towards bringing about a solution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict and towards improving the humanitarian situation of the people in the embattled Donbas region. Slovakia’s partners within the EU are primarily the countries of the Visegrad Group (V4). The country’s one-year term at the helm of the V4 ended on 30 June when it handed over the rotating presidency to the Czech Republic. True to its Presidency motto “A dynamic Visegrad for Europe”, Slovakia endeavoured to set a pro-European tone with a view to preventing the emergence of new dividing lines in the EU and seeking to contribute towards improving the image of the V4. Particularly the second half of its V4 Presidency was marked by numerous meetings in the extended “V4+” format, the highlights being the meetings of the V4 heads of government with Germany and Japan and those of the V4 foreign ministers with South Korea and Turkey. During its Presidency, Slovakia endeavoured to involve Austria in specific thematic areas at both ministerial and public official level. In the context of bilateral exchange of visits, the Slovak Foreign Minister Miro- slav Lajčák met Federal Minister Karin Kneissl in Vienna on 14 January for consultations. As early as 5 February, a further meeting was held in Bratislava during the OSCE Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism. On 12 March, Federal Minister Elisabeth Köstinger met Environment Minister László Solymos and Energy Minis- ter Peter Žiga in Bratislava. On 21 March, President Andrej Kiska paid a farewell visit to Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and on 30 August, President Zuzana Čaputová travelled to Vienna for her inaugural visit. Numerous other contacts at governmental level took place in the context of the Slovak Chairman- ship of the OSCE. Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg attended the Infor- mal Ministerial Gathering in the High Tatras on 9 July and the Ministerial Council in Bratislava on 5 December. In the trilateral Slavkov/Austerlitz format (Austria- Slovakia-Czech Republic), Slovakia took over the yearly rotating informal chair in July. The President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka invited his Slavkov colleagues to a working meeting to Grafenegg (Lower Austria) on 31 August. At provincial level, Lower Austria interacted particularly intensively with the Brati-

23 Europe and European Union slava and the Trnava districts. At capital-city level, the mayors of Bratislava and Vienna met in Vienna in June This year was also marked by a number of anniversaries. Slovakia celebrated the 15th anniversary of its accession to the EU and held solemn events to commemorate the Velvet Revolution and the fall of the Iron Curtain 30 years previously. A bilateral highlight in this context was a commemorative cross-border event in Hainburg, which also involved Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, celebrating the anniversary of the march of tens of thousands of Slovak citizens from Bratislava to Hainburg on 10 December 1989. Bilateral trade remained intensive, with Slovakia’s positive economic parameters continuing to have a favourable effect. Austria remained the second largest foreign investor in Slovakia after the Netherlands and was an esteemed partner in numerous large projects. However, increasing shortage of skilled workers (especially in Western Slovakia), the gloomy economic outlook and signs of popu- list tendencies with potentially negative effects on the investment climate could prove problematic in the longer term. The improvement of cross-border road and rail transport infrastructure remained an unchanged priority in bilateral relations. Cooperation in the energy sector, particularly on issues of gas and oil supply security, also remains of strategic importance. As regards the use of nuclear power, however, the positions held by Aus- tria and Slovakia continue to differ substantially. Austria regularly reiterates its legitimate safety concerns and stresses the importance of a rapid and transparent exchange of information. Reports on further technical deficiencies in the construction of reactor units three and four at the Mochovce nuclear power plant led to renewed protests by Austria and the call for involving the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following Slovakia’s approval, a corresponding IAEA mission was conducted in autumn. In addition to regular exchange at bilateral expert level, Austrian experts were able to visit the nuclear power plant in early Novem- ber. The commissioning of the third reactor unit was again delayed.

Hungary At domestic policy level, the topic dominating the agenda were the local elections in October, in which the Hungarian Civic Union/Christian Democratic Peo- ple’s Party (Fidesz/KDNP) that governs the country with a solid two-thirds majority, surprisingly lost some offices. The opposition parties, cooperating successfully for the first time since 2010, appointed Gergely Karácsony as Lord Mayor of Budapest, achieved the majority in the Budapest City Council, hold 14 of the 23 district mayors and – in addition to the three statutory cities with country rights already governed by them (Szeged, Salgótarján, Hódmezövásárhely) – took over another seven cities (Miskolc, Érd, Tatabánya, Pécs, Szombathely, Dunaújvaros,

24 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities

Eger). This election result had not been foreseen by any of the opinion research institutes. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continued to set thematic priorities in the areas of security and immigration and propagated a policy of national sovereignty under the heading of Christian freedom. Public and media attention focused on plans to introduce a separate administrative jurisdiction. Following national and international criticism, these plans were, however, dropped in favour of a mere amendment to the existing administrative procedure. As the Hungarian authorities did not issue a confirmation that the conditions stipulated in the 2017 amendment to university law were met, the Central European University, based in Buda- pest and funded by the Open Society Foundation, relocated its US-accredited degree programmes to Vienna. International criticism was attracted by the government’s influence on the media sector and its restructuring of the Academy of Sciences, whose research institutes were placed under a new governing body that is appointed inter alia by the government. December saw demonstrations against envisaged changes in the funding and staffing of positions in the cultural sector. The proceedings initiated by the European Parliament under Article 7 TEU against Hungary for risk of serious breach of the common values of the Union were continued with hearings of Hungary. Wage increases and the reduction in non-wage labour costs were at the centre of the government’s economic programme. Wage increases mainly relate to the health and education sectors, and are to be further expanded. Since 1 Janu- ary 2017, corporate income tax has generally been set at only 9 %, the lowest level in the EU. As of the 2019 financial year, employers’ social security contributions were reduced to 17.5 %. With a forecasted level of 4.6 %, economic growth remained very high, and the employment rate reached record levels. Hand in hand with these developments, companies have struggled with an increasingly exacerbated labour shortage. Of particular foreign policy significance for Hungary was a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and German Chancellor Angela Merkel commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Pan-European Picnic, as well as meetings with the heads of state and government of Russia, China and Turkey. The intensification of relations with Turkey also manifested itself in Hungary’s accession to the Turkish Council as the first observer state. Relations with Austria were intensive and characterised by a comprehensive exchange. On 20 February, President János Áder paid an official visit to Fed- eral President Alexander Van der Bellen and also met with the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka. On 27 June, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, the Governor of Burgenland Hans Peter Doskozil and Foreign Min- ister Péter Szijjártó commemorated the 30th anniversary of the symbolic cutting of the Iron Curtain in Sopron. Close cooperation in the fields of security and

25 Europe and European Union

EU external border management was continued, with regular contacts between the interior and defence ministers. Regular exchanges of visits served to further intensify contacts between government ministers and with local government representatives. The same held true for parliamentary relations, which were fostered, inter alia, by a visit of a delegation of members of the National Council headed by Reinhold Lopatka to Budapest in February. Regular consultations in the context of the Bilateral Working Group involving representatives from both foreign ministries, as well as bilateral nuclear and energy talks were also continued. Economic relations and tourism play a key role in the bilateral relationship. In terms of trade volume, Austria is Hungary’s second most important trading partner and third largest investor. According to a Hungarian statistical survey, some 2,800 Austrian companies employ over 80,000 individuals in Hungary. With the conclusion of a Strategic Partnership between Rail Cargo Hungaria and the Hun- garian government in September, the number of Austrian companies operating in Hungary that have formed such a partnership increased to five. Cross-border and regional cooperation was further intensified. Austria and Hun- gary jointly and pro-actively contribute to regional cooperation programmes such as the INTERREG V-A Austria-Hungary 2014 to 2020 programme, for which a total budget of around 95 million euros was made available.

Slovenia The five-party centre-left minority government led by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec governed until November with support from the Left Party. After initially good cooperation, the left, dissatisfied with the slow pace at which the work programme agreed with the government was being implemented, terminated its cooperation at the beginning of November. PM Šarec stressed his determination to continue the government’s work, relying on changing majorities in parliament. Winning the elections to the European Parliament in May, the right-wing conservative Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) led by Janez Janša had formed an electoral alliance with the conservative Slovenian People’s Party (SLS) – both belonging to the European People’s Party (EPP) – and is now represented with three member in the EP. Marjan Šarec (ALDE) and the Social Democrats (S&D) came off second, now having two MEPs each, followed by the Christian-conservative New Slovenia-Christian Democrats, NSi (EPP), with one MEP. At 28.29 %, the turnout was higher than in the previous elections but the second lowest in the EU. In December, Angelika Mlinar, a member of the Slovenian ethnic group in Carin- thia and former NEOS member of the Austrian National Council and of the Euro- pean Parliament, was sworn in as Minister for Cohesion of the Republic of Slove- nia.

26 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities

The unresolved border issue between Slovenia and Croatia remained one of the most dominant domestic and foreign policy issues in Slovenia. On numerous occa- sions Slovenia warned against the negative international example that was being set by the non-implementation of an international arbitration award affecting two EU Member States and consistently implemented the arbitration award itself. In connection with the complaint it had filed against Croatia with the Court of Jus- tice of the European Union (CJEU), Slovenia suffered a setback: in December, the Court’s Advocate General recommended that the complaint be dismissed, stating that the CJEU did not have jurisdiction to rule on an international boundary dispute, as determining the border between the two countries was a matter of international law. Reacting to a more than 70 % increase in irregular border crossings to in excess of 15,000, Slovenia stepped up security at its border with Croatia in the course of the year. However, the number of asylum seekers and persons entitled to asylum who stay in the country remained at a low level. Slovenia does not consider the European Commission’s positive assessment of Croatia’s accession to Schengen understandable. Slovenia continued to strictly reject Austrian border controls. At political, economic and cultural level, the start of the Year of Austria-Slove- nia Neighbourhood Dialogue that was kicked off on 9 October in both Vienna and Ljubljana added a new impetus to the already very close and intense relations. This joint initiative was agreed at a meeting between Federal Minister Karin Kneissl and the Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar on 6 and 7 May. At this meeting the ministers also signed a memorandum on the key elements of a joint submission on the Lipizzaner tradition as an intangible UNESCO cultural heritage, scheduled for 2020. Parliamentary cooperation was further strengthened. The President of the Fed- eral Council, Ingo Appé, paid a visit to Slovenia on 6 February, the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, on 6 March and the parliamentary friendship group at both the National and the Federal Council visited the country from 19 to 21 March. In April and in August, the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Dejan Židan, met his counterpart, the President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka, in Austria. The intensive bilateral exchange of visits was rounded off by the informal visit paid by Federal Minister Hartwig Löger to Brdo on 14 May, the official visit Presi- dent Borut Pahor paid to Vienna on 13 June at the invitation of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Governor Hans-Peter Doskozil’s visit to Ljubljana on 23 and 24 July, and that of Governor Michael Ludwig to Ljubljana in the context of the “Vienna Days” on 22 and 23 October. In addition, a traditionally large number of visits relating to the Slovenian ethnic group in Austria were above all paid by the Minister for Slovenians Abroad. Prime Minister Marjan Šarec attended the

27 Europe and European Union event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Council of Carinthian Slovenes in Bleiburg/Pliberk. Today, the Slovenian ethnic group in Austria primarily plays a bridge-building role between the two states. Slovenia monitors the situation of the Slovenian ethnic group very closely and strongly supports further improvements and funding increases for the latter. Regarding the discussion about a formal notification of the legal succession of Yugoslavia in the Austrian State Treaty that flares up time and again, Austria maintains its legal view that a post hoc accession to the Austrian State Treaty is not possible for reasons of international law, which is of course applicable law. In the context of cross-border cooperation, a special role is played by the neighbouring federal provinces of Carinthia and Styria with whom Joint Committees were set up that form the framework for concrete cooperation. Chaired by For- eign Minister Miro Cerar and the Governor of Carinthia Peter Kaiser, a meeting of the Joint Committee Slovenia-Carinthia was held in Brdo on 29 March. As elections were held to the province parliament of Styria, the Committee meeting was postponed to 2020. However, Foreign Minister Cerar and Governor Her- mann Schützenhöfer attended the event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bridge of Friendship across the Mur River in Bad Radkersburg/Gornja Radgona on 12 October. Austria strongly supports the efforts by theGerman-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia to gain recognition and preserve their linguistic and cultural identity. Austria provides both project and basic funding, while the funding provided by Slovenia remains very limited. While Slovenia still refuses recognition, a certain willingness to engage in dialogue is discernible with regard to linguistic and cultural promotion. Austria addressed the situation and legal status of the German- speaking ethnic group in Slovenia also in the context of the 34th Session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in November. The statement by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec in which he advocated the construction of a second unit of the Krško nuclear power plant, was met with concern and lack of understanding in Austria. Furthermore, the special tax treatment in Slovenia of salaries of workers posted abroad (keyword: posting bonus) as well as the 89 denationalisation cases involving Austrian nationals that have been pending before Slovenian authorities for more than 25 years, regularly give rise to discussions. Slovenia, for its part, continues to closely monitor the impact of the Austrian law on countering wage and social dumping on Slovenian companies and, together with other countries, actively combats the indexation of family allowances at EU level. Austria and Slovenia cooperate very closely on foreign policy issues. Particularly with a view to the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries

28 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities of South East Europe, which is strongly supported by both countries, Austria and Slovenia have launched a number of joint initiatives. Economic relations between Austria and Slovenia are particularly intensive. Some 1,000 Austrian companies are active in Slovenia, and almost 30,000 Slo- venian cross-border commuters work mainly in industrial and tourist businesses close to the border. Austria has for many years been the largest foreign investor in Slovenia, while Slovenian citizens remain the most important per capita con- sumers of Austrian products. Both exports and imports are developing positively. Being one of the largest greenfield investments ever made in the country, a new Magna Steyr coating plant was opened 10 July. Koper is the most important port for the Austrian economy and Austria is following developments relating to the planned extension of the railway line to Koper very closely.

Italy In office since June 2018, the government formed by the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) and Lega, collapsed in August after months of disputes between the coalition partners. On 20 August, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned but was tasked with forming a new government by President Sergio Mattarella. The Conte II Cabinet was sworn in on 5 September and is composed of the M5S, the social democratic Partito Democratico (PD), the Left Party Liberi e Uguali (LeU) and the centre-left party Italia Viva (IV), founded on 17 September by former Prime Minister and former head of the PD Matteo Renzi. Seven of the new cabinet’s 21 ministers are women. M5S leader Luigi Di Maio replaced Enzo Moavero Milanesi as foreign minister. The change of government did not particularly affect the country’sforeign policy priorities, i.e. Libya, the Middle East and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkan states continue to top Italy’s foreign policy agenda. Italy remains open for dialogue with Russia, and in March it was the only G7 country to sign a declaration of intent on cooperation with China. The USA continues to be a strategic partner for Italy. The change of government has brought about a change in migration policy: with the independent Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, Italy switched from the “policy of closed ports”, former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had become famous for, to a more moderate migration policy. Italy is basically willing to open its ports to ships but in return continues to demand solidarity from the EU. Together with Germany, France and Malta, Italy in September developed a proposal for the distribution of migrants who arrive via the central Mediterra- nean. Italy is one of the countries with the highest levels of national debt. Over the last ten years, the national debt has risen by more than 70 %, reaching 134.8 % of GDP in 2018. At the same time, the Italian economy has been stagnating (EC estimate for 2019: +0.1 %). In order to support economic growth, Italy’s new govern-

29 Europe and European Union ment adopted expansionary measures in the 2020 budget that involve a deficit of 2.2 %. The European Commission accommodated the new Minister of Economy and Finance, Roberto Gualtieri, who is considered an experienced European poli- tician, and for the time being gave the budget the green light. Having registered only weak development for years, Italian industry was confronted with several setbacks. At the beginning of November, the steel group ArcelorMittal announced its withdrawal from a takeover bid for the largest Euro- pean steel plant in Taranto (Apulia), which involves the potential loss of some 8,000 jobs. At the end of November, the deadline for submitting binding bids for the Alitalia airline, which has been insolvent since 2017, had to be extended once again and a further bridging loan granted. On top of these, the economy was faced with other issues, such as the planned withdrawal of US household appliance manufacturer Whirlpool and the announced cutting of 5,500 jobs as well as the closure of 450 branches of the major UniCredit bank in Italy, to name but a few. The excellent bilateral relations between Austria and Italy were characterised by an intensive exchange of visits. At the beginning of July, the Italian President paid a state visit to Austria (Vienna and Salzburg). On 23 November, the two presidents met at Tyrol Castle in Merano in the context of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the South Tyrol Package. Economic relations have remained very close and intense, with Italy being Aus- tria’s second largest trading partner. Italy is still the most popular holiday destination for Austrian travellers.

Switzerland Austria continued its efforts towards further strengthening the existing close and trusting relations with Switzerland. This also relates to bilateral projects as well as European and international issues, which were discussed in detail. With regard to relations between the EU and Switzerland, Austria especially highlighted the importance of the Institutional Framework Agreement. The consistently strong mutual interest was also reflected in an intense exchange of visits. Some 65,000 Austrians reside permanently in Switzerland – internationally, this is the second largest number of Austrian citizens residing abroad. In addition, some 9,000 individuals commute daily across the Austro-Swiss border. With more than five million overnight stays, the Swiss are the third largest tourist group in Austria. Switzerland is Austria’s fourth largest trading partner, the fourth most important buyer of Austrian goods and the second most important consumer of services. Swiss investors are among the most relevant investors in Austria. Swiss

30 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities companies active in Austria employ more than 28,000 people, while some 14,000 individuals work for Austrian companies in Switzerland. The Swiss voters decide on substantive issues at all levels of the state, i.e. at communal, cantonal and federal level. This form of direct democracy is a central element of the Swiss Confederation. Two referenda on 19 May were of particular importance for relations with the EU. Firstly, the proposal for a “Federal Act on Tax Reform and AHV Financing” (TRAF) was supported by 66.4 % of the voters. This act combines the reform of company taxation, explicitly called for by the EU and OECD, with additional financing of mandatory pension insurance in Switzer- land. Secondly, the bill transposing changes to the EU Firearms Directive in Swiss law was, likewise, clearly accepted, receiving an approval rate of 63.7 %. There was still no domestic political consensus in Switzerland on the draft Insti- tutional Framework Agreement (IFA) with the EU presented in 2018, which thus remains a sticking point in Switzerland’s relationship with the EU. The objective of the IFA, also known as the “Market Access Agreement”, is to create institutional rules for existing and future agreements that deal with Switzerland’s partial participation in the EU Single Market. These include the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, the Agreement on Agriculture, Land Transport and Air Transport, as well as the Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Product Reg- ulations. In order to increase political support for the IFA within the country, a public consultation process was launched in spring involving cantons, political parties, social partners and interest groups. The aim of this internal Swiss process is to achieve a “consolidated position” on the flanking measures and the Citizens’ Rights Direc- tive (Free Movement Directive), which Switzerland regards as open issues. Due to lack of progress on the IFA, the recognition of stock exchange equivalence (MiFIR 23), which allows European shares to be traded on Swiss stock exchanges and had been granted temporarily until 30 June 2019, was no longer extended and expired on 1 July. In view of this, the Swiss parliament approved in principle the payment of a further “cohesion billion” in December. Totalling 1.3 billion Swiss francs, these funds, to be paid out over a period of ten years to reduce “economic and social disparities” in certain EU countries, are granted by Swit- zerland in return for access to the EU Single Market. Payment will, however, be withheld as long as discriminatory EU measures against Switzerland, such as the non-recognition of stock exchange equivalence, remain in place. In October, Switzerland was officially removed from the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions (“grey list”). With the adoption of the AHV tax bill at the ballot box and the entry into effect of the new tax law on 1 January 2020, Switzerland had thus fulfilled its obligations towards the EU. In the parliamentary elections on 20 October, the two green parties GPS (left) and GPL (centre) were able to record significant gains, while all four parties 31 Europe and European Union represented in the Federal Council suffered losses. In the National Council, the right-wing conservative SVP achieved 25.6 % (53 of the 200 seats in the National Council), thus losing 12 seats compared with 2015. Winning 16.8 % of the votes and 39 seats (-4), the Social Democratic Party (SP) remained the second strongest party. With only 15.1 % (28 seats, -4), the liberal FDP also lost support, as did the Christian Democratic CVP that was able to reach only 11.4 % (25 seats, -2). Significant increases were recorded by the Greens scoring 13.2 % (28 seats, +17) and the centre Green-Liberal Party GLP with 7.8 % (16 seats, +9). The conservative BDP achieved 2.4 % of the vote (3 seats, -4); eight seats are distributed among five small parties. In the 46-seat Council of States elected at cantonal level, the CVP remained the strongest party, keeping its 13 seats. The FDP lost one seat, being now represented by 12 members, the SP has nine seats (-3), the SVP six (+1) and the Greens are represented with five members (+4 seats). Despite the strong gains recorded by the Green parties, the general elections to the Federal Council on 11 December confirmed the traditional composition of the Swiss government according to the “magic formula” (a system of concordance with two seats each for the three strongest parties and one seat for the fourth strongest party).

Liechtenstein The Principality of Liechtenstein celebrated its 300th anniversary. The festive ceremony on 23 January was attended by the heads of state of its neighbouring countries, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, and the Presidents of Germany and Switzerland. Bilateral relations between Austria and Liechtenstein are characterised by close, good neighbourly cooperation that is based on trust, and an intensive exchange of visits at all political levels. Some 2,200 Austrian citizens live in Liechtenstein and more than 8,400 commute daily to their workplace in the Principality. Prince Hans-Adam is still Head of State of the constitutional hereditary monarchy, although his son Hereditary Prince Alois, has been in charge of official functions and duties since 2004. The current coalition government consisting of the Fortschrittliche Bürgerpartei (FBP, Progressive Citizens’ Party) and the Vater- ländische Union (VU, Patriotic Union) focuses on an active policy that promotes regions and attracts companies, as well as on promoting digitalisation, education and innovation. The current lighthouse project is the “Blockchain law”, adopted to create a legal framework for the token economy from 2020 onwards. After having implemented recommended adjustments in tax law, Liechtenstein fulfils the EU requirements and the global standard of Automatic Exchange of Information in International Tax Matters (AIA) as recommended by the OECD with respect to tax transparency and fair taxation of companies.

32 Austria’s Neighbourhood and Regional Priorities

Liechtenstein’s foreign policy priorities include safeguarding its sovereignty, free access to global markets, deepening relations with its neighbouring states, and active multilateral engagement that is committed in particular to promoting the rule of law and protecting human rights. The Principality’s new Foreign Minister, Katrin Eggenberger, was appointed on 11 November. Both in the bilateral and in the multilateral context, as a member of the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the European Economic Area (EEA), and the World Trade Organization (WTO), Liech- tenstein proves itself a reliable and committed partner. With a view to strengthening its relations with its neighbours, Liechtenstein also participates in quadri- lateral ministerial meetings involving Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

1.2.2 South Tyrol South Tyrol enjoys a special status within Austrian foreign policy. Austria’s protective function with regard to South Tyrol, based on the Gruber-De Gasperi Agree- ment (Treaty of Paris) of 1946, is exercised in an attentive manner by the Austrian Federal Government. Austria’s protective function is expressed in the interest taken in the general and autonomy policy developments in South Tyrol, as well as in a large number of working visits and contacts. At European level, the autonomy of South Tyrol serves as a model for the resolution of minority conflicts. In the meantime, autonomy has become a common asset shared by all three linguistic groups (German, Italian and Ladin) living in South Tyrol. At the same time, there is no doubt for Austria that under international law South Tyrol’s autonomy is also based on the right to self-determination, which – as a continuing right – is exercised by South Tyrol in the form of a high degree of autonomy. Austria maintains close and amicable relations with Italy. Austria’s and Italy’s common membership of the EU has facilitated a number of additional links that are also of benefit to South Tyrol. With the many initiatives it has launched, the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation “European Region Tyrol – South Tyrol – Trentino”, which was established in 2011 and whose chair South Tyrol handed over to Austria in October, serves as a good example of the practical application of European instruments in the interest of regional cooperation and for overcoming borders. Following the elections to the South Tyrolean province parliament in October 2018 and the subsequent intensive negotiations between the political parties, the South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP) concluded a coalition agreement with the Lega, being the first such governmental cooperation to be entered into by the SVP. On 17 January, Governor Arno Kompatscher was confirmed in office for a further five-year term by the South Tyrolean province parliament. Daniel Alfrei- der is the first Ladin to be appointed Deputy Province Governor. At the elections to the European Parliament in May, the SVP was able to win 46.5 % of the South

33 Europe and European Union

Tyrolean vote and Herbert Dorfmann remains the only South Tyrolean member of the European Parliament. After years of negotiations between the South Tyrolean Health Care Administra- tion, the Austrian Medical Chamber and the health authorities in Rome, a declaration on the recognition of specialist medical training was signed in Bolzano in January, marking an important step towards ensuring qualified bilingual specialist medical care for South Tyrolean patients. Links between Austria and South Tyrol were further developed and strengthened with the establishment of the first direct train connection between Bolzano and Vienna in December, and the agreement on the interconnection of the power lines that had been interrupted since the 1960s, as well as the glass fibre broadband lines between Tyrol and South Tyrol. From this year on, it has been possible to receive the news programme “Südtirol Heute” (South Tyrol today), produced by the Austrian Broadcasting Cor- poration (ORF), also in Trentino. The influx of migrants coming to Austria and Germany via Italy remained an important topic in the political debate. Intensive cooperation between Vienna, Rome, Bolzano and Innsbruck in managing irregular migration was continued. Diverging views held by business leaders, politicians and the population in South Tyrol became manifest with regard to the problematic issue of transit traffic passing through the Brenner Pass. With respect to place, hill, mountain and field names (toponymy), however, there is no solution in sight. The relevant national law from the year 2012, which had been challenged before the Italian Constitutional Court, was repealed in June, paving the way for a new solution. A wish that has been expressed by South Tyro- lians for many years is the possibility to acquire Austrian citizenship in addition to their Italian one as an expression of the deep attachment to and close bonds with Austria. Together with two other case groups, this wish was included in 2017 in the government programme of the then Federal Government. In view of the complex legal situation in Austria, an expert group dealt with the topic in 2018 and in the first half of the year, but no decision was taken at political level. A survey published in October showed that a quarter of the South Tyrolean population takes a positive view of the idea of dual citizenship. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the South Tyrol Pack- age, a ceremony was held involving Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Italian President Sergio Mattarella at Castle Tyrol near Merano at the invitation of Governor Arno Kompatscher on 23 November. The two Heads of State emphasized their joint responsibility for South Tyrol and commemorated the victims of the Nazi transit camp in Bolzano and Franz Innerhofer, the first South Tyro- lean victim of fascism in Italy, who was murdered in Bolzano in 1921. With regard to South Tyrol’s economic development, the positive trend continued and exports further increased. Accounting for 10 % of its exports, Austria is South

34 South East Europe, Western Balkan States and Turkey

Tyrol’s second most important export market, while some 10 % of Austrian exports to Italy go directly to South Tyrol.

1.3 South East Europe, Western Balkan States and Turkey

South East Europe and the Western Balkan States The six countries of South East Europe, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia (also collectively referred to as the “Western Balkans”), which are geographically speaking surrounded by EU Member States, but do not yet belong to the EU, remain a key priority of Austrian foreign policy. Bringing the region closer to the EU has thus been a topic of special importance. In this spirit, Austria also continues to contribute pro-actively to the Berlin Pro- cess. This process seeks to support the process of bringing the countries of the region closer to the EU by strengthening regional cooperation in selected key areas, such as the improvement of regional transport, communication and energy infrastructure through the targeted dismantling of trade barriers and/or by promoting the settlement of bilateral disputes. Apart from the six countries of South East Europe, participation in the Berlin Process involves the EU Member States Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Commission and several international financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank. The rotating chair in the Berlin Process was held by Poland. Alongside a meeting of Heads of State and Government, the Poznan Summit in July included segments at the level of foreign, economic and interior ministers. Austria was represented at political level by Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein. One of the most recent achievements of the Berlin Process is the agreement on the reduction and subsequent abolition of regional roaming fees. At the Poznan Summit it was also envisaged to involve parliamentarians from the participating states more closely in the process. At the summits in Novi Sad in October and in Ohrid in November, Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania initiated the project of a regional “mini-Schengen zone”, in which trade barriers of all kinds are to be dismantled and the movement of persons facilitated. The project is open for participation by the other three states of the region. For the time being, however, the latters’ position on joining remained reserved and/or sceptical. Likewise, for the time being, the relationship between this initiative and programmes launched within the framework of the Berlin Pro- cess and/or the Regional Cooperation Council remained open. Bilateral relations between Austria and the countries of the region are consistently considered excellent by both sides. Not least due to its clear support of EU

35 Europe and European Union integration of all countries of South East Europe, Austria is held in high esteem throughout the region. The importance of economic relations between Austria and South East Europe is also reflected in Austria’s prominent role as an investor in the region. In Bos- nia and Herzegovina as well as in North Macedonia, Austria ranks first among the countries of origin of foreign investments, in Serbia second, and in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, Austria is among the five to six largest foreign investors.

Albania The country continued to implement the reforms required in the course of its EU integration process, making considerable progress particularly in the area of judicial reform. Towards the end of the year, the focus of government activity shifted to managing the consequences of the severe earthquakes that hit large parts of the country in September and November, claiming more than 50 lives. The political climate in Albania continued to be dominated by polarisation between the two main political camps, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party led by Lulzim Basha. Controversial issues included the local elections held in April, which were boycotted by the opposition. In response to the (unsuccessful) attempt by Albania’s President Ilir Meta, who is close to the opposition, to cancel the elections, parliament initiated impeachment proceedings against the President. Albania remains a priority country of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). In the context of reconstruction assistance in the aftermath of the earthquakes, Austria made available both contributions in kind and funding of 600,000 euros for the reconstruction of destroyed or damaged buildings.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Even the elections in October 2018 had only limited impact on the ongoing extensive standstill in reform efforts that has as late shaped political developments in the country. The extremely complex constitutional system consisting of 14 levels of government (general state, 2 “entities”, 10 cantons, special status of the Brčko region), hampers the functioning of state institutions, not least due to extensive “veto rights” held by each of the three constituent ethnic groups. Exponents of the Republika Srpska, especially the Serb member of the Presidency, Milorad Dodik, continue to employ nationalist and/or secessionist rhetoric, calling into question the legitimacy of the state institutions created in accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords and thus also of the state as a whole. After the 2018 elections, it took more than a year until the nomination of the Serb Zoran Tegeltija as the new Head of Government enabled a step forward towards

36 South East Europe, Western Balkan States and Turkey launching a government formation process at state level. However, in the Bosnian- Croatian entity (“Federation”) and in two cantons within the Federation, no governments have as yet been formed. The goal of joining the EU is currently probably the strongest factor that unites all the ethnic groups in the country. Better cooperation among all ethnic groups and levels of government will, however, remain essential to moving closer to this goal. Since 2009, the Austrian Valentin Inzko has served as the High Representative of the International Community to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in September the Austrian diplomat Johann Sattler took up office as EU Special Representative in Sarajevo. Since 2004, Austria has contributed to the military CSDP operation for the stabilisation of the region, EUFOR Althea. With 200 personnel, Austria is currently the largest provider of troops to the mission. Since March, Major General Reinhard Trischak has been commander of EUFOR Althea. On 5 November, the mission’s mandate was again extended by the UN Security Council.

Kosovo Following the resignation of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in August, early elections for the Kosovar parliament were held in October. These elections resulted in a clear victory for the former opposition parties Vetevendosje and LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo), which narrowly missed a joint majority but may count on support from representatives of minorities in the Kosovar parliament. By the end of the year, negotiations on government formation were still ongoing, although it may be expected that the future government will be led by the chairman of Vetevendosje, the charismatic former student leader Albin Kurti. The election’s results have at any rate very clearly shown that the majority of the population favours far-reaching changes in the country. Relations with Serbia were characterised by a complete standstill in efforts towards normalisation. The continuation of the EU-supported dialogue process is hampered by two main obstacles. Firstly, Serbia’s continuing efforts to block Kosovo’s admission to international organisations such as UNESCO or INTERPOL and to persuade states that have already recognised Kosovo to withdraw their recognition for the time being, and secondly, the penalty tariffs of 100 per cent imposed by Kosovo in 2018 on imports from Serbia as well as from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Austria contributes some 300 personnel to the NATO-led Operation Kosovo Force (KFOR), which makes it the largest non-NATO troop contributor. In addition, Aus- tria provided several law enforcement officers to the EU Rule of Law Mission EULEX Kosovo, which assists the Kosovar institutions in establishing a functioning legal, police, customs and judicial system. Kosovo is a priority country of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).

37 Europe and European Union

North Macedonia The historic agreement with Greece on the name dispute was finally implemented in February with the official change of the state name to “North Macedonia”. In spring, the general election of the new President went smoothly. The second round of voting produced a clear result in favour of Stevo Pendarovski, the candidate of the ruling party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, which was also explicitly recognised by the defeated candidate in the run-off, Gordana Sil- janovska-Davkova. The government led by Zoran Zaev resolutely continued its reform course, seeking to bring North Macedonia closer to the EU. In May, the country’s reform efforts were acknowledged by the European Commission, which explicitly recommended opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia. Subsequently, however, the EU Member States were unable to reach a consensus on the actual start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. Consequently, all major political forces in the country agreed in October to bring the 2020 parliamentary elections forward by half a year to spring 2020. In the field of migration policy, North Macedonia remained an important partner of both Austria and the EU. Since February 2016, Austria has supported North Macedonia in controlling its borders, providing a contingent of Austrian law enforcement officers based in Gevgelija.

Montenegro At domestic policy level, parliament is still boycotted by large sections of the opposition, which has already announced its intention to boycott the new elections that have to be held by autumn 2020 at the latest, highlighting that lack of reform in the fields of electoral law and/or party and campaign financing and lack of access to the media for all parties wishing to campaign mean that the conditions stipulated for fair elections would not be met. Temporarily, at least parts of the opposition had been represented on the interim parliamentary committee set up to reach an agreement on electoral law reform between the government and the opposition. Towards the end of the year, however, the opposition representatives left the committee. The draft of a new law on religion was a source of further tensions both at national political level and in Macedonia’s relations with Serbia. Serbia and parts of the Serbian Orthodox Church fear that this law may inter alia facilitate the expropria- tion of property belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Montenegro’s accession negotiations with the EU continued. The progress report prepared by the European Commission, however, very clearly states that negotiations have been stagnating in such important areas as rule of law and freedom of the media.

38 South East Europe, Western Balkan States and Turkey

Serbia Also in Serbia, the political climate has recently been characterised by the opposition’s absence from parliament and the latter’s announcement that it intends to boycott the parliamentary elections scheduled for early 2020. Although the Open Society Foundation and the EU Parliament sought to mediate between government and opposition seeking to reach agreement on a set of rules aimed at ensuring the correctness and fairness of the election, there was no prospect of concrete results as the year came to an end and time pressure was increasing. EU accession negotiations were continued, but – as in the case of Montenegro – the European Commission identified a tendency towards stagnation in important areas. No tangible progress was, for instance, made in the efforts aimed at amending Serbia’s constitution with a view to strengthening the independence of the judiciary. Also the fact that Serbia had signed a free trade agreement with the Russian- dominated Eurasian Economic Union in October – an agreement, which would not be compatible with Serbia’s EU membership – does not bode well for the current state of relations between Serbia and the EU.

Turkey While the ruling party AKP was able to defend its supremacy in the local elections held in March, it suffered defeats in the major cities in the West and the South as well as in Ankara. The mayoral election in Istanbul, which was repeated in June as called for by AKP, was again won by the social democratic opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoğlu. There were no improvements in the human rights situation. Published on 29 May, the EU country report on Turkey, repeated the criticism of the country’s back- sliding on human rights and fundamental freedoms. Many of the special powers granted to the law enforcement branch in the aftermath of the attempted coup on 15 June 2016, were subsequently transferred to the permanent body of law. After the March local elections, numerous mayors of the Kurdish-influenced HDP party were removed from office on charges of terrorist propaganda and replaced by trustees appointed by the government. A number of HDP parliamentarians were imprisoned (including the former co-chairmen of the party, Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ). The economy presents a mixed picture: forecasts range from a decline of -0.7 % to a slight increase of +0.5 %. Following the central bank governor’s dismissal, the key interest rate was gradually lowered from 24 % to 14 % in the course of the year. According to official statistics, inflation stood at 9.26 % in October. The ongoing high volatility of the Turkish lira has the related impact on inflation rates

39 Europe and European Union

(dependence on imports), Turkish businesses’ foreign debt, and major infrastructure projects that are financed by foreign currency loans. Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016 and of the associated Joint Action Plan aimed at curbing irregular migration was continued by both sides. The EU is making available 6 billion euros for the care and integration of displaced persons in Turkey. These projects run until 2025. The associated readmission agreement provides for the readmission of rejected asylum seekers from Greek islands by Turkey and in return the EU will accept a corresponding number of displaced persons from Turkey. At foreign policy level, Turkey is steering an increasingly confrontational course not only vis-à-vis the states of the region (Cyprus, Greece, Syria, Armenia and Israel) but also vis-à-vis the EU, the USA and NATO. In connection with suspected oil and – above all – gas deposits off the coast of Cyprus, Turkish exploration and drilling vessels have repeatedly violated sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish navy has obstructed Western energy companies operating with Cypriot permission. Turkey also considers these drilling operations illegal as the population of the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus is currently excluded from gas drilling revenues. In July and October, the EU adopted sanctions against Tur- key. Following the announcement by the USA on 6 October to withdraw its troops from Syria, Turkey launched another military operation in northern Syria on 9 October. This military action was condemned by the EU as a violation of international law and some EU Member States suspended arms supplies to Turkey. On 27 November, Turkey and Libya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the maritime border between the two states. Greece claims that this MoU represents a breach of international law because it violates Crete’s rights under the Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The EU rejects this MoU as being in breach of international law and infringing upon the rights of sovereign states. The Austrian Federal Government’s continued call for the termination of EU accession negotiations with the country triggered reactions on the part of Turk- ish politicians. Turkey continues to block parts of Partnership for Peace between Austria and NATO. Bilateral consultations were held in the fields of culture, consular affairs, security policy and counter-terrorism.

1.4 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood

1.4.1 Russia Russia is committed to a multipolar world order, in which it is to play an important role. Russia considers the post-Soviet area as its sphere of influence in which it

40 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood may pursue economic and geopolitical interests as freely as possible. In view of its differences with the USA and the EU, Russia is increasingly looking to the East, especially to China. Through its military and diplomatic engagement, Rus- sia has been able to contribute to the survival of the Assad regime while at the same time securing its military bases in Syria, thereby consolidating its position in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, which it had even been able to expand following the large-scale withdrawal of the USA from Syria. Since March 2016, EU-Russia relations have been based on the following five guiding principles: implementation of the Minsk Agreements to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine; strengthening relations with Eastern Partners and other neighbours in Central Asia; strengthening EU resilience; selective engagement with Russia on certain issues such as counter-terrorism; and increased support for Russian civil society and people-to-people contacts, especially with a view to the next generation. The EU sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014 in response to the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, which constitutes a violation of international law, and due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine were extended. Like- wise, the countermeasures imposed by Russia remain in force. Russia plays a key role in the conflict, which is mainly attributable to the massive presence of armed forces and its influence on armed formations in eastern Ukraine. In the second half of the year, the hitherto poor implementation of the Minsk Agreements gained momentum. However, formal summits, negotiations on a new EU-Russia Framework Agreement and the visa dialogue remain suspended. Within the EU, Austria has advocated a continuation of the dialogue with Russia. Relations between Russia and the USA have hit an all-time low, unparalleled since the end of the Cold War. Like the EU, the USA has also imposed sanctions on Rus- sia. Differences of opinion between Russia and the US over Ukraine, Syria, Iran, Libya and Venezuela remained. Today, relations with China and Japan are better than they have ever been in recent history. Moscow sees the Chinese Silk Road Initiative (“One Belt, One Road”) as a potential stimulus for the further economic development of the Eura- sian region. Within the context of the Eurasian Economic Union, Russia is trying to promote economic links with Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Bringing together representatives of all African states, the Africa Summit held in Sochi on 25 October sought to add impetus to Russia’s economic interests in Africa and to position the country as a geopolitical player on the continent alongside China and the Western states. The domestic political situation remained largely stable. However, Moscow saw major demonstrations in the summer, sparked by the refusal to admit opposition candidates to the Moscow local elections. The authorities’ reaction to these protests was disproportionately harsh. Although most of the activists arrested in the course of the demonstrations were released after a short time, some demonstra-

41 Europe and European Union tors and activists may have to face or have already been sentenced to several years in prison. The human rights situation in Russia remains a matter of concern. In recent years, restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, religion, the media and information have been further stepped up. Human rights organisations and, above all, political activists are confronted with an ever-decreasing room for manoeuvre. Under an amendment to the law passed in November, it will also be possible to classify natural persons who disseminate news (such as bloggers) as “foreign agents”. Despite measures aimed at implementing socio-economic improvements, the situation in northern Caucasus has remained volatile. Human rights violations by security forces, which enjoy virtual impunity, remain a cause for concern. The return of Russian fighters who had previously left for Syria or Iraq, as well as the terrorist activities of militant extremists in northern Caucasus who have pledged their loyalty to IS, pose a risk to security. According to forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) will register real term growth of 1.2 % compared with the previous year. Russia’s military spending remains among the highest in Europe, reaching over 3 % of annual GDP. In the context of the working visit Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen paid to Sochi on 15 May, the founding session of the Sochi Dialogue Steering Committee, aimed at strengthening civil society exchange between Austria and Russia, was held, co-chaired by Christoph Leitl and Presidential Advisor Andrei Fursenko. The Sochi Dialogue focuses on promoting culture and art, science and education, economy and sports. Within the framework of the 15th Conference of European Regions and Cities, organised by the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), a meeting of the Sochi Dialogue Governors’ Network that was attended by high-level representatives from the Austrian federal provinces and from the Rus- sian regions of Perm, Tambov and Ulyanovsk, was held in Salzburg on 7 October. The bilateral Austro-Russian thematic year focused on youth and youth exchange. Further high-level working visits and meetings were paid by Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl to Moscow (12 March), by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Vienna (13 and 14 March), by Economic Affairs Minister Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl to Saint Peters- burg (6 and 7 June), by Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky to Salzburg (26–28 July), by Transport Minister Andreas Reichhardt to Moscow (27–30 August), and by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to Saint Petersburg (15–17 Novem- ber). The Austrian Honorary Consulate in Novosibirsk was opened on 9 September.

42 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood

1.4.2 Eastern Partnership States The Eastern Partnership (EaP), established by the European Union as cooperation and assistance framework for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, celebrated its tenth anniversary. In this context, a range of events was held, including the international EaP Anniversary Conference in Vienna that consisted of a panel discussion involving political experts, and a Track II Expert Workshop on 28 and 29 May. In various reviews the EaP, which aims to bring the partner countries closer to European standards and values, was assessed as generally successful, since the network of agreements between the EU and the Partner countries has become denser. More practically speaking, the successful implementation of the 20 Deliv- erables for 2020 work programme, adopted in 2017, has also become visible and tangible for the population. The related benefits were felt especially in the fields of mobility, education, trade and connectivity. Reviews, however, also identified shortfalls in implementation relating, for instance, to the rule of law, good governance as well as human and minority rights. Austria calls for the implementation of what has already been agreed, adhering strictly to the conditionality of EU support. In addition, Austria focuses on values, tangible benefits for people (especially young people), human security, decentralisation and e-democracy, climate protection, social resilience and addressing the topics of (mass) emigration and brain drain.

Armenia In mid-January, the parliament elected in December 2018 convened for the first time and the government was formally appointed by President Armen Sarkissian. As the Constitutional Court considered criminal prosecution of former President Robert Kocharyan, who was involved in the suppression of the 2008 protests, as inadmissible, the government made several attempts to remove the President of the Constitutional Court from office. The Kocharyan case was also referred to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the ECtHR. As regards the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for the inclusion of a Nagorno-Karabakh representative in the negotiations with Azerbaijan. After several informal meetings, first official talks between Pashin- yan and the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, were held in Vienna at the end of March, mediated by the three co-chairs of the OSCE/Minsk Group. Subse- quently, several meetings at foreign ministerial level and another informal meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev were held. Several smaller-scale confidence- building initiatives agreed upon during these meetings were implemented. In its relations with the EU, the Armenian government places high hopes – especially with a view to economic development – in the implementation of the Com-

43 Europe and European Union prehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed at the end of 2017. Since 1 June 2018, the agreement has been applied on a provisional basis. By the end of the year, Armenia and 17 EU Member States had notified ratification of the agreement. In Austria, the relevant process is currently ongoing. In March, Prime Minister Pashinyan met Federal President Alexander Van der Bel- len and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. In May, members of the Bilateral Par- liamentary Group visited Armenia. In December, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Maria Patek and her Armenian counterpart Erik Grigoryan signed an MoU on environmental matters in Madrid. Armenia is a priority country of Austrian Development Cooperation.

Azerbaijan The country seeks to counter its strong dependence on the crude oil price by diversifying its economy. In this context, Azerbaijan is striving to position itself as a central transport hub on the international north-south and east-west axes of the new Silk Road. As part of the related efforts, an agreement between the port of Baku, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) Rail Cargo and a Dutch group was signed in November 2019. The human rights situation remains problematic. In October and November, demonstrations by the opposition and women’s rights groups were dispersed by use of violence. Shortly afterwards, a rejuvenation of the apparatus was launched, initiated by resignations and reshuffles among senior officials, culminating in the appointment of Ali Asadov to the office of Prime Minister. In late November, the dissolution of parliament and early elections scheduled for the beginning of 2020 were adopted. With respect to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, several informal meetings preceded the first official talks between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, in Vienna at the end of March, mediated by the three co-chairs of the OSCE/Minsk Group. Several meetings at foreign ministerial level and another informal meeting between Pashinyan and Ali- yev followed and a number of smaller-scale confidence-building initiatives agreed upon during these meetings were implemented. In spite of these developments, Azerbaijan’s growing level of frustration is reflected in an ongoing arms build-up. In its relations with the EU, Azerbaijan is pursuing a moderate course of rapprochement. The negotiations on a comprehensive strategic agreement, launched in 2017, were continued. Azerbaijan remains Austria’s most important trading partner in the South Cauca- sus. SOCAR, the Azerbaijani oil group, opened its first filling station in Austria. In March, President Aliyev met Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Fed- eral Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. In October, Federal Minister Andreas Reichhardt

44 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood visited Azerbaijan with an economic delegation and signed a MoU with the Min- ister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Natia Turnava.

Belarus In the lead-up to the early parliamentary elections on 17 November, numerous members of the opposition, including the only two who had thus far been represented in parliament, were either denied registration or their registration was revoked. Not a single independent or opposition candidate became a member of the newly elected parliament. The OSCE/ODIHR described the election in fact as calm, however, not in accordance with international standards. On the margins of the election, President Alexander Lukashenko announced his intention to stand for another term as president in 2020. Relations with the EU remain overshadowed by the poor human rights situation in Belarus. In particular, freedom of opinion, of assembly and of the media are not guaranteed. Furthermore, Belarus is the only European country where the death penalty is still being imposed and executed. For this reason, it remains the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. As in previous years, Austria has in all political contacts with Belarus called for the abolition of the death penalty and for a moratorium on executions as an initial step. The cautious deepening of relations between the EU and Belarus was continued. Adoption of the partnership priorities was, however, still impossible as they are linked to the Astravets nuclear power plant. Agreement on visa facilitation and readmission was reached in May and the ratification process launched. The EU- Belarus Coordination Group met twice in April and December and the EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue was held in June. In February, the EU sanctions in force against four Belarusian nationals and the embargo on arms and equipment that may be used for internal repression were extended for another year. On 15 January, Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl opened the new offices of the Aus- trian Embassy in Minsk, set up in 2016. At bilateral level, the visit by Federal Chan- cellor Sebastian Kurz to Minsk on 28 and 29 March, which also involved the inauguration of the memorial for the Austrian victims of the Shoah in Maly Trostenez, and President Lukashenko’s official visit to Vienna on 12 November marked special highlights. Alongside the common culture of remembrance, this visit focused on deepening economic relations and Belarus’ cautious rapprochement with the EU. The Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Relations met in Minsk on 18 March. A business mission that had travelled to Belarus at the same time also visited the city of Grodno. From 10 to 12 December, the bilateral commission on nuclear safety met in Minsk and visited the Atravets nuclear power plant currently under construction.

45 Europe and European Union

Georgia A speech held by a Russian MP in the Georgian parliament in the context of an inter-parliamentary conference at the end of June, triggered days of mass protests at the end of June. Russia reacted to these protests by suspending direct flights between the two countries, which were still not resumed by the end of the year. By taking to the streets, citizens also expressed their dissatisfaction with the government, which reacted by promising that the 2020 election would already be based exclusively on the system of proportional representation, originally envisaged for the 2024 elections. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at the beginning of September, former Minister of the Interior Giorgi Gakharia took over. When the promised electoral law reform was thwarted in November due to lack of support from the governing party “Georgian Dream”, people again took to the streets launching another wave of mass protests. In the conflict involving the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the process known as “borderisation” (fortification of the previously green border between the areas controlled by Tbilisi and those controlled by Sukhumi and Tskhinvali respectively) continued. The end of the summer saw the most serious tensions in the relations between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali since 2008: referring to an agreement of 1922, Tskhinvali reinterpreted the course of the administrative border in some areas, and at the same time protested against the establishment of new Georgian police checkpoints near the administrative border. On the positive side, it can be mentioned that the first meeting at foreign minister level since 2008 was held between Georgia and Russia on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in September, although it did not produce any concrete results. Relations with the EU continued to focus on the implementation of the Asso- ciation Agreement. In view of the aforementioned tensions, the EU Special Rep- resentative Toivo Klaar and the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM), to which Aus- tria continued to contribute, sought to de-escalate the situation. In this context, a two-pronged approach was pursued, which consisted on the one hand of increased presence in the region, and on the other hand of talks within the framework of both the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism and the Interna- tional Geneva Discussions on the Conflict in Georgia, held in close coordination with the United Nations and the OSCE. Austria continued to fully support the EU Non-Recognition and Engagement Pol- icy (NREP) towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia and this year again supported the resolution on the situation of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, introduced by Georgia within the framework of the United Nations. In February, the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament, Irakli Kobakhidze, visited Vienna for talks inter alia with the President of the National Council, Wolf- 46 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood gang Sobotka, and Federal Minister Josef Moser. In December, Federal Minister Andreas Reichhardt visited Georgia. On 15 March, the Honorary Consulate in Tbi- lisi was opened. In May and November, business missions held talks in Tbilisi. Georgia is a priority country of Austrian Development Cooperation.

Moldova

At the parliamentary elections held on 24 February, the Socialist Party won 35 seats, the Democratic Party came off second winning 30 seats, 26 seats went to the pro-European electoral bloc ACUM and 7 to ŞOR (Republican Socio-Political Movement Equality). On 8 June, at the end of the deadline defined by the constitution, the Socialist Party and ACUM agreed to form a government coalition led by Prime Minister Maia Sandu, whose main goal was to ‘build a functioning state free of the oligarchic systems’. Initially, however, the Democratic Party refused to give up government offices, citing a ruling by the Constitutional Court, which was revoked only a few days later. There was the threat of serious escalation, until the Democratic Party finally withdrew, also due to pressure from the international community. Subsequently, the party’s leader Vladimir Plahotniuc left the country. The new government launched a comprehensive reform programme, focusing especially on the area of justice – but failed after only five months in office when the Socialist Party initiated a vote of no confidence against its own government on 12 November. This move was triggered by a dispute over the nomination of the Attorney General. Supported by the Democratic Party, President Igor Dodon nominated a minority government formed by the Socialist Party led by the new Prime Minister Ion Chicu. Regarding the Transnistrian conflict, the momentum witnessed over the past few years bringing improvements for the affected population was not maintained. This was on the one hand attributable to the parliamentary elections and the subsequent coalition negotiations, and on the other hand to the fact that the Transn- istrian issue did not feature as a priority on the agenda of Prime Minister Maia Sandu’s government. Relations with the EU were dominated by the implementation of the Association Agreement and, following the government formation in June, a normalisation of relations which had been strained mainly since 2018. After a general deterioration in the rule of law situation and the Moldovan government’s lack of willingness to reform had led to the freezing of EU macro-financial assistance and budget support in 2018, EU aid was resumed, however, subject to Moldova’s adherence to strict conditionality. State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Hubert Fuchs visited Moldova in May. Other visits at political level were limited due to parliamentary elections in both Austria and Moldova. On 28 October, the Honorary Consulate Bălţi that covers

47 Europe and European Union

Northern Moldova was reopened. Moldova is a priority country of Austrian Devel- opment Cooperation.

Ukraine At domestic policy level, Ukraine experienced an unprecedented change in the political landscape. In the presidential elections in spring, Volodymyr Zelensky prevailed over 39 other candidates. In the run-off vote, he defeated the incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. The main topics on the newly appointed president’s agenda are fighting corruption, ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine, promoting economic development and the country’s western orientation. Standing for the first time for elections, President Zelensky’s “Servant of the People” party was able to secure an absolute majority of seats in the early parliamentary elections held in July. At the end of August, the new government led by Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk was confirmed by parliament and started important reforms, including in the rule of law and economic fields (land reform). In the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the ceasefire continued to be violated at vary- ing degrees of intensity. Ukraine saw itself confronted with further pressure from Russia. In April, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree providing for a simplified procedure for granting Russian citizenship to inhabitants of those parts of the Donbas not controlled by Ukraine, which was subsequently extended to other Ukrainian nationals. The decree was condemned by both the international community and the EU as being in contradiction with the Minsk Agreements. The EU, including Austria, does not recognise passports issued on the basis of this decree. Thanks to a committed approach pursued by President Zelensky, progress was made in the peace process in the second half of the year. At the beginning of September, an exchange of prisoners took place between Ukraine and Russia. In November, Russia returned the Ukrainian naval vessels it had seized off the Kerch Strait in November 2018. There were also disengagements in Stanytsia Luhanska (including renovation of the destroyed bridge), in Zolote and in Petriwske. Fur- thermore, written agreement was given to the “Steinmeier formula” on sequenc- ing the local elections provided for in the Minsk Agreements and on granting special status for the Donbas. These steps prepared the ground for a summit meeting of the Normandy-4 (Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine) on 9 December where further measures were adopted. The meeting’s outcome thus included a comprehensive exchange of prisoners, troop disengagement in three further areas, the establishment of further crossing opportunities for civilians along the Line of Contact, and additional measures aimed at observing a ceasefire. In addition, the first direct meeting between President Zelensky and President Putin was held on the margins of the summit.

48 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood

Soon after taking office, President Zelensky embarked on his first trip abroad in early June in the context of which he visited the EU institutions in Brussels to highlight Ukraine’s pro-European course. The EU-Ukraine Summit on 8 July also demonstrated continuity in EU-Ukraine relations and EU support for Ukraine. The European Commission also mediated between Russia and Ukraine with a view to facilitating the renewal of the gas transit contract. Providing cumulative support of around 15 billion euros made available by the various EU institutions alone since 2014, the EU is by far the most important sup- porter of Ukraine. On the basis of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), the EU is the country’s largest trading partner. A total of 42 % of Ukrainian exports go to the EU. The Support Group for Ukraine (SGUA), set up in 2014, and the EU Advisory Mis- sion for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM), to which Austria also contributes, continued to play a central role in EU-Ukraine relations. From the outset on, Austria has supported the priorities outlined by President Zelensky. In unison with its EU partners, Austria continued to condemn both the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula as violating international law and the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine by Russia. It furthermore fully supported the relevant sanctions regime as well as the EU’s non-recognition policy. In this context, Aus- tria also supported the related EU statements made in various international fora and relevant resolutions within the framework of the United Nations. Another one million euros was made available from the Foreign Disaster Fund to alleviate the plight of the affected population in eastern Ukraine. A special highlight in bilateral relations was the common cultural year under the motto “Creating perspectives through creativity”, and involving a total of some 180 projects in Ukraine. The President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka paid a visit to Kyiv in January and Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg in November. In May, the Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Rela- tions met in Vienna.

1.4.3 Central Asia Seeking to strengthen and thematically focus its engagement in Central Asia, the EU on 17 June adopted a new Strategy for Central Asia providing for a deeper partnership with Central Asia in the three thematic areas of resilience, prosperity and regional cooperation. In Kazakhstan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev unex- pectedly resigned on 19 March. In accordance with the constitution, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was appointed interim president. In the presidential elections on 9 June, he was subsequently elected as the new president winning almost 71 % of the vote. The elections were accompanied by demonstrations in Almaty and Nur-Sultan, where several thousand people

49 Europe and European Union took to the streets. This was met with massive deployment of security forces and numerous individuals were arrested. The OSCE Election Observation Mission criticised considerable irregularities in the course of the elections. In his inaugural speech, Tokayev announced the continuation of the modernisation programme and the implementation of the institutional reforms launched under President Nazarbayev. As Chairman of the National Security Council, Nazarbayev, in whose honour the Kazakh capital Astana had been renamed Nur-Sultan, continues to play an influential role. Internationally, Kazakhstan continued its active commitment to a nuclear weapons-free world, participated in the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and contributed to the peace process in Syria through the Astana Process. On the margins of the UN General Assembly, Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with his Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Tileuberdi on 23 September. The Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Kazakh Parliament, Nurlan Nigmatulin, paid a working visit to Vienna on 20 and 21 February, where he met, inter alia, the Presi- dent of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka. On 27 June, the President of the Federal Council, Ingo Appé, visited Kazakhstan and held talks, among others, with the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Kazakh Parliament, Nurlan Nig- matulin, and the Chairperson of the Senate, Dariga Nazarbayeva. On 24 Septem- ber, the President of the Federal Council, Karl Bader, attended the Fourth Meeting of Speakers of the Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments in Nur-Sultan. The 9th meeting of the Austrian-Kazakh Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Devel- opment was held in Linz on 11 November. In Kyrgyzstan, the domestic policy agenda was dominated by the conflict between President Sooronbai Cheenbekov and his predecessor in office Almas- bek Atambayev. In the course of a spectacular police operation Atambayev was arrested on August 8 and subsequently charged, inter alia, with suspected corruption. The EU conducted negotiations with Kyrgyzstan on an enhanced Partner- ship and Cooperation Agreement, which was initialled on 7 July during the visit of HR/VP Federica Mogherini to Bishkek. On 27 June, the President of the Federal Council, Ingo Appé, visited Kyrgyzstan and met, inter alia, President Sooronbai Cheenbekov and the Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament, Dastan Dzhumabekov. On 25 and 26 September, an Austrian business mission held talks in Bishkek. On 7 May, the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Kyr- gyz State Committee for Information Technology and Communication signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Bishkek on planned cooperation projects in the field of digitalisation. Within the framework of the United Nations in New York, Kyrgyzstan initiated the establishment of an informal “Group of Friends of Moun- tainous Countries”, which Austria also joined. In Tajikistan, the economy continued to be confronted with major structural challenges, which held especially true for the banking sector. On 11 September, the second unit of the Rogun hydropower plant went into operation. Tajikistan

50 The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood places high hopes in the hydropower plant as it expects to increase its electricity exports and generate important revenues. In mid-September, border disputes on the Tajik-Kyrgyz border in the Batken region (Fergana Valley) triggered violent clashes in which several Tajik border guards were killed. On 6 November, a terrorist attack on a Tajik border post in the west of the country near the Afghan border claimed at least 17 lives. The exact background of the attack, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, remains unclear. At international level, Tajik- istan played a pro-active role as Chair of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), and remained committed to the topics of water and counter-terrorism (e. g. by hosting the High-Level Conference on International and Regional Coop- eration on Countering Terrorism and its Financing Through Illicit Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime). At bilateral level, co-operation has intensified, particularly in the field of hydropower. The Austrian company Andritz AG was awarded the contract to renovate the Nurek hydropower plant (which boasts the second highest dam in the world). On 20 March, an official ceremony in the presence of President Emomali Rahmon marked the start of construction works. Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister Muzaffar Huseynzoda held bilateral consultations with Direc- tor General Helmut Tichy in Vienna on 24 July. From 23 to 25 September, the 7th meeting of the Austrian-Tajik Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Development was held in Dushanbe, accompanied by a meeting of business delegations. Turkmenistan oriented its policy towards three focal areas: energy security (ensuring especially the vital gas exports for Turkmen businesses), expansion of the transport infrastructure to connect the country to international markets and water security. After a two-year break, Russia (Gazprom) resumed purchases of Turkmen gas in 2019. The main topic on the agenda of the EU Energy Dialogue with Turkmenistan was Turkmen gas exports to Europe. On 6 July, the former EU Liaison Office in Ashgabat was upgraded to a fully-fledged EU delegation and the corresponding agreement was signed by HR/VP Frederica Mogherini and For- eign Minister Rashid Meredov in Ashgabat. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, together with the OSCE, organised a conference on terrorism in Ashgabat on 16 April, in which Roman Haider, Mem- ber of the National Council, participated in his capacity as the OSCE Parliamen- tary Assembly’s Special Representative on Central Asia. The 10th meeting of the Austrian-Turkmen Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Develop- ment was held in Vienna on 13 June. From 2 to 4 December, an Austrian business delegation led by the Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Richard Schenz held talks in Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan continued the reform course launched by President Shavkat Mirziyo- yev, placing a special focus on the economic sector (WTO accession is a priority). With a view to promoting tourism, Uzbekistan in February abolished visa requirements for stays of up to 30 days for a total of 65 countries, including Austria.

51 Europe and European Union

Genuine opposition parties were not allowed to stand in the parliamentary elections on 22 December, which resulted in only minor shifts in seats between parliamentary parties loyal to the government. The OSCE Election Observation Mission welcomed organisational improvements, but criticised the lack of a genuine alternative and irregularities at the polls. At foreign policy level, Uzbekistan focused primarily on relations with its neighbours. Contacts with Russia intensified (as reflected in the agreement on the construction of the first Uzbek nuclear power plant by Rosatom, the agreement on mutual overflight rights for military aircraft, training of military officers, and joint military exercises). The EU also stepped- up its relations with Uzbekistan. Good progress was made in the four rounds of negotiations on a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). The 15th meeting of the EU-Uzbekistan Cooperation Council was held in Brussels on 11 November. The European Investment Bank (EIB) granted loans totalling more than 200 million euros to Uzbekistan earmarked for water and energy efficiency projects. The EU contributed 5 million euros to the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region, initiated by Uzbekistan. On 7 March, Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs Johannes Peterlik held official talks in Tashkent, meeting inter alia Deputy Foreign Minister Dilshod Akhatov. The 7th meeting of the Austrian- Uzbek Mixed Commission on Bilateral Trade and Economic Development was held in Tashkent on 8 and 9 April. At the same time, an Austrian business delegation led by the Vice-President of the Austrian Economic Chamber Richard Schenz and involving representatives of 26 companies visited Tashkent. On 2 December, a high-level Uzbek delegation led by Alisher Kurmanov, Chairman of the Commit- tee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Tour- ism of the Uzbek Senate, paid a visit to Vienna. The delegation met inter alia with the President of the Federal Council, Karl Bader. Likewise on 2 December, political consultations between the foreign ministries of both countries were held. As had already been the case in 2018, Austrian exports to Uzbekistan again increased significantly.

1.5 The European Union’s Southern Neighbourhood The EU’s southern neighbourhood comprises Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Leba- non, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia. The EU’s Southern Neighbour- hood Policy covers bilateral political relations with these ten partner countries, although Palestine is not recognised as a state by the EU and cooperation with Syria is currently suspended. Regional cooperation is supplemented and deepened by multilateral institutions, such as the Union for the Mediterranean, which is composed of the EU Member States, the ten partner countries and all other countries bordering the Mediterranean.

52 The European Union’s Southern Neighbourhood

1.5.1 North Africa and Maghreb States In a referendum held in Egypt on 22 April, a majority of almost 89 % of the population voted in favour of an amendment to the constitution that provides inter alia for an extension of the presidential term from four to six years and enables incumbent President Al-Sisi to stand for another term in the next elections scheduled for 2024. Other key elements are Egypt’s return to a bicameral parliament for the forthcoming legislative period and an overall strengthening of the executive branch vis-à-vis the legislative and the judicial branches. The Egyptian government continued its IMF-supported reform programme. The effects of economic difficulties experienced by large parts of the population due to subsidy reductions and price increases were, however, again only partially mitigated by yet another increase in economic growth and the social measures adopted by the government. Egypt continued to host one of the largest registered refugee populations worldwide in urban areas. Against the background of the fight against terrorism, involving tighter legislation and the extension of the state of emergency, the human rights situation remained tense. In September, several hundred people demonstrated mainly against corruption and although relatively small, these demonstrations were consistently dispersed by the police from the end of September on. According to reports from human rights organisations, several thousand individuals were subsequently arrested. In the context of the Universal Periodic Review on Egypt by the UN Human Rights Council in November, Austria expressed its concern and recommended that Egypt investigates allegations against its police forces according to international standards and holds accountable those responsible for infringe- ments. At foreign policy level, the Al-Sisi government sought to mediate in order to defuse tensions in the region. On 10 February, Egypt took over the annually rotating Chair of the African Union. The country’s relations with Ethiopia, which have been strained for years due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project, were characterized by efforts aimed at negotiating and reaching compro- mises. In this context, Egypt called on the international community in September, requesting it to mediate in this matter. Relevant efforts were then launched by the USA in November. Egypt continued to play a mediating role between Israel on the one hand, and Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad on the other, seeking to defuse the situation especially with a view to clashes that repeatedly flared up at the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Egypt also continued to contribute pro-actively to the inter-Palestinian reconciliation talks.

53 Europe and European Union

A number of committee meetings in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy contributed to fostering relations with the EU. A phase of social transformation commenced in Algeria. Until just before the planned presidential elections in April, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999 and is in poor health, had not yet decided whether he would stand for a fifth term. The peaceful demonstrations against Bouteflika that had been ongoing since February evolved into a broad protest movement (Hirak) directed against the entire political system and the existing Algerian power structures. Following Bouteflika’s resignation, the President of the Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, was appointed interim Head of State and a caretaker government led by Prime Minister Nourredine Bedoui was formed. An institutionalised dialogue between civil society, the political opposition and the regime aimed at re-shaping the political system was, however, not brought about. The de facto power was shifted towards the army leadership under General Chief of Staff Gaïd Salah. There were impeachments, arrests and court proceedings against numerous former high-ranking personalities on corruption charges. As the demonstrations continued, the room for manoeuvre granted by the government to the protest movement and the media was increasingly restricted. Having been postponed several times, the presidential elections were eventually held on 12 December and won by former Prime Minister Abdelmajid Tebboune. Since all five candidates were close to the old regime, and as other candidates had not been admitted, the elections were rejected by large parts of the population. Even according to official figures, voter turnout ranged below 40 %. The extent and scope of an announced Algerian transformation process remain to be seen. Due to stagnating foreign exchange revenue from oil and natural gas, which account for more than 95 % of exports and around 60 % of total government revenue, Algeria has come under increasing pressure to expedite economic diversi- fication. Algeria is the second most important market in Africa for the Austrian economy. Austrian exports stood at around 300 million euros. Numerous Austrian companies maintain good business relations with Algeria. In April, Libya was confronted with yet another escalation of the conflict that has been ongoing since 2011. The related events largely paralysed earlier peace efforts by the United Nations, undertaken most recently by Special Representa- tive of the UNSG Ghassan Salamé. Until April, international conferences in Paris and Palermo and a meeting between the Head of State and Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, and Khalifa Haftar, general of the Libyan National Army (LNA) as it is known, in Abu Dhabi still nourished hope for a national reconciliation of the political opponents. The GNA is recognised by Austria and the international community in accordance with the Skhirat Agreement of 2015. On 28 January, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen

54 The European Union’s Southern Neighbourhood received a Libyan delegation led by President Fayez al-Sarraj for bilateral working discussions in Vienna. However, the start of the LNA’s offensive led by Khalifa Haftar against Tripoli in April meant that the country slid into a new crisis. Mediation efforts towards achieving a ceasefire between the parties to the conflict failed. External support for both sides, for instance in the form of arms supplies, the provision of military equipment or militias, turned the fighting in Libya into a proxy war, which also caused enormous suffering to civil society. This problem led Germany to undertake efforts aimed at hosting an international Libya conference in January 2020 that focused in particular on compliance with the UN arms embargo and involved only a limited number of participants. In Morocco, the year was marked by further progress on a range of structural reforms. At domestic policy level, King Mohammed VI maintained his pressure on the government and public administration. He called for more initiative, self- responsibility and a strengthening of the regions. The King stressed that the development of a socially fairer Morocco was a prerequisite for the country’s prosperity and highlighted that he sees economic inequality as a major obstacle to long-term development. Implementing the measures aimed at restructuring the state, the government was also streamlined from 39 to 24 members. The Pope’s visit at the end of March 2019, which went very smoothly, was perceived very positively in the country, underlining Morocco’s commitment to a tol- erant dialogue among religions. Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg met the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in September for bilateral talks on the margins of the opening of the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. Morocco is a strategic partner for Austria and the EU in the Mediterranean region. The renewal of the bilateral Association Agreement at the end of June lifted relations between the EU and Morocco to a new level. In the ninth year since the Arab Spring, Tunisia continued to face major economic and social problems. Although it was possible to stabilise the national security situation, and tourism as one of the country’s most important sources of income had recovered, economic growth of around 2 % remained too weak to generate the upswing that would be necessary to counter rising youth unemployment rates. Ongoing monetary devaluation, households’ loss of purchasing power, the growing budget deficit and the reform backlog still remain Tunisia’s biggest economic problems. At the end of July, President Béji Caid Essebsi, who had played an important role in the transitional phase of the Arab Spring, died at the age of 92. He was succeeded by the constitutional law expert Kais Saied who won the presidential elections held on 15 September and 13 October. The parliamentary elections, held at the same time, created a new but highly fragmented political landscape, as 20 55 Europe and European Union parties managed to win seats in the new parliament. Mandated by Ennahda, the Islamic party that won the largest number of votes, with forming a government, Habib Jemli asked the President to extend the deadline for the government formation until mid-January 2020. Reforms that are both urgently needed and demanded by international donors have still not materialised due to conflicting interests among the main actors. At bilateral level, Tunisia remains an interesting partner for the Austrian economy. In 2018, significant increases in both exports and imports were recorded. Tunisia’s relations with the EU are based on a Privileged Partnership. Since 2015, the EU and Tunisia have also held negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), on visa facilitation and on a readmission agreement com- bined with a mobility partnership.

1.5.2 The Middle East In 2018, the presentation of the economic portion of the US Middle East Peace Plan brought some momentum to the process that had remained at a standstill since 2014. Despite support from a number of Arab states, it did, however, not find support in Palestine, as the political framework was not yet in place at that time. In Israel, the political forces were unable to agree on a coalition government after the parliamentary elections held in April and in September, which meant that the third elections within twelve months had to be scheduled for 2 March 2020. The current government continued its settlement activities in the occupied Palestin- ian territories. In November, the USA announced that it would no longer regard these Israeli settlements as being generally in breach of international law. From 3 to 7 February, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen paid a state visit to Israel. He met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visited the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem. The Federal Presi- dent was accompanied by Federal Minister Heinz Faßmann, Federal Minister Mar- garete Schramböck and Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs Johannes Peterlik, as well as by a business delegation and a cultural and scientific delegation. On 5 February, the Federal President visited Palestine and met President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. It has still not been possible to achieve inner Palestinian reconciliation. Since Sep- tember, however, preparations have been underway for parliamentary and presidential elections in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and in the Gaza Strip. The sometimes violent protests on the borders of Gaza continued on a reduced scale. In the context of Israeli defensive actions as well as in preventive and retaliatory strikes against targets in Gaza, fewer Palestinians were injured or killed than in the previous year. Missile and fire kite attacks launched from Gaza

56 The European Union’s Southern Neighbourhood against Israel as well as individual terrorist attacks in the West Bank resulted in a number of deaths and injuries on both the Israeli side and among Palestinians in the West Bank. Relying mainly on Russian support, the regime in Syria was able to further extend its control over the territories west of the Euphrates around Idlib in the north- west. In Idlib, the last stronghold of the armed opposition, the terrorist organisation “Committee for the Liberation of the Levant” (HTS) was able to win a dominant position. The terrorist organisation “Islamic State” (“Da’esh”) lost its final grip over inhab- ited areas along the Euphrates in April, but remained dangerous in the underground, as evidenced by continuing attacks. With the exception of a few enclaves held by government troops, the Syrian Democratic Forces dominated by the Kurd- ish “People’s Defense Units” (YPG), which had borne the main brunt of the ground warfare against the “Islamic State”, thus controlled the region east of the Euphra- tes. In mid-October, the USA withdrew its troops from the border area with Tur- key. Turkey, which had already taken control of the Afrin region in 2018, subsequently launched a military operation in the northeast with the aim of establishing a 30 km deep “security zone” against the YPG, which Turkey considers a terrorist organisation. A further goal pursued by Turkey in this context was the settlement of up to two million Syrian refugees in this zone. The Turkish operation triggered a wave of refugees, mainly Kurds, heading towards the south. In response, the EU condemned the Turkish action as being in breach of international law and significantly reduced its arms supplies to Turkey. Austria and the EU supported the efforts undertaken by UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen towards finding a political solution based on UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) and the Geneva Communiqué of 2012. A committee established to revise the Syrian constitution met for the first time at the end of Octo- ber and produced initial results. Soon afterwards, however, its work came to a standstill. More than 13 million people, including over six million internally displaced persons and more than five million in neighbouring countries, were dependent on humanitarian aid. In November, Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs Johannes Peterlik travelled to Jordan for talks, in the context of which he underlined Austria’s appreciation for the country’s hosting of large numbers of Syrian refugees and re-iterated Aus- tria’s commitment to contributing towards managing the associated challenges. In January, a new government was formed in Lebanon. It did, however, not tackle urgently needed reforms and declared a state of economic emergency in Septem- ber. In mid-October, peaceful protests against corruption and the political elite commenced. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, consultations on the formation of a new government failed to produce any results by the 57 Europe and European Union end of the year. At the same time, however, the country’s financial and economic crisis continued to worsen.

1.6 The Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula In Iraq, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned at the end of November. After having been in office for less than a year, he thus reacted to the pressure built up by nationwide protests against corruption and mismanagement that had been ongoing since the beginning of October. The population blamed the political system of proportional representation between Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis for their plight. According to media reports, the use of live ammunition killed hundreds of people and injured over 20,000 during these demonstrations. Relations between the central government and the autonomous region of Kurdistan-Iraq normalised following the low they had reached in 2017 in the aftermath of the Kurdish referendum on independence. In June, Nechirvan Barzani was sworn in as President of the autonomous region of Kurdistan-Iraq. He is a nephew of former long-time president Masoud Barzani, whose son Masrour succeeded Nechirvan in turn as prime minister. In Iran, the national economy has come under increasing pressure as a result of increasingly tougher sanctions the USA imposed against the country. In early November, the tense economic situation led to nationwide protests, which were quashed by the government. Starting on 8 May, Iran began to gradually suspend individual obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under the heading of a policy of “less for less”. Iran announced it would take further steps every two months, at the same time declaring its willingness to return to full compliance with the JCPOA as soon as the other parties to the agreement also complied with the latter. Despite the USA’s withdrawal, the EU together with other parties to the agreement remains committed to upholding the JCPOA. Although some attempts at mediation had been launched, inter alia by France and Japan, no direct political talks have as yet been held between Iran and the USA. The USA continued its policy of steadily increasing “maximum pressure”, while Iran continued its policy of “less for less”. In the context of the UN General Assembly in September, President Hassan Rohani presented his conflict resolution initiative “Hormuz Peace Endeavour” (HOPE). Incidents for which the international community held Iran responsible, such as several acts of sabotage carried out against oil tankers (in both May and June), the seizure of an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz in July, and an unex- plained attack on a Saudi oil refinery in September, translated into increased tension in the Gulf region. The USA responded with a call for a mission to protect shipping in the Gulf region, which was joined by other countries including the United Kingdom, Australia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. Germany, France and the United Kingdom set up a special purpose vehicle, the “Instrument in Sup-

58 The Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula port of Trade Exchanges” (INSTEX). The goal is to enable European companies to do business with Iran in selected sectors despite US sanctions. At the end of November, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway announced their intention to become co-owners of INSTEX once the respective national decision-making processes had been completed. Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia continued along its path towards economic and social modernisation set out under its agenda Vision 2030. Religious content was removed from the curricula of schools and universities. In September, male guardianship was partially abolished. Women gained full freedom of travel and a much greater say in family matters. Gender segregation in many public places was also abolished. At the beginning of Octo- ber, the opening of the country to tourism and a simplified process for issuing visitor visas were announced. Progress has been slow in the human rights field. Human rights activists and intellectuals continued to be imprisoned. Restrictions on freedom of expression and political freedoms remained. Economic development was hampered by limited economic growth and weak domestic demand as a result of low oil prices. The government pushed ahead with economic diversi- fication through infrastructure projects, increased integration of women into the labour market and measures aimed at raising the share of Saudi participation in the labour market. In mid-December, the state-owned energy company Saudi Ara- mco went public on the Riyadh stock exchange. At foreign policy level, the year was marked by strong tensions between Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states on the one hand and Iran on the other. A drone attack launched in September against important oil plants in the east of the country brought a considerable share of Saudi oil production to a temporary halt. It was, however, not possible to identify those responsible for the attack. In November, signs indicating Saudi Arabia’s potential interest in a détente with Qatar and in resolving the blockade policy, in place since 2017, were increasing. Likewise, occasional reports of informal contacts between Saudi Arabia and Iran also gave rise to cautious optimism. On 12 April, Federal Minister Karin Kneissl met the Foreign Minister of Oman Yusuf bin Alawi in Vienna. Among other topics of mutual interest, the ministers resumed their talks on reopening an Austrian embassy in Muscat, launched at the end of 2018, in order to create another important basis for the intensification of bilateral relations. On 13 October, the embassy, which is responsible for the Sul- tanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen, started its activities. In Yemen, the fourth year of conflict between the internationally recognised government led by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels, who occupy the capital Sana’a, saw a further dramatic deterioration in the situation of the Yemeni population already suffering from hunger and epidemics. International organisations and independent observers consider the situation in Yemen one of

59 Europe and European Union the worst humanitarian disasters worldwide. Based on the Stockholm Agreement of December 2018, the UN Security Council set up the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) in January by adopting Resolution 2451 (2019). Its mandate includes a “Redeployment Coordination Committee” (RCC) tasked with overseeing the mutual troop withdrawal and redeployment as well as the ceasefire. However, implementation of the Stockholm Agreement of December 2018 proved to be as difficult as ever. At the end of June, the United Arab Emirates began to gradually reduce its military presence in Yemen. At the same time, they continued their support for the Southern Transition Council (STC) who are fighting President Hadi’s troops in the south of the country. In the second half of the year, however, battle action between the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the Houthis became less intense. A major exchange of prisoners was effected on 8 December. The Riyadh Agreement, brokered by Saudi Arabia, facilitated an agreement between the Yemeni government and the STC on 5 Novem- ber. This agreement provides for the Yemeni government’s return to Aden, the STC’s participation in the government and for placing all military forces under the control of the Ministry of Defence. Implementation of the agreement proceeds, albeit only slowly. Accompanied by a business delegation, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz paid a visit to Kuwait in March, where he met Emir Sheikh Sabah IV for talks. Kuwait continued its efforts towards finding a solution to the crisis within the Gulf Coop- eration Council (GCC) that had been ongoing since May 2017. At the GCC summit held in Riyadh in December, it was, however, not possible to achieve a breakthrough. With respect to the relations between the Gulf States and Iran as well as in the Yemen conflict, Kuwait also sought to build on its long-standing role as a mediator in order to defuse conflicts and find solutions. Thanks to its enormous oil and gas reserves and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) sovereign wealth fund, the United Arab Emirates was able to keep the economy stable even in times of low oil prices and ongoing economic crisis. In the context of the visit Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz paid to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in March, the possibility of a Strategic Partnership aimed at deepening bilateral relations was discussed. The involvement of both the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in OMV (the Vienna-based oil and gas company) and of the Mubadala investment company in Borealis/Borouge has recently translated into a deepening of economic relations. In January, OMV acquired a 15 % stake in ADNOC, corresponding to a volume of around 2.5 billion US dollars. This is one of the largest transactions in Austria’s economic history.

60 Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union 1.7. Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union

EU-Africa Partnership In 2018, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker presented the new “Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs”. Pri- ority objectives are the creation of jobs, improvement of the investment climate, enhanced investment protection, and promoting education as well as vocational training. Being the central element of the EU-African Union (AU) Partnership, the alliance demonstrates a paradigm shift away from the donor mentality and seeks to establish a partnership of equals. The goal is to create 10 million new jobs over the next five years, mainly through private investment. To this end, the EU’s External Investment Fund will make available more than 44 billion euros for public and private investment in Africa. Investment in young people plays a particularly important role in this context – between 2014 and 2020 the EU is providing funding of 1.34 billion euros to bilateral training programmes. A total of 52 African countries benefit from the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) and other agreements (including ‘Everything But Arms’, GSP and GSP+) concluded with the European Union. Of their total foreign trade volume, the African countries generate 36 % with the EU, followed by only 16 % with China and 6 % with the USA. The EU’s share in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa amounts to 40 %, compared with only 7 % made up by the USA and 5 % by China. The annual EU-AU meeting at foreign ministerial level was held in Brussels in Jan- uary and served to prepare the 6th EU-AU Summit 2020 (20 years after the first summit in Cairo in 2000). When the new Commission took office in November, EC President Von der Leyen held out the prospect of a focus on Africa, striving for a “comprehensive” Africa strategy under the heading of “Africa – Our close neighbour and our most natural partner”. Against this background, Von der Leyen’s first trip abroad took her to Addis Ababa where she met African Union representatives in November.

East Africa and Horn of Africa President Abiy Ahmed’s taking of office on 2 April 2018 marked the beginning of a process of domestic policy reform in Ethiopia that led, inter alia, to the lifting of the state of emergency, the release of political prisoners and the announcement of economic reforms. Although it is making progress on the democracy policy front, the government continues to be confronted with enormous challenges. In several provinces, severe ethnically, socially and religiously motivated unrest has repeatedly resulted in serious violence and fatalities. In a referendum on 20 November, the Sidama ethnic group unilaterally decided to break away and form a new semi-autonomous, regional state. Further secessionist referenda are under

61 Europe and European Union discussion and are, just like violent unrest, likely to determine the preparatory period in the lead-up to the general elections scheduled for 2020. In December, President Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts towards reconciling with former arch-enemy Eritrea, towards promoting democratisation as well as for his successful mediation in Sudan. At the same time, he is faced with rising international expectations as regards further peacebuilding and democratisation efforts. At foreign policy level, the fight against the Islamist terror of al-Shabaab in Somalia, peace efforts in South Sudan and Sudan, as well as improvement of strained relations with Egypt resulting from the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) topped the agenda. While the signing of the ceasefire agreement between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar in 2018, and the easing of tensions and violence had given rise to hope in South Sudan, no further progress was achieved. Scheduled for 12 November at the latest, the formation of a transitional government was yet again postponed. In view of the disastrous humanitarian situation in the country, with more than two million refugees and more than two million internally displaced persons, the overall situation is very tense. By the end of the year, the constitutional provisions intended to make Somalia a federal state were only at the drafting stage. Tensions continue to run high between the central government and the Federal Member States. Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, is not participating in the political decision- making process in Somalia. The country has made only very limited progress in the field of security sector reform. The mandate for EU financing of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) expires on 31 May 2020, although there is as yet no prospect of Soma- lia being able to provide for its own security. The strength of the terrorist militia Al-Shabaab remains unbroken, and attacks have become part of daily life, especially in and on the outskirts of Mogadishu. In Sudan, protest rallies against the government of long-term dictator Omar Al- Bashir had already increased towards the end of 2018. The government reacted to these ongoing protests by using – sometimes fatal – violence, arrests and censorship. This retaliation could however, not discourage the protest movement and Omar Al-Bashir was eventually overthrown on 11 April. While the protests were still ongoing, Austria had already held bilateral consultations in Khartoum in May. Chaired by General Burhan, a “Joint Military-Civilian Sovereign Council” was instituted on 21 August. On 4 September, Abdalla Hamdok, an internationally renowned economic expert, was appointed as civilian Prime Minister. He formed a civilian cabinet of ministers that includes with Asma Abdalla the country’s first-ever female foreign minister. The (western) international community hopes for consolidation in Sudan, peace and reconciliation with the armed opposition

62 Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union groups (especially in Darfur), the country’s departure from Islamism and support for Islamist groups as well as promotion of sustainable “democratisation”. Sudan also hopes to be removed from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST). This removal is important for the Sudanese government as it would give the country access to international loans and financial aid, and also facilitate debt repay- ment. Sudan is still undergoing a political, economic and humanitarian crisis. In Octo- ber, the Government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok presented the Sudan Economic Revival Plan, requesting comprehensive support from the international community. The plan focuses on peacebuilding, equal opportunities, eradicating poverty and facilitating profound economic change. In Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s domestic agenda has been dominated by the “Big Four” (universal healthcare, food security, affordable housing and strengthening of the manufacturing industry). Widespread corruption remains a challenge and combatting it ranks high on the president’s agenda as he considers curbing corruption part of his political legacy. Members of his cabinet have been questioned by the Anti-Corruption Commission, although no charges have as yet been brought against them. President Kenyatta regularly warns that no one is above the law and has already reshuffled part of his cabinet. A major challenge to relative stability and prosperity in Kenya remains the threat posed by the Islamist terrorist militia Al-Shabaab, which operates from Somalia and has already claimed responsibility for several devastating terrorist attacks in Kenya in the past.

West Africa The situation in the Sahel region remains extremely precarious. The borders of Mali, which are difficult to control, and the sparsely populated regions in the north are terrorist group strongholds. Radical-lslamist terrorist groups carry out attacks in central Mali and in the rest of the Sahel region. The 2015 Mali Peace Agreement, which is essential for peace in the region, has been at an impasse for years. Poor equipment, chronic underfunding of security forces and a lack of coordination among states render effective border management difficult.Burkina Faso’s security forces are too weak to fend off terrorist groups from Mali. Terrorist activities are shifting to Burkina Faso and increasingly to the densely populated economic centres in the south. In December 2014, the G5 Sahel Group of Countries (formed by Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad) was set up and in February 2017, the 5,000-troops- strong G5 JFG5S (Joint Force of the G5 Sahel States) was established to ensure security and development. It is mandated with combating terrorism, drugs and human trafficking, supporting the restoration of state authority, facilitating

63 Europe and European Union humanitarian operations and contributing to development activities. As yet, the JFG5S has, however, not succeeded in improving the security situation. In July, an EU-G5 Sahel ministerial meeting was held in the presence of HR/VP Federica Mogherini who pledged EU support for the G5 but also called for more responsibility to be assumed by the G5 Sahel member states. At an extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Ouagadougou on 14 September, a priority action plan to curb terrorism in the ECOWAS region (2020–2024) funded with 1 billion US dollars was adopted. At this summit, Germany and France also presented the Partnership for Stability and Security in the Sahel (P3s). The international community seeks to stabilise the situation in Mali. The EU is active in Mali, providing military advice and training via its European Union Train- ing Mission Mali (EUTM Mali), to which Austria contributes 47 staff and whose command was held by an Austrian, Brigadier Christian Habersatter, in the second half of the year. Since 15 January 2015, the EU Capacity Building Mission in Mali (EUCAP Sahel Mali) has also supported the internal Malian security forces (police, national guard and gendarmerie). By adopting resolution 2480 (2019), the United Nations Security Council decided on 27 June to again extend the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) until 30 June 2020. Austria contributes three staff to the mission. The priority of MINUSMA’s mandate is the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement; a second new strategic priority is improving the poor security situation in central Mali. On 29 August, the sanctions regime against persons and institutions that endan- ger peace, security and stability in Mali, adopted under UN Security Council resolution 2374 (2017), was extended by one year. In Burkina Faso, the security situation has increasingly deteriorated over the past four years now, and the country has regularly been shaken by terrorist attacks, particularly in the north and east. In Niger, the security situation has continued to deteriorate. The root causes lie primarily in armed conflicts in the country’s neighbourhood and in local living conditions. In December, Islamist terrorists carried out an attack in Inatès in the border triangle between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, which killed around 100 people, including 70 Nigerian soldiers. Since the democratic breakthrough, Gambia has seen very positive developments in a range of areas. A well-positioned Truth and Reconciliation Commis- sion, a new Human Rights Commission and a draft constitution with some significant improvements are important elements of reconciliation and consolidation of change. President Barrow’s decision to replace the three-year transition period with a five-year term, announced in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential elections, was, however, met with criticism.

64 Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union

Winning around 56 percent of the vote, the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari, emerged victorious from the presidential elections that were marked by numerous flaws inNigeria in February. In the parliamentary elections held on the same day, the governing party APC again won a clear majority. Since the gubernatorial elections in March, the APC has also provided the chairman of the regional government in over 20 of the 36 states. The military campaign against the Islamists has recently been intensified and has, according to President Buhari, resulted in a “technical victory”. Boko Haram, however, has returned to its original guerrilla tactics of raiding more remote villages and/or military bases and carrying out sui- cide attacks. The precarious security situation in north-eastern Nigeria and in the Lake Chad region has translated into a veritable humanitarian crisis in the region: some three million people are threatened by acute food insecurity and around two million have been displaced. In the presidential elections, held in Mauritania on 22 June, favourite Mohamed Ould Cheick El-Ghazouani emerged as the winner. The two opposition candidates each won around 18 % of the votes. Abdel Aziz, the former president of Maurita- nia, did not run again and supported the candidacy of Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, his political companion. No serious international election observation was allowed. In Senegal, incumbent President Macky Sall was re-elected by an absolute majority in the first round of voting on 24 February. The election took place in a calm atmosphere and, according to international election observers, was transparent.

The African Great Lakes Region The political and human rights situation in Burundi remained unchanged and worrying. Austria and the EU have called on the country to urgently improve respect for and uphold human rights and to hold a national dialogue between government and opposition parties. There was, however, no progress in opening up the political space and/or resuming political dialogue. The omens for the presidential elections in 2020 bode ill. President Nkurunziza announced that he would no longer run in this election, even though 73 % of the electorate voted in favour of an unlimited extension of the presidential mandate in a constitutional referendum in May 2018. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi had won the presidential and National Assembly elections in December 2018, thus ending the era of Joseph Kabila. A new government led by the new Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba was appointed on 26 August. UN Secretary General António Guterres visited the country in August and afterwards spoke of a “wind of hope”. Recent positive signals from the new Congolese government, such as Tshiseke- di’s announcement that he would commit himself to the fight against corruption, however, are yet to be translated into concrete action. Both the security and the

65 Europe and European Union humanitarian situation remain disastrous. Particularly in the east of the country, armed conflicts between several militant factions have continued, claiming a large death toll. New Ebola infections continue to be a cause of great concern for the country and the region, and the human rights situation is still poor. Besides, institutions are to be created and/or improved. On a more positive note, Tsh- isekedi’s regional diplomatic engagement, as reflected in meetings with his counterparts from Angola, Uganda and Rwanda in July and August, is to be welcomed.

Southern Africa Presidential elections were held in Mozambique on 15 October, along with elections to the National Assembly and to the provincial parliaments. An international financial scandal involving former finance minister Manuel Chang weighs heavily on the shoulders of the ruling party FRELIMO, which had long sought to cover it up. Nevertheless, the opposition party RENAMO was neither able to assert itself not gain substantial support in the elections. President Filipe Nyusi was confirmed in office winning 73 % of the votes. In the National Assembly, FRELIMO succeeded in significantly expanding its absolute majority (from 55.9 % to 71.3 %). By the end of the year, government formation was still ongoing. According to IMF estimations, the effects cyclones Idai and Kenneth that struck the country in March and April, had on the national economy range at around 1 to 2 % of its GDP. Cyclone Idai in particular caused devastation in the east of the country, reaching as far as Zimbabwe and Malawi. In Mozambique more than 600 people died, 130,000 lost their homes and on top of that came the 1,500 cases of cholera that were registered in the country. In total, some 1.85 million people were affected by the cyclone, which destroyed 670,000 hectares of agricultural land. Since October 2017, there have been repeated brutal attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado launched by armed gangs that are considered to be related to Islamist terrorist groups. Most victims are innocent civilians in remote villages. These attacks have led to rising fear and panic among the population and thousands of internally displaced persons. Since Cabo Delgado has enormous natural gas reserves, security authorities and investors are also concerned. In June, ISIS announced that it had established a presence in Mocímboa da Praia in the north. After last year’s elections in Zimbabwe, the ruling ZANU-PF has remained in government. Internally divided, the opposition only plays a minor role in the political discourse. The death of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai led to a split of Tsvanigrai’s MDC-T into two factions. Secessionist tendencies also became apparent within the ZANU-PF. Although the human rights situation has improved since Emmerson Mnangagwa took office, the EU and the USA have for years called on Zimbabwe to shed light on the disappearance of journalist and human rights activist Itai Dzamara, who

66 Sub-Saharan Africa and African Union is presumed to have been abducted by plainclothes police in a suburb of Harare in 2015. The start of President Mnangagwa’s term marked the start of considerable price increases inter alia for food and petrol, which triggered violent protests. For decades, South Africa had been shaken by corruption and abuse of power surrounding former president Jacob Zuma. Since 1994, the government’s main domestic policy focus has been on transform- ing the apartheid state. The primary goal is to raise the standards of living of the black population, a large proportion of whom still live in poverty. Although the black middle class has been growing, and especially those well-connected with politics have seen their wealth increase, South Africa still remains a country with deep ethnic divides in which assets continue to be extremely unequally distributed. In the general elections on 8 May, the ANC was able to defend its supremacy at the national level. Although it succeeded in winning 230 of the 400 seats in parliament, it did, however, lose 19 seats – and was thus not able to secure a two- thirds majority. The Democratic Alliance (DA) remained the strongest opposition party but lost 5 seats (holding 84 in total). The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by the former chairman of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema, came off as the second strongest opposition party, winning additional support (+ 19 seats and 44 in total). On 25 May, Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in as President by parliament. The new government was sworn in on 30 May. The parliamentary elections in Botswana on 23 October generated a very clear outcome. The Botswana Democratic Party was able to maintain and even slightly increase its absolute majority. This result is expected to contribute to continued political stability in the country. President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, who is elected by parliament, thus remains in power as the election result is considered to have consolidated his position both within the party and in the country in general. Having lost three seats, the second strongest party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, now stands at 15 seats in parliament. According to international election observers, the election was conducted peacefully and without irregularities. Elections were held in Malawi on 21 May. Securing 38.67 % of the votes cast, the incumbent, Peter Mutharika, won the presidential elections ahead of Lazarus Chakwera of the MCP (35.41 %) and former Vice President Saulos Chilima of the UTM (20.24 %). According to the EU Election Observation Mission, there were no signs of electoral fraud. The opposition parties MCP and UTM sought to have the elections annulled. Pro- tests, some of which violent, were organised in various places. Opposition politi-

67 Europe and European Union cians stayed away from Mutharika’s inauguration, which did not take place in the capital Lilongwe, but in Blantyre, the stronghold of the ruling DPP party. The presidential and parliamentary elections in Namibia, held on 27 November, were overshadowed by technical problems and only a moderate turnout of some 55 %. It became generally apparent that the ruling SWAPO, which has dominated politics since 1990, is facing increasingly strong competition. Although the country’s 78-year-old president and SWAPO chairman Hage Geingob was re-elected, he was able to win merely 56 % and not – as only recently – 90 % of the vote. SWAPO also lost its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. Compared with other states in the region, Namibia still remains a stable country, even though the population’s dissatisfaction is increasing, which is in part attributable to the economic situation that could be better in view of the country’s enormous resources.

African Union and Other Regional Organisations At the 32nd AU Summit in Addis Ababa on 10 and 11 February, the annually rotating chair passed from President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to President Abdel Fat- tah Al-Sisi of Egypt. The summit was held under the motto: “Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displace- ment in Africa”. The margins of the summit also saw the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which has in the meantime been signed by a total 54 AU Member States and ratified by 27. On 30 May, the CFTA entered into force and from 1 July 2020 on, the agreement will govern trade relations between the member countries. Algeria, Burundi, Kenya, Lesotho and Nigeria were elected for a three-year period to the AU Peace and Security Council, which is composed of 15 members. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) consists of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Eritrea. The latter had suspended its membership in 2007 but returned to the organisation after signing the peace agreement with Ethiopia. IGAD is particularly active in the field of conflict resolution in North East Africa. Austria has been cooperating with IGAD for many years. Together with IGAD, the Austrian development Agency (ADA) is implementing the “IGAD Promoting Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa Region/IPSHAR” project that covers the period 2018–2022. The project, which is funded by the European Union (35 million euros) and contributions from Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands (one million euros each), aims to contribute to promoting stability and sustainable peace in the East African region and the Horn of Africa. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) dealt inter alia with the increasing threat posed by terrorism in the Sahel. The topic of eradicating terrorism was also addressed in an extraordinary summit held in Ougadougou on 14 September, whose most important outcome was the adoption of a joint

68 America declaration on an action plan covering the period 2020–2024 and the ECOWAS member states’ commitment to provide funding of one billion US dollars. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community comprising 16 Member States: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Demo- cratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimba- bwe. The SADC was founded in 1992 and is committed to promoting regional integration and fighting poverty in southern Africa through economic development and by guaranteeing peace and security. In 2008, Austria and the SADC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual cooperation that covers the fields of good governance (placing a special focus on land issues) and infrastructure (focusing on rail transport and renewable energies). The two parties meet regularly to discuss implementation issues. In addition, ADA funds regional projects in cooperation with other southern Afri- can partners. Under ADA’s SOLTRAIN programme (Southern African Solar Thermal Training & Demonstration Initiative) projects are supported in six countries in the SADC region: Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimba- bwe. To date, more than 60 internships have been organised to train over 1,800 specialists on how to install and maintain solar thermal systems. Furthermore, more than 100 solar thermal systems have been installed on social and healthcare facilities’ buildings, orphanages, nursing homes, student residences and on a range of industrial buildings. Austria assumes up to 50 % of costs for both instal- lations and the necessary control systems.

1.8 America

1.8.1 United States of America (USA) Under the Democratic Party’s control since 6 November 2018, the House of Rep- resentatives passed some 400 bills in the course of the year. It did so despite the inquiry against President Trump, which eventually led to the impeachment proceedings at the end of the year that were not supported by the Republican Party. Less than a quarter of these bills (about 80) were adopted by the Republican- dominated Senate. Particularly noteworthy in this context are the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico; the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which provides for an annual evaluation of the human rights situation and the autonomy status of Hong Kong; the reauthorisation of the September 11th Vic- tim Compensation Fund, which guarantees claims for death and illness of rescue workers until 2090; and the Disaster Relief Act. Registering an unemployment rate below 4 % and economic growth of 2.5 %, the year turned out better than originally anticipated for the US economy. In view of

69 Europe and European Union a possible economic downturn, the US Federal Reserve Bank lowered key interest rates to a range between 1.5 % and 1.75 % and was able to keep inflation rates close to the ideal value of 2 %. At trade policy level, some of President Trump’s protectionist campaign prom- ises were implemented, including the protective tariffs adopted in 2018 of 25 % on steel imports and of 10 % on aluminium imports. Punitive tariffs worth 350 billion US dollars were imposed on Chinese goods. In the negotiations with Canada and Mexico, agreement was reached on the NAFTA successor agreement USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), which still has to be ratified by the Senate. The USA also signed a trade agreement with Japan that is limited to the agricultural and digital sectors. Trade negotiations with China are progressing and signing of the first phase of a future trade agreement is expected for early 2020. At foreign policy level, relations with Russia, China, North Korea and Iran remained tense. In particular, the USA’s unilateral termination of the Intermedi- ate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), which came into force on 2 August, the announcement to foster independent US “military response options”, and the sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline could have a negative impact on Europe’s military and energy security. A US peace plan for the Middle East had been announced but not yet presented by the end of the year. The USA recognised Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and no longer considers Jew- ish settlements in the West Bank as per se against international law. The USA further stepped up its pressure on Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Transatlantic relations and – in the military field – NATO remained important elements of US foreign and security policy. In view of the allies’ increased efforts in the lead up to the anniversary summit in London (3–4 December), President Trump took also positive stock of NATO. In total, 25 individuals were executed, three less than in the previous year. Capi- tal punishment as a legal penalty is currently used by 30 states, while 20 states have banned the death penalty. Public support for the death penalty was around 50 %. Trade relations between the EU and the USA remained close, despite numerous tensions, including the punitive tariffs imposed by the US in 2018 on steel and aluminium imports from the EU and the WTO dispute between Boeing and Airbus. Taken together, the two economies account for almost 46 % of global GDP. The bilateral trade volume (goods only) amounted to some 670 billion euros, which represents around 18 % of the EU’s total trade in goods. The EU trade surplus with the USA stood at approximately 140 billion euros. Mutual foreign direct investment (FDI) totals almost 5 trillion euros (US investment in the EU amounts to 2.2 trillion euros, while the EU invested 2.6 trillion euros in the USA).

70 America

Bilateral relations continued to evolve very positively and were marked by a large number of official visits (hosted inter alia by Federal Chancellor Sebas- tian Kurz, Federal Minister Hartwig Löger, Federal Minister Eduard Müller, Federal Minister Mario Kunasek, Federal Minister Iris Rauskala, the Standing Subcommit- tee of the Committee on Internal Affairs of the National Council led by MP Wer- ner Amon, Lower Austrian State Councillor Martin Eichtinger and former Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel). Austria’s expert knowledge as an active political actor and important investor in Central Europe, the Danube region and South East Europe is appreciated by the USA. Bilateral economic relations saw an excellent development. Austrian exports to the USA rose to a record value of over 11 billion euros. The USA remains the second most important sales market for Austrian products. In the field ofresearch, technology and innovation (RTI), the Office of Science and Technology Austria-Washington (OSTA Washington) at the Austrian Embassy in Washington has supported Austrian companies in North America (USA/Can- ada/Mexico) through the Research and Innovation Network Austria (RINA), which it oversees. Over the course of the year, the network was further expanded and now covers more than 3,300 scientists and innovators from all academic disci- plines and career levels. The Austrian Research and Innovation Talk (ARIT) hosted by OSTA Washington was again the most important conference in the field of research, technology and innovation directed at Austrian stakeholders in North America. As a central hub for RTI matters and scientific diplomacy, OSTA Wash- ington placed a special focus on topics related to higher education, artificial intelligence, digitalisation, smart cities, the future of mobility, environmental technologies and the circular economy. In the cultural sector, the Cultural Fora in New York and Washington are well- established centres for the ongoing presentation of contemporary Austrian art and culture. In this context, the underlying idea is to tap into the potential of cultural activity as an expression of cultural diplomacy with a view to making an effective contribution to Austrian foreign policy, thus showcasing Austria’s diversity, modernity and creativity as an integral element of representing Austria in the United States. In terms of content, the Washington Cultural Forum (CF) places a special focus on women and human rights and their interfaces in the artistic debate. The development and expansion of future-oriented relations with the Jewish communities and institutions, inter alia with the American Jewish Commit- tee (AJC), the World Jewish Congress (WJC), B’nai B’rith, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Lantos Foundation, is a central concern of the Austrian diplomatic representations in the USA and was further promoted and continued. There is also close cooperation with Holocaust museums and research institutes, especially those in which Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service representatives

71 Europe and European Union are active. Implementation of the comprehensive restitution and reparation measures, to which Austria had committed itself for instance under the Washington Agreement of 2001, is recognised as exemplary by the US Administration. The presentation of the modular exhibition and reference publication “Towards the American Century: Austrians in the United States” marked the successful completion of a public diplomacy lighthouse project launched in 2018 in order to celebrate the 180th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 285th anniversary of the first documented arrival of “Austrian” emigrants to the USA (known as “Salzburg Ebenezer”).

1.8.2 Canada In office since 2015, the liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was confirmed in office in the federal elections on 21 October, but in contrast to its previous term no longer holds a majority in parliament and therefore depends on the support of at least one opposition party. In the lead-up to election day, the Liberals’ victory was no longer considered safe, as the Head of Government had been confronted with a number of domestic political problems in the first half of the year, culminating in a corruption scandal involving the technology group SNC- Lavalin and the resignation of two ministers. The Conservatives were unable to benefit from this weakness and failed to rally enough support in the metropolitan areas and in the most populous provinces of Ontario and Quebec – although they won the majority of votes (but not of mandates). At foreign policy level, Canada continued to focus first and foremost on the USA (which accounts for over 75 % of Canadian exports). Following the lifting of the protective duties President Trump had imposed on Canadian steel and aluminium in 2018, the USA, Canada and Mexico were able to reach an agreement on amending CUSMA (the NAFTA successor agreement concluded in 2018) at the end of the year, which is thus expected to be ratified by all three countries in the near future. Relations with the People’s Republic of China remained tense. While a high-ranking manager of the Chinese state corporation Huawei, arrested in Canada at the end of 2018, is still waiting for the conclusion of the proceedings on her possible extradition to the USA, two Canadian citizens – one being a former diplomat – who had been arrested in an apparently retaliatory move, remained in Chinese custody. As a further measure, China imposed temporary import bans on Cana- dian oilseeds and Canadian beef and pork. Relations with Russia remained as poor as ever. Both at international level and within the context of NATO, Canada – that has troop contingents deployed in Latvia and Ukraine – adopts an ideologi- cal stance that is on almost all issues opposed to that of the Putin government. Having provided six helicopters and 250 troops, Canada’s contribution to the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) ended at the end of August.

72 America

Canada is one of the EU’s most important partners at global level. There is fundamental agreement with respect to topics such as human rights, a common commitment to international rules-based order and a committed climate protection policy. This fundamental agreement was again manifest at the EU-Canada Sum- mit in Montreal in July. As in the previous year, it again became apparent that European companies currently benefit from the new opportunities created under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), provisionally applied since autumn 2017, more than Canadian enterprises. Austria and Canada have continued to enjoy very close bilateral relations, which are particularly intensive in the economic and cultural fields. Canada is one of Austria’s largest overseas export markets. In addition to machinery and mechanical equipment, which traditionally account for the largest share of Austrian exports, there has recently been a noticeable increase in exports of pharmaceuti- cal products. Currently, 134 Austrian companies have subsidiaries in Canada. The fact that almost all customs duties had been abolished due to CETA has had a stimulating effect. The completion of the ratification procedure for CETA and for the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) by Austria was positively received. Austria is perceived as a cultural nation in Canada, which is particularly evident in the field of music. There is also active exchange at scientific level, in which context the Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies, established in 1998 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, has been playing an outstanding role.

1.8.3 Latin America The conflict inVenezuela was further fuelled by the facts that the incumbent Maduro was yet again inaugurated as President and that the President of the Ven- ezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, was declared interim president. Increas- ing its previous commitment, the EU established an international contact group on 7 February and appointed a Special Adviser for Venezuela on 28 May. Reacting to the disastrous human rights situation in Venezuela, the EU further extended the restrictive measures it had imposed. It also placed a special focus on the humanitarian crisis and the effects of mass flight and emigration to neighbouring states. In view of the dramatic deterioration of healthcare in Venezuela, Austria provided humanitarian aid totalling one million euros. Together with IOM and UNHCR, the EU organised an international solidarity conference on the migration and refugee crisis, which it hosted in Brussels from 28–29 October. In Nicaragua, fronts have hardened following the breaking-off of the dialogue between the government and civil society. The EU criticized the ongoing crimi- nalisation of demonstrators, the suppression of the free media and of civil society organisations. Against this background, a legal framework for targeted restrictive

73 Europe and European Union measures, the first with respect to Nicaragua, was adopted at the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 October. In Colombia, the peace process with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) suffered a setback when former commanders announced in summer that they intended to take up arms again. Similarly, peace talks with the rebel group Ejercito de Liberación Nacional (ELN) were broke off following a deadly attack on a police academy in Bogota. The EU continued its support for the peace process, including through the EU Trust Fund. By contributing to this fund, Austria also played a role in promoting rural development in areas formerly under FARC control. In the second half of the year, a wave of protests, sometimes accompanied by massive violence and destruction, swept through the Andean states. In Ecua- dor, concessions made to the demonstrators enabled the situation to be quickly calmed down. In Chile, price increases for public services triggered protests in mid-October. Over time, the rallies focused on social inequality in the country and demonstrators demanded constitutional reform and far-reaching reforms of the economic system. In Colombia, the protests commenced on 21 November and were directed against the governance of President Duque. By the end of the year, the governments of both President Piñera and President Duque sought to defuse the situation in their respective countries. In Bolivia, controversial presidential elections were held on 20 October and were ultimately annulled due to irregularities. After President Morales had lost the support of the security forces, he fled to Mexico and later to Argentina. On 12 November, Jeanine Áñez, who had previously served as Second Vice President of the Senate, took over government affairs as interim president. Áñez now has to organise new elections by spring 2020. The EU succeeded in contributing pro- actively as mediator. Within the EU framework, Austria supported a comprehensive election observation mission to Bolivia in 2020 in order to restore confidence in the democratic processes. Bilateral relations between the Latin American and Caribbean countries and Austria benefited from numerous high-level contacts and political dialogues. In October, for instance, Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Johannes Peterlik, visited Austria’s most important trading partners in Latin America, Mexico and Brazil. Political dialogues were held with Cuba and Peru. An agreement was reached with Costa Rica on launching a political consultation mechanism. Austria also ratified the EU Free Trade Agreement with Colombia, Peru and Ecua- dor as well as the EU Association Agreement with the Central American countries. The EU continued negotiations on updating the Global Agreement with Mexico and the Association Agreement with Chile as well as negotiations with MERCOSUR.

74 Asia

Bi-regional cooperation between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) continued at technical level. The XXIst High Level Meeting of the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs was held in Suriname on 20 and 21 June. At the constituent meeting on 17 May, the EU-LAC Foundation was transformed into an international organisation. Ratification of the accession agreement by Austria is currently being prepared.

1.9 Asia Numerous high-level contacts maintained in 2019 with Asian countries took account of the increasing weight enjoyed by this region of the world as a driver of the global economy. Within Asia, a trend towards further integration and interlinking can be observed, especially in the economic sector. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP) is already in force and has to date been ratified by seven countries. Further negotiations were held with a view to concluding a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community(APEC) , scheduled to take place in Chile in November, was cancelled by the organiser due to the domestic policy situation. With eight member states (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), the South Asian Association for Regional Coop- eration (SAARC) is the most important forum for economic and political integration in South Asia. Since the cancellation of the 19th SAARC Summit in November 2016, however, there have been no meetings at the heads of state and government level as the organisation has been paralysed by the conflict between India and Pakistan. The EU continued its efforts towards developing closer relations with the Asia- Pacific region. It has formed Strategic Partnerships with four countries in the region: China, Japan, India and the Republic of Korea. With 51 countries participating at the heads of state and government level, the 14th ASEM Summit (Asia Europe Meeting), held in Madrid on 15 and 16 December, marked the highlight of the institutionalised dialogue between Europe and Asia. Austria was represented by Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg. The meeting was characterised by commitments to multilateralism and international rules-based order, to connectivity and to combating climate change. The Board of Governors’ Meetings of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), a foundation set up under private law by ASEM and mandated with implementing concrete cooperation projects between Europe and Asia, convened in Singapore on 13 and 14 June.

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1.9.1 People’s Republic of China The event topping the agenda in 2019 was the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. At the start of the celebrations, President Xi Jinping stressed that China’s further rise could not be halted and that it was necessary to continue along the course of Chinese-style socialism. He also reiterated that peaceful reunification with Taiwan would continue to be pursued. The “New Silk Road” (Belt and Road Initiative / BRI), launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, remains a foreign policy priority. In April, Beijing hosted the 2nd Belt and Road Forum, in which Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz took part. In April, the summit meeting in the “16+1 format” (16 Central and Eastern European states plus China) was held in Dubrovnik and Greece was accepted as the 17th member state. Aus- tria enjoys observer status in this format. At the international level, China contributes pro-actively to the G20 and the United Nations, placing a particular focus on further development of multi-lateral agreements in the areas of trade policy and climate protection, the fight against non-traditional security threats and on UN peace missions. The ongoing trade conflict between China and the USA continued. In December, however, consensus was reached on at least a first partial agreement, which provides inter alia for better protection of intellectual property rights in China, a reduction and/or suspension of punitive tariffs and increased imports of agricultural and industrial products from the USA. June saw the commencement of protests by the democracy movement in Hong Kong, which have in the meantime come to be regarded as the most serious political crisis since the handover of the former British Crown Colony to China in 1997. Protests were originally sparked by an extradition bill, which was eventually withdrawn in October. However, the protest movement fears the gradual erosion of democratic rights in the special administrative region. Under the “friendly strategic partnership” between Austria and China, contacts were intensified at all levels. Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz travelled to China in April, stopping in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing. High-level visits from China to Austria included those paid by the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu in May and by the Director of the National Supervisory Commission and member of the Politburo Yang Xiaodu in October. China has evolved into the EU’s second largest trading partner and Europe has become the most important market for foreign direct investment by Chinese companies. At the annual EU-China Summit, held in Brussels on 9 April, both sides agreed to further develop their strategic partnership. Further agreements adopted at the meeting included cooperation on the issue of industrial subsidies, and on safeguarding free, open and non-discriminatory global trade relations. From the European perspective, the agreement on the goal of concluding the

76 Asia negotiations on the EU-China Investment Agreement by the end of 2020, marked an important breakthrough.

1.9.2 North East Asia Led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan continued to steer its liberal conservative course. Following the abdication of Emperor Akihito on 30 April, his son Naruhito took over as Japan’s new Emperor on 1 May. The security policy environment remained tense and the constant nuclear threat from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remains a reality for Japan. Against this background it is thus all the more important for Japan to maintain and foster a sound alliance with its main ally, the USA. Japan still hosts more than 50,000 US military personnel. Although there are ongoing territorial disputes with China, they have not esca- lated. Both countries have sought to ease tensions and normalise bilateral relations. By contrast, relations with the important economic and security policy partner South Korea remained very difficult. Even more relevant than territorial claims are issues relating to the past, especially the topics of compensation to be paid to former forced labourers and of “comfort women”. Despite regular exchanges with Russia, no progress was made in the efforts towards a peace treaty and resolving the territorial dispute. The world’s third largest economy continues to maintain technological leadership in a number of sectors, although it faces competition. While there is almost full employment, the country seeks to counter the demographic phenomenon of ageing by increased use of automation in the production and service sectors and by creating incentives for older workers to remain active for a longer period and for women to play a more important role in working life. The 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Aus- tria and Japan was celebrated with a large number of high-level visits and pres- tigious events. In October, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen attended the enthronement ceremony in Tokyo. Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Federal Minister Karin Kneissl also visited Japan. The visit by Her Imperial High- ness Princess Kako paid to Austria in September marked a highlight of the anniversary year. Holding the G20 chair, Japan hosted the G20 Summit in Osaka on 28 and 29 June. At the EU-Japan summit, held in Brussels on 25 April, both sides agreed to intensify cooperation in a range of areas, including connectivity, data protection and climate change. The EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 Feb- ruary. Implementing the EU-Asia connectivity strategy adopted in 2018, the Part-

77 Europe and European Union nership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure between the EU and Japan was signed in Brussels on 27 September. The Republic of Korea maintained its strong focus on inter-Korean dialogue with its northern neighbour. It was, however, not possible to keep up the momentum of 2018, which involved three summit meetings between President Moon Jae-in and leader Kim Jong-un. Although détente with North Korea enjoys top priority, South Korea has little room for manoeuvre in negotiations both with respect to its demand for denuclearisation and also in view of the sanctions in place and its close alliance with the USA. Consequently, President Moon Jae-in and his government are under substantial pressure on the domestic policy front. China is the country’s most important trading partner. South Korea’s strained relations with Japan have also had a negative impact on bilateral trade. Although economic development and exports have suffered, South Korea remains one of the most innovative countries in the world. As the first Austrian Chancellor to visit the country in 19 years, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz travelled to South Korea in February, reciprocating the visit Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon had paid to Austria the year before. Developments in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) continued to be closely observed by the international public. While expectations were still rather high for the (second) summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi (on 27 and 28 February), the summit’s break-off was followed by a phase of disillusionment. Ever since, talks between the USA and the DPRK have been on the back burner. Especially the fact that the DPRK resumed missile testing in May prompted negative reactions. Consequently, any consideration of a potential relaxation of the strict sanctions regime against the country was thus rendered impossible within both the UN and EU framework. The long-term goal pursued by the international community is the complete and verifiable denuclearisation of the peninsula; another objective is concluding peace agreements, which as yet do not exist. The EU seeks to make a constructive contribution in this respect, always keeping in mind the sombre humanitarian situation and potential assistance to the suffering population. In the aftermath of the 2018 domestic policy crisis, Mongolia has seen a series of domestic policy reforms aimed at ensuring the country’s stability. In February, former Foreign Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar was elected as the new Speaker of Parliament and a government reshuffle resulted in the appointment of a number of new ministers. The constitutional amendment adopted on 15 November strengthened the position of both Prime Minister and Parliament, while it limited the President’s far-reaching powers. At foreign policy level, Mongolia is striving for a good and balanced relationship with its two large neighbouring states, Russia and China. Against this back-

78 Asia ground, President Khaltmaa Battulga attended the 2nd Silk Road Summit in Bei- jing in April. At a state visit President Vladimir Putin paid to Ulan Bator in Sep- tember, bilateral relations were raised to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Mongolia also maintains political relations with the USA, Japan and the EU and has recently stepped-up its engagement within the UN framework.

1.9.3 South and Southeast Asia Chaired by Thailand, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was able to largely conclude negotiations with Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Once it has been ratified by all participants, this free trade agreement will establish the largest free trade zone worldwide. India withdrew its planned participation until further notice. Nevertheless, the joint Indo-Pacific vision “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” involving a pronounced centrality of ASEAN was initialled. Negotiations between ASEAN and China on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea were intensified. ASEAN summits were held in Bangkok on 22 and 23 June and from 31 October to 5 November. An EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting was held in Brussels on 21 January, bringing together the foreign ministers of the EU and the ten ASEAN Member States. In this context, fundamental agreement was reached on upgrading EU-ASEAN relations to a strategic partnership. Negotiations on an interregional free trade agreement between the EU and ASEAN are still being considered. On 3 April, far-reaching criminal law amendments came into force in Brunei. Harsh punishments were introduced on the basis of the Sharia penal code, including death by stoning or amputation. In response to international protests, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a suspension of the death penalty on 5 May. The other amendments to the law remained unaffected. Incumbent Joko Widodo and his government coalition emerged victorious from the presidential and parliamentary elections held in Indonesia on 17 April. Chal- lenger Prabowo Subianto’s claim that the elections had been rigged sparked protests in Jakarta. His complaint was, however, rejected by the Constitutional Court. Demonstrations and riots were witnessed across the country, triggered by the adoption of controversial laws and in Papua by efforts towards achieving independence. Negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EU were delayed due to the discussion on the sustainability of palm oil. President Widodo announced his intention to move the Indonesian capital to Kalimantan within the next decade. Since 1 January, Indonesia has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. In autumn, the country was also elected to the UN Human Rights Council.

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Following the landslide victory of the ruling party led by long-term Prime Minis- ter Hun Sen in the parliamentary elections in July 2018, the political climate has remained largely restrictive in Cambodia, although certain positive developments were discernible in the field of labour and land laws. The opposition leader Kem Sokha, who was arrested in 2017, was released from house arrest but is still being prosecuted in court. Several former parliamentarians of the banned opposition party National Rescue Party of Cambodia (CNRP) were reinstated on the basis of individual motions and are planning to found a new party. In connection with the current trade preferences under the ‘Everything but Arms’ initiative, the EU is conducting inter alia an evaluation of Cambodia’s compliance with UN and ILO conventions. Due to its geographical location, Laos is an important link in the Chinese Silk Road initiative, boasting large infrastructure projects, financed with Chinese loans, focusing on the construction of railways, roads and dams. The rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression remain severely restricted in the communist one-party state. Several cases of enforced disappearance remain unsolved. Last year’s euphoria over the non-violent change of political power in Malaysia was followed by the return of disillusionment. Reforms have met with strong resistance, primarily from the Muslim majority of the population. Significant improvements were, however, introduced to improve the freedom of the press, enabling Malaysia to climb from 146th place to being ranked 123rd in the World Press Freedom Index. Relations with the EU remain overshadowed by the palm oil conflict and Malaysia has threatened to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Relations with China returned to normal following the evaluation and re-dimensioning of major Chinese projects. The countrywide moratorium on the death penalty is being observed, although no draft on the full abolition of capital punishment has as yet been prepared. The ratification process of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was stopped. On 21 January, Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad met Federal President Alex- ander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for working discussions in Vienna. In Myanmar, no progress was made in creating the necessary conditions for repatriating hundreds of thousands of members of the Rohingya Muslim minority who had fled from Rakhine State to Bangladesh in August 2017. Proceedings have been instituted before the International Court of Justice for violation of the Gen- ocide Convention and before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Attacks by Buddhist groups and armed conflicts in the ethnic federated states of Kachin, Northern Shan, Kayin and Chin have hampered the efforts undertaken by the de facto Head of Government Aung San Suu Kyi towards bringing harmony, balance and stability to the country.

80 Asia

In the Philippines, the midterm elections of 13 May brought a historic defeat for the already highly fragmented opposition. Despite ongoing national and international criticism, the government continued to pursue its strategy towards combating drug trafficking that is in violation of human rights. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a country resolution on 5 July. As part of his new foreign policy approach, President Rodrigo Duterte led the country closer to China, Japan and Russia. At the same time, the importance attached to traditionally strong relations with western partners, including the USA and the EU, continued to diminish. Allegations by the Philippine government according to which the EU was indirectly co-financing the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed faction, the New People’s Army (NPA), through development cooperation funds translated into new tensions in the country’s relations with the EU. Commenc- ing in September, the disarmament of the largest rebel group in the south of the country, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), marked a milestone in the peace process in Mindanao. By appointing Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat to the position of Deputy Prime Minister in May, Singapore finally set the course for the succession of Prime Min- ister Lee Hsieng Long. In his National Day speech, Prime Minister Lee announced that some 66 billion euros would be budgeted for climate protection measures over the next few decades. Singapore is, among other things, faced with the threat posed by rising sea levels. Ten years after the relevant negotiations had been launched, the EU – Singapore Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 21 November, thus being the first FTA between the EU and an ASEAN member state. After having been postponed several times, the first parliamentary elections since the military coup in May 2014 were held in Thailand on 24 March. The Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP), which is close to the military, secured a majority of votes. The elections took place in a balance of power that clearly favoured the pro- military camp. Prayut Chan-o-cha who had led the 2014 coup and has subsequently ruled the country as junta leader was elected as new Prime Minister by parliament. In order to achieve an, albeit razor-thin, majority in the Lower House of Parliament, in which the opposition Pheu Thai party holds most of the seats, the PPRP entered into a fragile coalition with initially 18 other parties. The young, progressive Future Forward Party, which emerged from the elections as the third strongest force and went into opposition, has since been inundated with lawsuits and threatened with dissolution. May saw the official coronation ceremony of King Maha Vajira-longkorn (Rama X). On 4 October, the Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on Thailand, stipulating that the EU would prepare for the timely signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and take steps towards resuming negotiations on a free trade agreement.

81 Europe and European Union

A range of diverse and multi-faceted cultural, scientific and social events were organised throughout the year to celebrate 150 years of friendship between Thai- land and Austria. Timor-Leste celebrated the 20th anniversary of the referendum on its independence from Indonesia. At domestic policy level, the stalemate between the Presi- dent and the Prime Minister continued, also impacting the government’s work. The agreement on the redrawing of the maritime border with Australia was signed in Dili in August, giving Timor-Leste preferential access to the submarine oil deposits in the Timor Sea. Vietnam continued to generate economic growth at a high level. Vietnam’s traditional involvement in multilateral organisations was recognised by the international community through its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2020–2021. On 27 and 28 February, Hanoi hosted a summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, which also underlined Viet- nam’s long-standing international commitment. The EU signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam on 30 June. The security situation in Afghanistan remained volatile, although the situation in the country varies greatly depending on the place and the region. However, terrorist attacks continue to claim a high death toll among the civilian population. The Afghan security forces are constantly confronted with attacks launched by the Taliban and the regional branch of the Islamic State (IS). The mere fact that presidential elections were held on 28 September was viewed positively by much of the international community, despite a very low turnout and a number of incidents. The announcement of the election results was, however, delayed by months. Direct peace negotiations between the USA and the Taliban, which had in the meantime been suspended, were resumed. The successful conclusion of these talks is considered a prerequisite for the start of peace negotiations within Afghanistan. In the course of the year, the USA reduced the number of troops based in Afghan- istan. Austria extended its support for NATO’s Resolute Support Mission (RSM) until the end of 2020 and is represented in the greater Kabul area with up to 20 members of the Austrian Armed Forces. The mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was extended by one year to 17 Sep- tember 2020. Totalling 400,000 this year, the number of Afghan refugees returning from Iran and Pakistan remained high and represents a major challenge for the country. On 8 April, the Council of the European Union adopted conclusions highlighting the EU’s support for both the peace process and reforms. In Bangladesh, economic growth stood at 8.15 %. The huge volume of bad loans accrued in the country is, however, posing an increasing threat to its financial 82 Asia system. On top of that, more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since the end of August 2017, bringing the total number to over one million. The large number of refugees faces Bangladesh with major challenges insofar as their presence not only causes severe environmental damage (especially deforestation) but also undermines social peace within the local population. Several attempts aimed at encouraging voluntary return have failed so far. As part of her tour of four South Asian countries, Federal Minister Karin Kneissl also paid a working visit to Bangladesh during which an economic forum involving Austrian companies was organised. Austria and Bhutan celebrated the 30th anniversary of their bilateral relations. In this context, Federal Minister Karin Kneissl paid a visit to the country from 23 to 25 February during which the “Bhutan Country Strategy: Transition 2019–2023” by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) was signed. In August, official anniversary celebrations were held in Thimphu and included the presentation of an Austrian cultural programme. In the parliamentary elections held in India in spring, Prime Minister Naren- dra Modi was able to even increase his absolute majority compared with 2014. Together with its allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won over 350 of the 545 seats in parliament. The largest opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), was able to slightly increase its share of seats, but fell far short of expectations. On 5 August, the central government repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which had granted special rights and a certain degree of autonomy to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 31 October, the state was split into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh – which are directly administered by New Delhi. In order to prevent the outbreak of violence in the aftermath of 5 August, authorities imposed numerous restrictions, which were lifted only in the course of several months. Marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Fed- eral Minister Karin Kneissl visited New Delhi from 25 to 27 February, where she met, among others, the then Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, representatives of think tanks and non-governmental organisations. During the anniversary year, numerous events were held, focusing on music, film, women and science. In the parliamentary elections, held in the Maldives on 6 April, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was able to secure a sound two-thirds majority. The priorities pursued by Solih’s government include the renewal of the judiciary, promoting the country’s economic development (adoption of a new Strategic Action Plan in October) and the fight against Islamist terrorism, inter alia by means of a tougher anti-terrorism law that provides on the one hand for considerably harsher penalties and on the other hand for rehabilitation measures directed at those affected.

83 Europe and European Union

In Nepal, the merger of the Marxist-Leninists (CPN-UML) and the Maoists (UCPN- M) to form the Communist Party of Nepal (NCP) was completed at all levels. Since the beginning of 2018, the NCP has also led the country’s government. A government reshuffle in November, which benefited mostly the Maoist wing, sought to defuse the recurring disputes between the two wings. Since April, the government has not been able to agree on candidates to fill vacancies on the two commissions set up to deal with the crimes committed during the civil war. Conse- quently, the process of addressing and dealing with the human rights violations committed during the war has thus stalled and its stagnation is even more pronounced than before. Celebrating the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Austria and Nepal, Federal Minister Karin Kneissl paid a working visit to Kathmandu from 21 to 23 February. On 27 May, Nepalese Vice-President Nanda Kishor Pun met with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen for talks on the margins of the Aus- trian World Summit. In Pakistan, the balance of payments crisis has eased and the economic outlook has improved noticeably, which strengthens the position of both the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-EInsaf (PTI) and of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The improvement in the economic outlook is also attributable to the adoption of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme totalling 6 billion US dollars and aimed at supporting the implementation of the government’s economic reforms. The escalation of the Indo-Pakistani conflict triggered by the lifting of the autonomy of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir impacted bilateral relations, which are again marked by threats that also include military options. A step towards easing these tense relations was taken by the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, established to make it easier for pilgrims to cross the border between India and Pakistan. On Easter Sunday, 21 April, Sri Lanka was shaken by bomb attacks against Cath- olic churches and three luxury hotels in and around the capital Colombo and in eastern Batticaloa, which killed 250 people, including 50 foreigners. A few days later, the IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, although the terrorist acts had been perpetrated by a local cell whose leader had radicalized himself abroad. As anticipated, Gotabaya Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) emerged victoriously from the presidential elections of 16 November, winning 52.25 % of the vote. Unsurprisingly, Rajapaksa appointed his older brother and former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as Prime Minister only a few days after his election victory and following Ranil Wickremesinghe’s resignation as prime minister. Although the latter had still held a majority in parliament, he stepped down respecting the new president’s strong mandate. Another brother, Chamal Rajapaksa, was appointed Minister of Agriculture and State Minister of Defence.

84 Australia and Oceania 1.10 Australia and Oceania In Australia, the governing coalition of Liberals and Nationals was able to hold its ground in the May elections – despite poor poll results. Hence, Prime Minister Scott Morrison remained in office. At the foreign policy level, the USA remains Australia’s main ally, which has also formed partnerships with Japan covering all areas. Relations with China, its most important trading partner, are far more complex. As is the case in other regions of the world, Australia also aims to prevent and/or put an end to takeovers by China in sensitive sectors (such as raw materials). Due to its geographical proximity, Australia is particularly critical of the Chinese show of power in the South China Sea. In this spirit, the country is increasingly advocating an Indo-Pacific concept that spans a regional arc from India to Japan via the South China Sea and Oceania. New Zealand was shocked by attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on 15 March, which claimed 51 lives, prompting the government led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to take a close look at racism, focusing especially on hate speech and incitement on the Internet. In addition to relations with Australia, which enjoy priority, economic relations with China have been further intensified. A bilateral free trade agreement has been in place with China since 2008, but just like Aus- tralia, New Zealand is also careful to maintain a balanced relationship with China. For the countries of Oceania, climate change was once again the focus of attention. It also topped the agenda of the 50th summit of the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), which met in Tuvalu from 13 to 16 August. Furthermore, the Pacific island states are increasingly required to address geopolitical changes, as they are largely dependent on their Pacific neighbours USA, China, Australia and Japan.

85 2. Austria’s Multilateral Engagement

2.1 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies

2.1.1 General Assembly

General Matters The general debate of the 74th General Assembly (GA) took place from 24 to 30 September. On the margins of the general debate, five high-level summit meetings were organised: the Climate Action Summit convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG), António Guterres; a High-Level Meeting on Uni- versal Health Coverage; the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Develop- ment (HLPF) tracking implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Devel- opment; a High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development; and a High-Level Meeting on Small Island Developing States. The general debate was attended by around 80 Heads of State and more than 40 Heads of Government. Austria was represented by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein, Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Federal Minister Maria Patek, who jointly attended the opening of the general debate and met with UNSG António Guterres. The high-level Austrian representatives also took part in more than 20 bilateral meetings. Talks focused on fighting climate change, strengthening multilateralism, defending human rights, humanitarian issues, implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the fight against corruption, the situation in the Middle East and Vienna as a headquarters to international organisations. In this context, a particular focus was placed on the upcoming anniversaries in 2020, i.e. the 75th anniversary of the UN, 65 years of Austrian membership of the UN and 60 years of Austrian contribution to UN peacekeeping operations (PKO). On 26 September, Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg addressed the UNGA delivering the Austrian speech, issuing a strong plea in support of multilateralism and a rules-based world order, the fight against climate change and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The For- eign Minister advocated a political solution to the crisis in Syria and called for accountability. He emphasised Austria’s traditional commitment to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, referring in this context to the Conference on Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare that was held at the Vienna International Centre in October and dealt with the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Minister Schallenberg also provided a brief overview of Austria’s committed efforts towards promoting the protection of human rights and fostering disarmament, in which context he also touched on Austria’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2027/28.

86 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies

Administrative and Budgetary Affairs including UN Procurement Austria contributed actively to the work of the Fifth Committee of the UN Gen- eral Assembly (Administrative and Budgetary Affairs), chaired various resolution negotiations and assumed an important role in numerous EU negotiating teams. A major topic on the agenda of the Fifth Committee was the UN Regular Bud- get for 2020, which was negotiated to cover one year instead of two. The UN budget adopted at the end of the year totals 3.073 billion US dollars. Based on the applicable scale of assessments for contributions, Austria’s share amounts to 0.677 %. Another priority issue was the UN’s liquidity crisis, which was further aggravated by incomplete and late payment of mandatory contributions. After having exhausted all the remaining reserve funds, the UNSG was compelled to introduce austerity measures in October, which impacted the organisation’s day- to-day work (including postponement or cancellation of conferences and meetings, and restriction of travel to activities that are absolutely necessary). The annual budget adopted for peacekeeping operations (PKO) from July 2019 to June 2020 amounts to 6.52 billion US dollars, which falls by some 500 million US dollars below the level for the previous period. Based on the applicable scale of assessments for Member States’ contributions, Austria’s share again amounts to 0.677 % (equalling approximately 43.5 million US dollars). The Fifth Committee adopted a budget for the 13 PKOs, the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi, the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe and the PKO Support Account. In connection with the proposals presented by the UNSG to improve the UN’s financial situation, agreement was reached on managing the cash balances of all active peacekeeping operations as a pool while maintaining the earmarked funding in separate funds for each mission on a trial basis for the entire 12-month financial period. With regard to UN reform, the UNGA was able to initiate the implementation of all essential administrative and budgetary measures by 1 January. These activities are designed to facilitate higher levels of coherence, transparency, effectiveness and accountability. The UN management reform provided for the creation of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and the Department of Operational Support (DOS). Mandate implementation is to be improved through decentralisation and a higher level of decision-making powers granted to more than 200 managers active at the UN Secretariat in exchange for increased accountability. The UN’s “Peace and Security” pillar also saw the creation of two new main departments, the Department of Political and Peace- building Affairs (DPPA) and the Department of Peace Operations (DPO). In addition, a single political-operational structure with three main regional departments was established. With regard to the reform of the UN Development System, a strengthened system of resident coordinators (RCs) was established, which is supervised by the Development Operations Coordination Office.

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Safeguarding Austria’s economic interests also includes supporting Austrian companies in participating in public procurement by the UN and its specialised agencies. According to the 2018 Annual Statistical Report on United Nations Procure- ment, the total value of the orders awarded by the UN system in 2018 rose to 18.8 billion US dollars (2017: 18.62 billion US dollars). Of this total, 0.97 % of all orders (goods and services) were awarded to Austrian companies, putting Austria in 30th place worldwide. The total value amounted to 181.82 million US dollars (2017: 217.85 million US dollars).

International Law The main topic on the agenda of the UNGA’s Sixth Committee (International Law Committee) was again the debate on the report of the International Law Com- mission (ILC) during International Law Week. In this context, a special focus was placed on the resolution on crimes against humanity as well as on the rule of law, state responsibility and measures aimed at eliminating international terrorism. The Committee also discussed the report of the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and applications for observer status in the UN General Assembly. On an annual basis, International Law Week brings together legal advisers of the UN Member States (UNMS) to discuss international law issues. This year’s meeting was held from 28 October to 1 November. Discussions focused on the ILC report outlining its projects aimed at the codification and further development of international law, especially with respect to crimes against humanity, jus cogens, protection of the environment in connection with armed conflict, immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction, sea level rise and the implication for international law, succession of states in respect of state responsibility, and general principles of law. Austria contributed detailed statements on all agenda items. Under the Austrian-Swedish initiative aimed at revitalising the Sixth Com- mittee, a further interactive dialogue meeting was held with members of the ILC. Crimes against humanity: The Sixth Committee discussed the further course of action with regard to the draft articles on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity completed this year by the ILC on second reading. Austria actively supported the elaboration of a convention on the basis of the draft articles and played a key role in coordinating a group of like-minded states during resolution drafting negotiations. However, due to massive resistance from individual states, which argued, among other things, that more time was required to enable a detailed examination of the articles, it was only possible to agree on revisiting the topic during the 75th UNGA (2020). Following the consensual adoption of a resolution in the Sixth Committee, Austria read out a position statement on behalf of 43 UNMS from various regional groups, which regretted that no consensus on a more ambitious and efficient approach had been reached this year,

88 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies while stressing that dialogue should be maintained in order to achieve a better result next year. Rule of law: In the context of the EU, Austria contributed actively to the negotiations on the annual thematic resolution and organised the traditional meeting of the Group of Friends, led by Austria, in order to generate the broadest possible support for facilitating progress on the resolution. State responsibility: As the topic had last been addressed at the 71st UNGA, the Sixth Committee discussed the question of whether the articles on responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts adopted by the ILC in 2001, should be converted into a convention binding under international law. While some states strongly advocated drafting a convention, others were vehemently opposed, arguing, inter alia, that the articles were widely applicable and already enjoyed the status of customary international law, whereas negotiations on a convention might possibly result in a dilution of the rules. It was therefore yet again impossible to adopt a substantive decision on a further course of action and the dedicated working group will again consider the issue at the 77th UNGA (2022). Measures to eliminate international terrorism: Although all states are in principle in favour of a comprehensive anti-terrorism convention, it was again not possible to make significant progress in the related negotiations this year, as some issues (relating in particular to the definition of terrorism) remained unsolved. As host country, Austria traditionally coordinates the annual resolutions on the work of UNCITRAL. Once again, several international organisations were granted observer status in the UNGA. Based on the relevant proposals by the Sixth Committee, the UNGA adopted resolutions on universal jurisdiction, criminal accountability of UN experts and officials on mission, diplomatic protection, prevention of transboundary harm from hazardous activities and allocation of loss in the case of such harm, the law of transboundary aquifers, administration of justice at the UN, the UN Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, and on the report of the Special Com- mittee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization as well as on the report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country. The presidents of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Crim- inal Court (ICC) and the International Residual Mechanism for International Crim- inal Tribunals presented their annual reports to the UNGA.

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Middle East Conflict The Middle East conflict was a special priority of the UNGA’s work. As in previous years and on the initiative of Palestine, over a dozen resolutions were adopted both in the individual committees and in the plenary, dealing with various aspects of the political and humanitarian situation in the occupied territories. Constructive negotiations between the EU Member States (EUMS) and Palestine enabled a reduction in the total number of resolutions. The humanitarian resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people introduced by the EUMS was the only resolution on the Middle East to be adopted by consensus. The adoption of a resolution by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonisation Com- mittee) extending UNRWA’s mandate by three years to 2023 was of particular importance. As Vice-Chair of the Fourth Committee, Austria took on responsibility by acting as an advocate for the concerns of the Western Europe and Other States Group (WEOG).

Disarmament and International Security Disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction as well as arms control are central objectives of international security policy. The implementation of the UNSG’s disarmament agenda, on which Austria has volunteered to “champion” some topics, such as use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) and lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), was a priority of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs’ activities. Following the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in 2017, in the promotion and development of which Austria played a leading role, the focus was – as in the previous year – on making progress towards its entry into force. In cooperation with like-minded partners from civil society, Austria again organised a signature and ratification ceremony on the margins of the UNGA High-Level Week, involving the President of the UNGA, the High Rep- resentative for Disarmament Affairs, the President of the International Commit- tee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as well as the head of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) who had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. By the end of the year, the Treaty had already received 34 ratifications and 80 signatures. A total of 50 ratifications is required for it to enter into force. The Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be held in 2020 had a major influence on discussions relating to nuclear issues. Together with the core group of like-minded states, Austria introduced the annual implementation resolution for the Treaty in the UNGA’s First Committee (Dis- armament), which was adopted by a large majority of MS despite strong criticism from some nuclear-weapon states. Initiated by Austria, the resolution on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons was adopted by more than 70 % of the

90 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies

UNMS. Austria also continued its efforts on banning LAWS, promoting the Com- prehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the drafting of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, as well as the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation and cyber warfare. Furthermore, Austria actively supported the drafting of a joint statement on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which was endorsed by 71 states. Major differences of opinion between the USA and Russia became apparent on topics related to militarisation of outer space, with the US accusing Russia of having already carried out weapons tests. These differences also related to cyberspace, where parallel processes based on different mandates had been launched – i.e. a group of government experts (the UN and allies) on the one hand and an open working group (mainly Russia and China) – and commenced work holding initial substantive meetings. Austria organised a number of side events on the margins of the First Committee, including on the entry into force of the TPNW, LAWS, on the topic of landmines and an event involving survivors of the atomic bomb attacks in the Second World War.

Economic, Development and Environmental Affairs The Second Committee of the UNGA (Economic and Social Affairs) met from 2 October to 27 November. The topics addressed included information and communication technologies, macroeconomic issues, financing for development, sustainable development (including climate and environmental issues), globalisation, poverty reduction, agriculture, food security and nutrition, the operational activities of the UN development system and the situation of Least Developed Coun- tries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Develop- ing States (SIDS). A total of almost 50 resolutions were adopted on these topics. Representing the EU, Austria chaired the negotiations on a resolution on sustainable mountain development and a resolution on the follow-up to the Second UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries. In terms of content, Austria and the EU primarily focused on averting attempts to reinterpret the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), and on strengthening the topics of human rights, gender equality, rule of law, cooperation with civil society, climate, biodiversity and the circular economy.

Social Policy The resolutions on “policies and programmes involving youth” and on the role of “cooperatives in social development”, dealt with in the Third Committee under the agenda item “Social Development” were adopted by consensus after a motion for amendment to the youth resolution had been rejected. The resolution on the World Summit on Social Development, traditionally introduced by the Group of

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Developing Countries and China (G-77), was adopted after a vote. The resolutions on the International Year of the Family and the Second World Assembly on Ageing were adopted by consensus. In addition, the 57th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD), a subsidiary body of the ECOSOC, was held in New York from 11–21 February and focused on the priority theme of “Addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies”. The CSocD adopted four resolutions on the priority theme, on youth programmes and policies on the social dimension of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and on the Commission’s methods of work.

Commission on the Status of Women The 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), held in New York from 11–22 March, considered the priority topic of “Social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Austria was represented by Federal Minister Juliane Bogner-Strauß. As a formal outcome, the UN Member States’ political representatives adopted conclusions on the priority theme. No additional resolutions were adopted at this year’s session. The traditional resolution on the “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women” was adopted directly by the Economic and Social Council this year. Austria contributed actively to the negotiations and delivered a national statement in the general debate. Fur- thermore, Austria also organised well-attended side events on Gender Budgeting (“Gender Budgeting: Smart Spending for Social Protection, Public Services and Sustainable Infrastructures”), on the implementation of the gender-specific goals of the 2030 Agenda (“Will we reach the gender-related SDGs? The impact of laws and social norms”) and on economic advancement of women in the context of the implementation of UNSC resolution 1325 (2000) (“Women’s Economic Recovery: a pathway to sustaining peace”). In addition, Austria participated in a further side event on this topic within the framework of the Group of Friends for the Safety of Journalists.

Humanitarian Affairs The UNGA adopted thematic resolutions on the coordination of humanitarian aid, the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, cooperation in providing assistance following disasters, internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and assistance in mine clearance. Resolutions with a regional focus related to assistance to the Palestinian people, assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa, and the long- term effects of the Chernobyl disaster. In the negotiations on resolutions, the EU, as one of the most important humanitarian donors, again played a pivotal role. Austria supported five humanitarian resolutions as co-sponsor. 92 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies

2.1.2 UN Security Council As in previous years, Africa was at the centre of deliberations in the UN Secu- rity Council (UNSC) as regarded both the large number of country or region- specific situations dealt with and the resolutions and Presidential Statements adopted. The situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and the Sahel region featured most frequently in the related discussions. A particular focus was placed on the crises in the Middle East and North Africa. In the context of the deliberations on the Middle East conflict and the situation in Libya and in Syria, divisions within the UNSC became apparent. A resolution on the humanitarian situation in Idlib, introduced by Belgium, Germany and Kuwait, was thwarted by vetoes on the part of the Russian Federation and China. Likewise, divisions among the UNSC members emerged in connection with the developments in Venezuela. The Russian Federation and China vetoed a UNSC resolution on the situation in Venezuela introduced by the United States in Febru- ary. As India had revoked the special status enjoyed by the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir, the item “The India-Pakistan Question” re-featured on the UNSC’s agenda in August – for the first time in more than thirty years. Thematic priorities, which also correspond to those pursued by Austria, i.e. women, peace and security (WPS), and the effects of climate change on peace and security, also gave rise to substantive differences of opinion among UNSC members. As in previous years, the annual discussions held from January to May on reform of the UNSC failed to generate any progress. States calling for an enlargement of the UNSC, such as the African Group, the G4 (Brazil, Germany, India and Japan), the L.69 (developing countries) or the Uniting for Consensus Group, met with opposition, particularly from the Russian Federation, China and the United States. Positions on the size and composition of an enlarged UNSC and on the issue of veto rights continue to differ widely. By contrast, the discussions on improvement of UNSC working methods gathered pace. Kuwait, which chaired the relevant Informal UNSC Working Group (IWG) on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, with great commitment, initiated discussions on individual sub-topics, such as the allocation of the chairs of the sub-organs of the UNSC and leadership on thematic and country dossiers. Austria continued to contribute pro- actively to the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group (ACT) composed of more than 25 like-minded small and medium-sized states that advocate increased accountability, coherence and transparency of the UNSC’s activities. A very positive signal was the close coordination between the EU Member States among the permanent and non-permanent UNSC members. This was reflected, inter alia, by frequent joint press appearances before or after UNSC sessions. Improved coordination in specific areas among the ten non-permanent members of the UNSC (E10) was also continued. At the end of the year, the term of Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Peru and Poland on the UNSC came to an end

93 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement and they were succeeded by Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, Saint Vincent and the Gren- adines, and Vietnam.

Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Chaired by the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, the annual open debate on the protection of civilians (PoC) was held on 23 May. This year’s discussions focused on the 20th anniversary of the PoC agenda and its implementation, including the protection of international humanitarian law at international, regional and national level. The UNSC was briefed by the UNSG, the ICRC and a civil society representative. Numerous UNMS, the UNSG as well as the ICRC highlighted the problem of the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas (EWIPA), which was also the topic of a side event organised by Austria in cooperation with friendly nations. Austria delivered a national statement and contributed to the statements of the EU and the Group of Friends of PoC. In this year’s report, the UNSG also took stock of the PoC agenda and its 20th anniversary. Highlighting that PoC has evolved into a core issue on the UNSC agenda, the UNSG at the same time noted with regret that the protection of civilians continued to confront the world with major challenges. The interdisciplinary leadership training programme on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, developed in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 2012, was successfully continued with a national seminar held at the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Res- olution (ASPR). This course was certified according to UN standards in December 2014 and again in December 2018. Austria thus continues to cooperate with the Department for Peace Operations (DPO) on training measures to improve the protection of civilians.

Women, Peace and Security (WPS) With a view to improving the implementation of UNSC resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the other UN Security Council resolutions on this topic, a network of National Contact Points for Women, Peace and Secu- rity was established in 2016. On the margins of the general debate at the 74th UNGA, Austria took part in a network meeting held on 25 September. The annual debate on sexual violence in conflict was held on 23 April. The discussion focused mainly on accountability and criminal prosecution as well as on protection and rehabilitation of victims. The tenth anniversary of the establishment of the mandate of the UNGA Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the addresses by Denis Mukwege Mukengere and Nadia Murad (2018 Nobel Peace Prize) as voices of civil society provided an opportunity to look back and take stock of the development of a comprehensive understanding of sexual violence in conflict as a threat to peace and security. Nevertheless, the

94 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies reality of targeted use of sexual violence in conflicts remains unchanged. Austria contributed to the statements by the EU, the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security. Introduced by Germany, UNSC resolution 2467 (2019) on sexual violence in conflicts, was adopted on the margins of the debate. On 25 September, Austria participated in an event organised by the Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) under the heading “Towards full participation. Mainstreaming the WPS Agenda in Regional Economic Communities”. In the context of this event, Austria announced that it will make available new funding of two million euros through ADA to support the WPHF’s work in Uganda (in addition to the one million euros provided to support WPHF activities in Iraq). Chaired by South Africa, the annual UNSC debate on WPS was held on 29 Octo- ber. Against the background of the twentieth anniversary of the resolution’s adoption in 2000, discussions focused on successes achieved and gaps identified in its implementation. Adopted by consensus, UNSC resolution 2493 contains a call issued to all states urging them to recommit to implementing the agenda more rapidly and without gaps. Austria delivered a national statement and contributed to the statements by the EU and the Group of Friends of WPS. In its national statement, Austria highlighted its contribution to the WPHF, the support to civil society including by planning the global civil society summit on WPS in Vienna in February 2020, and Austria’s ongoing efforts towards increasing the share of women in peacekeeping operations (PKO). In cooperation with the WPHF Secretariat and UN Women, Austria organised a side event on “365 Days of Action, Investing in Women Peacebuilders and Human- itarian Responders” in New York on 28 October, thus being able to maintain its active profile in this thematic area. Children and Armed Conflict Chaired by Poland, the UNSC held an open debate on children and armed conflict (CAAC) on 2 August, focusing on the need for sustainable and financially secure prevention and reintegration measures for children in armed conflict. Aus- tria delivered a national statement and contributed to the statements of the EU and the Group of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict.

Islamic State and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Particularly since its last membership of the UNSC (2009/2010), Austria has consistently remained committed to strengthening the rule of law in the UNSC, advocating in particular fair procedures and effective legal remedies in the sanctions committees. The Office of the Ombudsperson, established by the UNSC in resolution 1904 (2009), who reviews requests from individuals, groups, undertak- ings or entities seeking to be removed from the consolidated ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List, has enabled major progress in this respect. Within the

95 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement framework of the informal Group of Like-minded States on Targeted Sanctions, Austria continues to advocate further improvements geared towards legal protection both on the Daesh/IS and Al-Qaida Committee and in the other UNSC sanctions committees.

Peace Missions Almost 100,000 troops, men and women, from 121 states were deployed in a total of 13 UN peacekeeping operations (PKO) worldwide. In October, the mission in Haiti was ended after fifteen years of ongoing peacekeeping presence. In future, UN presence will be ensured by a special political mission – the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). The implementation of the “Action for Peacekeeping” (A4P) initiative, launched by the UNSG and endorsed in September 2018 by a large part of the UNMS, is still in its early stages, particularly with regard to the operational implementation of its eight priorities (policy; women, peace and security (WPS); protection; security; performance and accountability; peacebuilding and peacekeeping; partnerships; and effective performance and strengthening the conduct of peacekeeping personnel). Austria continued to actively contribute to promoting the implementation of the UN zero tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. On the margins of the opening of the 74th UNGA and in his role as a member of the Circle of Leadership on the prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse, formed by heads of state and government, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen took part in a social media campaign. In the UNGA’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34), which is responsible for developing political guidelines, Austria, representing the EU, negotiated the chapters on training and financing of the annual report in Feb- ruary and March. In contrast to previous years, it was not possible to adopt a substantial report, as no consensus could be reached particularly with respect to the financing of PKOs led by the African Union(AU) . In order to overcome the blockade within the C-34 and as negotiations had failed, a reflection process on its working methods was initiated, to which Austria actively contributed. Building on this process, the C-34 members were indeed able to agree on a new reporting structure that is in line with the priorities of the UNGA’s A4P initiative and is to be applied from 2020 onwards. Austria continued its commitment as a responsible partner in PKOs. Since 1960, more than 100,000 Austrians have participated as military or civilian personnel in more than 50 international peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Within the framework of the UN, Austria has consistently contributed some 200 military personnel, including a contingent to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and five military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization in the Mid- dle East (UNTSO), five military observers to the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), three staff officers to the UN Peacekeeping Force

96 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and two staff officers to the UN Mission in Mali(MINUSMA) . In addition, Austria is also among the police troop contributing countries, seconding a female Austrian police officer to the UN Interim Administration in KOSOVO (UNMIK).

2.1.3 International Court of Justice Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, the International Court of Jus- tice (ICJ), responsible for settling legal disputes between states and for providing advisory opinions, is the only organ based in The Hague. Austria is one of 74 states that recognise the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction according to Art. 36 para. 2 of its statute. Currently, 17 cases are pending before the court. In the case of Iran v. USA (“Certain Iranian Assets”), for alleged violations of the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights of 1955 by US sanctions against assets of the Central Bank of Iran (Bank Markazi) and state-owned Iranian companies, the ICJ delivered its judgement on 13 February on the preliminary objections raised by the US, dismissed most of them and declared that it had jurisdiction to rule on the application filed by Iran – except with respect to the latter’s claims relating to sovereign immunities as these were not covered by the Treaty of Amity – and that the application filed by Iran was admissible. Following a request from the UNGA (Resolution 71/292 of 22 June 2017), the ICJ rendered its advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos archipelago from Mauritius on 25 February, concluding that “the process of decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed when that country acceded to independence” and that the United Kingdom “has an obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible, and that all Member States must co-operate with the United Nations to complete the decolonization of Mauritius”. The Court’s advisory legal opinion confirmed that the right to self-determination is firmly anchored in customary international law, is an obligation erga omnes and is complemented by the right to territorial integrity. In its judgment of 17 July in the case of India v. Pakistan, the ICJ found that Pakistan had acted in breach of the obligations incumbent upon it under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by depriving India of consular access to an Indian national detained in Pakistan and sentenced to death. The Court found that Pakistan was under an obligation to grant Indian consular officers access and ensure an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and the sentence. In the case Ukraine v. the Russian Federation concerning alleged violations of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

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Discrimination on the Crimea, the ICJ delivered its decision on the preliminary objections raised by the Russian Federation on 8 November, rejecting all such objections. In the case of Qatar v. United Arab Emirates regarding alleged violations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi- nation, the ICJ on 14 June rejected the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by the United Arab Emirates. On 12 June, the Court issued a press release stating that it had been seized of a new dispute between Guatemala and Belize with a view to resolving a border dispute between these states. After Gambia had instituted proceedings against the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 11 November alleging violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”) through “acts adopted, taken and condoned by the Government of Myanmar against members of the Rohingya group”, public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Gambia were held from 10 to 12 December. On 21 October, amendments to the ICJ’s Rules of Court entered into force. These amendments concern Articles 22, 23 and 29 (procedure for electing the Regis- trar), Article 76 (provisional measures) and the reorganisation of Article 79. As the ICJ’s long-standing Registrar Philippe Couvreur (Belgium) had announced his resignation for 1 July, the ICJ judges elected Philippe Gautier (Belgium) as his successor on 22 May. The new Registrar of the ICJ, who will serve a term of seven years, took office on 1 August.

2.1.4 United Nations Specialised Agencies Austria plays an active role within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), having launched and contributing to numerous initiatives and projects. Following particularly successful elections, Austria will be represented in a total of eight intergovernmental steering committees in 2020: the Intergovernmen- tal Council of the International Hydrological Programme, the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication, the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the International Bioethics Committee, the Intergovernmental Commit- tee for Physical Education and Sport, the Coordination Council of the UNESCO Programme Man and the Biosphere, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Committee on the Con- vention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Concrete Austrian projects that contribute to visibly shaping UNESCO’s work include projects on the protection of World Heritage, the safety of journalists, 98 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies human rights education, education as a tool to prevent violent extremism, intangible cultural heritage, biodiversity as well as water and river management. With respect to the potential inscription of the historic centre of Vienna in the World Heritage in Danger List, the dialogue with UNESCO was continued thanks to intensive cooperation between the City of Vienna, the Federal Chancellery and the MFA. The aim is to ensure that Vienna remains on the World Heritage List. The topic of protection of cultural assets against theft and destruction is regularly discussed with international experts in the context of the Palmyra Talks, which also serve to raise public awareness to this important issue. On 16 December, the agreement on establishing an International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels in Graz under the auspices of UNESCO (modelled on the European Training and Research Centre for Democracy and Human Rights – ETC Graz) was signed between UNESCO and the Republic of Austria. This means that Austria will, for the first time ever, host a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, an institution that is closely linked to the objectives of UNESCO but legally independent. Another agreement signed between Austria and UNESCO, enables an Austrian Junior Professional Officer (JPO) to work in the World Heritage Centre in Paris in 2020. As Jose Graziano da Silva was completing his eighth year in office, elections for his successor as Director-General were held in the context of the FAO Confer- ence, the sovereign governing body of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that convenes every two years. All 194 members are entitled to vote in the conference. For the first time ever, the EU agreed on a joint candidate, the Frenchwoman Catherine Geslain-Lanelle. The elections were, however, won by the candidate proposed by the People’s Republic of China, Qu Dongyu, who was elected in the first round of voting winning 108 votes. On 1 August, he took office, marking the beginning of this four-year term at the helm of the FAO. The new Director-General announced a number of measures, including the “Hands in Hands” initiative aimed at strengthening the partnership between developed and least developed countries. From a global perspective, it was not possible to sustain the progress achieved in the fight against world hunger. In its annual “State of Food and Nutrition” report, the FAO noted an increase – in absolute figures – in the number ofpeople suffering from hunger worldwide to 820 million. While in the ten years from 2005 to 2015 the percentage of hungry and malnourished people worldwide had fallen from 14.5 % to 10.6 %, it is again on the rise reaching 10.8 % (2017/2018). The key challenge for the coming years is thus meeting the second UN Sustainability Goal (eradication of hunger by 2030). There are, however, major regional differences worldwide: the number one problem region is Africa, especially sub-Saha- ran Africa, followed by Asia where the number of people suffering from hunger is highest in absolute terms. The main causes are violent armed conflicts (with resultant internal displacement), natural disasters attributable to climate change

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(drought, floods, insect infestation) or economic malaise and recessions in states without adequate social systems. What seems paradoxical is the simultaneous increase in the numbers of people who are overweight and obese, not only in developed countries but often also in still underdeveloped or emerging countries. Accordingly, the general theme adopted by the FAO for the 2020/2021 biennium is “Promoting healthy diets and preventing all forms of malnutrition”. The fight against world hunger and agricultural issues such as agroecology, the importance of family farms, urbanisation and the influence of climate change on agricultural production were topics addressed by all major FAO-related formations: the 41st session of the FAO Conference, the 46th session of the Com- mittee on World Food Security from 14 to 18 October, and the FAO World Food Day on 16 October. In the lead-up to the FAO Conference, the third AU-EU Agri- culture Ministerial Conference convened on 21 June under the motto of “Agricul- ture, Our Future – Promoting Sustainable Regional Agricultural Value Chains”. Dur- ing the conference, Commissioners Phil Hogan (EU) and Josefa Sacko (AU) signed a ministerial declaration and an action plan aimed at strengthening cooperation in the field of agriculture. Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration and employs more than 12,000 staff worldwide. Austria joined IOM in 1952 as one of the organisation’s currently 173 members; a further eight states as well as numerous global and regional international organisations and NGOs have observer status. Since 2016, IOM has formed part of the UN family as a related agency. Since 28 June 2018, António Vitorino (Portugal) has held the office of Director General. In accordance with its mandate, IOM is committed to humane and orderly migration. Thanks to its global network of more than 390 offices and its strong local presence, where 97 % of all staff are deployed, IOM is an important cooperation partner for Austria in regions where Austria lacks the necessary infrastructure. Alongside its country office in Austria, IOM has since 2011 operated a regional office in Vienna that is responsible for Eastern and South East Europe as well as Central Asia. A headquarters agreement between Austria and IOM has been in force since 2014. The main responsibility of the IOM Country Office for Austria is to analyse national migration issues and emerging trends as well as to develop and implement Austria-specific projects and programmes. The IOM Country Office in Vienna is the National Contact Point Austria of the European Migration Network and cooperates with the relevant Austrian institutions. IOM supports migrants in their voluntary return to their region of origin. Spe- cial attention is paid to vulnerable migrants, such as unaccompanied minors. The organisation has a long track record in implementing projects to support the reintegration of voluntary returnees. In the field of integration, tailor-made training

100 The United Nations and its Specialized Agencies measures are made available to young refugees. Furthermore, IOM advises Aus- trian institutions on building-up capacities inter alia with respect to identifying victims of human trafficking during asylum procedures and training in intercultural skills. The International Labour Organization (ILO) celebrated its 100th anniversary. In this context, the 108th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June, which was attended by a tripartite Austrian delegation, adopted the Cen- tenary Declaration for the Future of Work. The Declaration outlines the major challenges and opportunities for the world of work in the light of new technologies, climate change, demographic change and globalisation, and in this context reaffirms the ILO’s mandate for social justice. The 108th session of the ILC also adopted Convention No. 190 concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harass- ment in the World of Work and the accompanying Recommendation No. 206, thus creating the first international legal standard on this issue. Austria participates as an observer in the sessions of the ILO Governing Body where it has traditionally contributed to addressing legal issues and strengthening the standards system. The central topics dealt with by this body were the adoption of a new budget and programme based on the Centenary Declaration, the ongoing difficult situation of workers in Guatemala, Venezuela and Myanmar, the inclusion of safe and healthy working conditions in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work, and the preparation of a strategy to promote the new convention and the recommendation concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work. After years of discussions, it was finally possible to resolve the issue of cooperation with the tobacco industry for the time being. At the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) convened by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in May, Austria was elected as a member of the WHO Executive Board for a term of three years. Austria is represented on this body by Clemens M. Auer, Special Envoy for Health. Although the proposed WHO Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants had been a hotly debated issue in the lead-up to the meeting, it was eventually merely taken note of by the WHA. Further substantive highlights were the adoption of the 11th Revi- sion of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), as well as a highly controversial resolution on improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines and other healthcare products. In the medium and longer term, the latter is to lead to a reduction in prices and to better access to and availability of healthcare products. Finally, the WHA proclaimed the year 2020 as the “Interna- tional Year of the Nurse and the Midwife” and adopted two new World Health Days, namely World Patient Safety Day and World Chagas Disease Day. At its annual meeting held in Copenhagen in mid-September, the WHO Regional Com- mittee for Europe elected Hans Kluge of Belgium to the office of future WHO Regional Director for Europe. In the context of the opening of the 74th UN Gen-

101 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement eral Assembly in New York, a high-level political declaration on the theme of “Universal Health Coverage: Moving Together to Build a Healthier World” was adopted on 23 September. It sets out a roadmap for achieving the goal of universal health coverage (a goal within the UN Sustainable Development Goals) by 2030. Established in 1950, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) became part of the UN family as a specialised agency in 1951. It coordinates and supports the necessary standards and services in the fields of meteorology, climatology and hydrology. By placing its strategy focus on capacity development in these sectors, it contributes towards improving the quality of forecasts and climate models. The 18th WMO Congress was held in Geneva in June. The Congress confirmed WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas (FI) for a further four years at the helm of the organisation and approved a far-reaching reform of its constituent bodies in order to ensure that the WMO is better equipped for the increasing challenges, such as climate change. The Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is a specialised UN agency in which government and industry representatives coordinate the establishment and operation of global telecommunication networks and services, in particular the utilisation of the radio frequency spectrum and the satellite orbit. From 28 October to 22 November, the World Radiocommunication Conference was held in Sharm El-Sheikh and agreed, inter alia, on additional frequency allo- cations for 5G mobile communications. In April, the annual World Summit on the Information Society Forum, jointly organised by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNC- TAD convened in Geneva. The main topics on the meeting’s agenda were implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the impact of modern technologies, cyber security, environmental issues and the digital gender gap. The London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized UN agency and comprises 174 Member States. Austria has been a member of the IMO since 1975 and even though it closed its shipping register for commercial deep-sea shipping in 2012, Austria – as a strongly foreign trade-oriented economy – is nevertheless very much interested in safe and ecologically sound deep sea shipping. At the 31st session of the IMO Assembly, held from 25 November to 4 December, Kitack Lim (Republic of Korea) was confirmed as Secretary General for a second term from 2020 to 2023. The IMO’s activities included the definition of concrete measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and institutional reform of the IMO Council. A special thematic focus was placed on improving the participation of women in maritime shipping. This year, work within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was dominated by the preparation and implementation of the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly held in Montreal from 24 September to 4 October. The main topics on the meeting’s agenda related to the environment (aircraft noise, emissions),

102 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) operational safety (safety), security against external risks and hazards (security), and the aviation industry. In the field of the environment and alongside long-term objectives, the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) remained one of the dominating topics on the organisation’s agenda. Strong calls were also made for raising the organisation’s levels of efficiency and effectiveness to facilitate modernisation of the ICAO’s working methods, management and supervision.

2.2 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Under the motto “For people, dialogue and stability”, the Slovak Chairmanship focused on preventing, mediating and mitigating conflict and the situation of the affected population as well as on refocusing on all three dimensions of the OSCE as a counterweight to incremental geopolitical conflict. Due to the increasingly confrontational approach of many delegations, it was not possible to adopt programmatic decisions at the Bratislava Ministerial Council, but all participating States agreed to entrust Sweden and Poland with the Chairmanship in 2021 and in 2022 respectively. The Structured Dialogue on current and future challenges and risks to security was successfully continued. The OSCE’s practical and programme levels also function smoothly: the three autonomous institutions (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ODIHR, High Commissioner on National Minorities HCNM, Representative on Freedom of the Media RFoM) and the 16 field missions as well as the thematic units in the Secretariat offer tailor-made, cost-effective programmes for the further development of democracy, the rule of law, economic foundations and security policy stability to participating States.

2.2.1 Regional Issues and Field Activities The OSCE Security Community in the Context of the Crisis in and around Ukraine

The crisis in and around Ukraine continues to substantially influence work within the OSCE. The annexation of Crimea in violation of international law, and Russia’s support for the armed formations in eastern Ukraine have led to a serious loss of confidence and a deep rift within the organisation. Particularly the establishment and work of a large Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) and the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) as a forum for political negotiation, continue to contribute to de-escalation, crisis management and improving the civilian population’s living conditions in eastern Ukraine. Here too, however, success is ultimately dependent on the will of the parties to the conflict. Led

103 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement by OSCE Special Representative and Austrian diplomat Martin Sajdik, the TCG (Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE) was, for instance, able to achieve an albeit fragile ceasefire and disengagement in three areas. In addition, the conflict parties agreed after years to implement the “Steinmeier formula”, i.e. a special status for parts of Donbas. On 9 December, Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin agreed in Normandy Format (Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine) on a complete ceasefire by the end of the year and a comprehensive exchange of prisoners. The Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), which involves some 1,200 observers and is by far the largest OSCE field mission, is mandated with monitoring this ceasefire agreement. The observers are, however, often obstructed in their work and sometimes even threatened. Like the Border Observation Missions in Gukovo and Donetsk, the SMM continues to be faced with severe restrictions of its observation capabilities. In particular, it is still denied access to the Ukrainian-Rus- sian border and to Crimea. The OSCE Project Co-ordination Office in Ukraine has implemented numerous projects aimed at supporting the rule of law and fostering conflict prevention.

South East Europe With the exception of the SMM in Ukraine, the OSCE field presences in South East Europe, namely in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedo- nia, Montenegro and Serbia, are still the organisation’s largest field operations. Through their comprehensive security concept, these operations make a significant contribution towards stability in the region, supporting the transformation of societies based on democracy and the rule of law, the consolidation of multi-ethnic societies – for instance in North Macedonia where the Austrian diplomat Clemens Koja has headed the local OSCE Mission since September 2018 – and towards regional economic co-operation. The central task and objective pursued by the OSCE are strengthening human and minority rights, promoting freedom of the media, fostering an active civil society, strengthening democratic structures and control mechanisms governed by the rule of law at national and local level, and good governance. A particular focus was placed on de-radicalisation, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania, as well as on migration flows and police cooperation. Albania will chair the OSCE in 2020.

South Caucasus

The OSCE has continued its efforts towards resolving and/or containing the two protracted conflicts in the Caucasus – the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the conflict in Georgia. The Geneva International Discussions to address the consequences of the conflict inGeorgia failed to make progress in defusing the conflicts connected with the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

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Central Asia The OSCE is active in all fiveCentral Asian states with operations and missions that focus inter alia on regional co-operation. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan), the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (Tashkent) are active in all three dimensions of the OSCE, focusing on capacity building in the fight against corruption, border management and the fight against transnational threats such as terrorism and violent extremism. Uzbekistan’s relationship with the OSCE has intensified considerably since Presi- dent Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office and the ensuing opening of the country. Since 2017, the mandate of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek(Kyrgyzstan) has focused on the rule of law and the fight against corruption, the fight against terrorism, protection of human rights and gender equality. The OSCE Academy in Bishkek, which is co-funded by Austria, provides training on international relations with an OSCE focus directed at experts from the region, including from Afghanistan. The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, supportsTajikistan, placing a special focus on border management, conflict prevention and the fight against transnational threats, corruption and violent extremism. The OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe, which is supported by Austria, offers further training courses directed at officials from the entire region.

2.2.2 Election Observation The provision of support in implementing democratic elections in the OSCE area is one of the tasks assumed jointly by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights(ODIHR) . The Office organised nationwide election observations in seven participating States (Moldova, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Albania, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Uzbekistan). Austria participated by seconding a total of 57 election observers (51 short-term observers and six long-term observers), as well as 18 members of the Austrian Parliament who took part in election observation in the context of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

2.2.3 The OSCE’s Human Dimension – Human Rights The ODIHR plays a central role as an operational institution in the OSCE’s third – “human” – dimension. Alongside the promotion and observation of democratic elections, ODIHR’s scope also covers providing support to the 57 participating States in implementing their human rights commitments. Other important institutions are the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) based in The

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Hague and the Vienna-based OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), whose extensive country-specific and thematic activities make a highly relevant contribution to work carried out under the third dimension. The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) was held in Warsaw from 16 to 28 September. As the central human dimension event, the HDIM once again provided its more than one thousand participants with an important platform for exchange between the OSCE participating States and non-governmental organisations with a view to implementing OSCE commitments under the human dimension. The three annual Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings (SHDMs), held in Vienna this year, dealt with the topics of “upholding the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination, including promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief” (1 and 2 April), “Multilateralism in the OSCE Human Dimension” (15 and 16 July) and “The right to freedom of peaceful assembly” (21 and 22 Novem- ber). The meetings provided experts, civil society and participating States with the opportunity to exchange views and ideas. This year it was, however, again not possible to hold the special annual seminar of the Human Dimension as no consensus could be reached on the necessary decisions. Likewise, due to lack of consensus, it was not possible to adopt decisions on the human dimension at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava in December.

2.2.4 The OSCE’s Security Policy Dimension The crisis in and around Ukraine and the difficult security situation faced by OSCE SMM observers determined the security policy debate in the field of conflict settlement. No progress was achieved on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and on the conflicts in Georgia. With respect to the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, the measures aimed at easing the burden on the affected population, prepared in the “5+2” format, were further implemented. Convened under the Austrian Chairmanship in 2017, the Structured Dialogue on the Ministerial Council Declaration “From Lisbon to Hamburg. Declaration on the 20th Anniversary of the OSCE Framework for Arms Control and Risks to Security in the OSCE Area” dealt under Dutch Chairmanship, inter alia, with reducing the risk of and avoiding unwanted military incidents as well as hybrid threats with a focus on cyberspace. Austria continues to participate actively in the Group of Friends of the “Steinmeier Initiative” on conventional arms control in Europe, which was launched in 2016. Contributing proposals and national expertise, Austria supported the efforts aimed at modernising the Vienna Document 2011 on confidence and security-building measures as well as the implementation of the Code of Conduct on

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Politico-Military Aspects of Security including regional events on security sector reform, and the Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons. At the Ministerial Council, held in Bratislava on 5 and 6 December, the OSCE participating States adopted three Commemorative Declarations – one celebrating the 25th anniversary of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, the other on the 25th anniversary of the OSCE Principles governing non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, as well as on the 15th anniversary of UNSC resolution 1540.

2.2.5 The OSCE’s Economic and Environmental Dimension The priorities defined by the Slovak Chairmanship under the Economic and Envi- ronmental Dimension of the OSCE focused on energy co-operation, connectivity, cyber security, digitalisation, sustainable development, anti-corruption and good governance. Following an initial preparatory meeting in January, the work plan of the Eco- nomic and Environmental Committee (EEC) included four conferences that dealt with the following topics: prevention of and protection against environmental disasters, promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the impact of digital technologies and the 4th Industrial Revolution on society, and fighting corruption. The Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF) met in Prague in September and was dedicated to the topic of “Promoting economic progress and security in the OSCE area through energy co-operation, new technologies, good governance and connectivity in the digital era”. The annual Implementation Meeting of the Economic and Environmental Dimen- sion (EEDIM) in October focused on responsible use of resources and water management in line with the UN 2030 Agenda. An Informal Group of Friends on the Environment was also established. Austria is a founding member of this group, which has set itself the goal of moving environmental issues increasingly into the limelight of discussions under the OSCE’s second dimension. At the Ministerial Council in Bratislava, two proposals for decisions on “Promoting energy co-operation to increase economic progress and sustainability” and “Pro- moting digital innovation to increase economic progress and sustainability” were introduced as well as a Ministerial Council Declaration on “Combatting transnational organized crime which damages the environment”. Ultimately, however, these texts were not adopted. The priorities of the Albanian Chairmanship in 2020 in particular include security- related topics such as the fight against corruption, good governance, the impact of digitalisation, and gender aspects in economic and environmental policy issues, in which context experts are to be increasingly involved. In addition, exchange of

107 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement experience with OSCE field missions is to be strengthened and members of the field missions are to be invited to all non-thematic meetings.

2.2.6 The OSCE’s Regional Policy Dimension The OSCE maintains dialogues with partner states in Asia (Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, Korea and Thailand) and the Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia). At the Ministerial Council in Bratislava, it was decided to rename these groups “OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group” and “OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group” respectively.

2.3 Council of Europe The work of the Council of Europe (CoE) was dominated on the one hand by worrying developments in some member States and on the other hand by the multiple internal crises. As in previous years, the CoE’s core topics, i.e. human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as the full application of the Euro- pean Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), were subject to an erosion process or were at least the subject of controversial political debate in a number of member States. This relates on the one hand to fundamental constitutional issues (Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Romania and Ukraine) and on the other hand to failure to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) (Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Russia). At the same time, however, the Council of Europe came to play a new relevant role with respect to the human rights aspects of new technologies (data protection, cyber security, artificial intelligence) and some movement was discernible with a view to the European Union’s accession to the ECHR. In a vote taken in the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) on 26 June, former Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs,Marija Pejčinović Burić, prevailed over Didier Reynders, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and took office as Secretary General of the Council of Europe in mid-September. Her predecessor, the Norwegian Thorbjørn Jagland, had held this position for ten years.

2.3.1 Political Issues The issue dominating the Council of Europe’s work was the difficult relationship with the Russian Federation, which has refrained from sending delegations to the PA’s meetings since April 2014 when its annexation of Crimea was sanctioned by a withdrawal of voting rights in the PA. Subsequently, Russia had withheld its contributions for several years, which has not only triggered a serious budget

108 Council of Europe crisis, but could have led to its expulsion from the Council of Europe due to this violation of an essential membership obligation. In addition, the CoE has been faced with an institutional crisis concerning the relationship between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Ministers Deputies Com- mittee (MDC). The Ministerial Conference in Helsinki in May thus focused primarily on resolving these problems. Building on increased co-operation between the PA and the MDC and based on intensive efforts launched by both the Finnish and the French Chairmanship of the CoE Committee of Ministers ultimately enabled the – unsanctioned – return of the Russian delegation and the restoration of its voting rights in time for the election of a new Secretary General. Most of the outstanding contributions have in the meantime been paid, interest for late payment is, however, still outstanding. The main concern for most of the actors involved in this process was preserving the integrity of the European human rights system. Ukraine and the Baltic States were, however, critical of the withdrawing of a sanc- tion without any movement on the part of Russia. Against this background, the rhetoric between the states critical of Russia on the one hand and Moscow on the other has become much tougher in the MDC. These issues, however, led to the development of a new joint sanctions mechanism by the CoE PA, the MDC and the Secretary General. From the beginning of 2020, this new mechanism, whose details had been subject to an intensive negotiation process, is to complement the PA’s previous sanctions practice with a coordinated process that will enable the PA to take more initiative and the MDC to exercise more control. At the same time and against the background of its 70th anniversary, the CoE dealt with current challenges and its own reform. At the 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers (CM), held in Helsinki on 17 May, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland presented his sixth annual report on the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe. Under the heading of “Ready for future challenges – reinforcing the Council of Europe”, this report contained proposals for both reforms and future areas of activity. His successor will be responsible for implementing these proposals, which include the development of a new legal instrument on artificial intelligence linked to the Council of Europe’s core themes of human rights, rule of law and democracy. To this end, a feasibility study has been commissioned. The issues of digitalisation and artificial intelligence had generally played an important role on the agenda in a number of Council of Europe bodies. Developments in Turkey, particularly with regard to freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly as well as the general human rights situation and the question of the validity of the judgements pronounced by the Turkish Constitutional Court were continuously monitored by the MDC and the PA. The impacts of the state of emergency, in force until 2018, and the human

109 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement rights violations during this period are examined by a national commission. If this proves to be an ineffective legal remedy, tens of thousands of cases will be referred to the ECtHR. The situation in and around Ukraine continued to cause considerable tension in the CoE’s political committees. The human rights aspect was mainly covered by the Human Rights Commissioners who, like other CoE monitoring bodies, were denied access to the occupied territories. The CoE has developed a Ukraine Action Plan 2018 – 2021, which supports the Ukrainian reform processes. The language and education legislation concerning persons belonging to minorities in Ukraine was frequently addressed in the CoE’s work and has been criticised by both Russia and other neighbouring countries. The Venice Commission has been asked for opinions on a wide range of legal and constitutional issues concerning major political and constitutional developments in Europe. These include language and education legislation in Ukraine, judicial reforms in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine and the powers of the president in Albania. For several years, the Council of Europe had been confronted with serious budgetary problems, which were drastically exacerbated by Russia’s discontinuation of its budget contributions starting in 2017 and Turkey’s decision to discontinue payment of voluntary contributions in 2018. In order to prepare for the non-resolution of the Russia issue, the introduction of rigid austerity measures had already been planned for spring, which would have seriously impaired the work and effectiveness of the Council of Europe. Against this background and in view of the appointment of a new Secretary-General, the CoE’s budget for the 2020–2021 biennium, negotiated in the second half of the year, is the first in a long time to again include inflation adjustment. Following the report submitted by a dedicated independent panel of experts, the problem of corruption within the Parliamentary Assembly has since then been dealt with in the relevant PA committees and various measures had been taken. Further individual measures are within the national parliaments’ scope of responsibility. The CoE held the following specialist ministerial conferences and conferences at ministerial level: • The 129th Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe, held in Helsinki on 16 and 17 May. • The CoE Conference of Ministers of Justice on “Justice in the Digital Age”, held in Strasbourg on 14 and 15 October. • The CoE Conference of Ministers of Education, held in Paris on 26 November. Other relevant meetings included: • The Conference of the Heads of the Supreme Courts of the CoE Member Sta- tes, held in Paris on 12 and 13 September. 110 Council of Europe

• The European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, held in Strasbourg on 24 and 25 October. The sixth World Forum for Democracy (WFD), held in November in cooperation with France dealt with the question “Is democracy in danger in the information age?”.

2.3.2 Monitoring Respect of Commitments by Member States One of the CoE’s most important tools is monitoring member States’ compliance with the commitments undertaken in the fields of human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law (justice), which arise from their accession to the CoE. Monitoring is undertaken by the PA, the Committee of Ministers, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) and the Secretariat. Sev- eral CoE conventions provide for independent expert bodies to perform thematic country monitoring. Monitoring by the MDC of the national implementation of the judgments passed by the ECtHR is based on Art. 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocol No. 11 and takes place in four annual meetings that extend over several days. The PACE Committee on Honouring Obligations and Commitments by member States of the CoE is currently monitoring ten states: Albania, Armenia, Azer- baijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. A Post-Monitoring Dialogue on strengthening the democratic institutions of the respective countries is being conducted with Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Furthermore, a monitoring process on “The functioning of democratic institutions in Poland” is being conducted in Poland. Since 2015, the PACE Monitoring Committee has also reviewed CoE member States that are not subject to a monitoring process and prepares country reports and recommendations for the PA plenary. Monitoring by the MDC is also based on the obligations arising from the accession procedures, as in the cases of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Bosnia-Herzegovina. All monitoring processes are flexible and are performed over an extended period of time. CLRAE also monitors compliance with commitments relating to promoting democracy at local and regional level, which involves all 47 CoE member States. At irregular intervals, the Secretariat issues reports on Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia to the MDC and on “stock-taking” of the situation in Moldova. The impact of the armed conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation that broke out in August 2008 continues to feature on the agenda of the MDC, to which the Secretariat reports every six months on new developments. In addition, the local

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CoE offices also report on developments and implementation of CoE programmes in their host countries. Thematic monitoring is related to commitments and obligations arising from member States’ accession to specific CoE conventions. Thus, the European Com- mittee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), to which all CoE member States are party, conducts periodic and ad hoc visits to national detention centres, prisons, police stations and psy- chiatric hospitals. The goal pursued by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is prompting legislative reforms at national level through mutual evaluations and peer pressure to ensure that countries comply with CoE standards. The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings(GRETA) monitors the implementation of the CoE Convention on Action against Traffick- ing in Human Beings. The Advisory Committees of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) and the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML) each assess the national implementation of these two conventions. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) primarily conducts country reviews and also addresses cooperation with civil society. The European Committee on Social Rights (ECSR) monitors compliance with the provisions set out in the European Social Charter by the States parties. The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), established in 2015 by the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), has already completed six country reports. The reports on Austria and on Monaco were the first two GREVIO country reports to be completed.

Monitoring Visits and Country Reports on Austria From 3 to 7 June, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) conducted a country visit in order to prepare the 6th Country Report on Austria. Likewise, from 3 to 7 June, the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) that monitors the implementation of the CoE Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings conducted its third country visit to Austria. The report prepared by GRECO on Austria (covering the parliamentary and judicial areas) was adopted on 17 July and subsequently published. From 10 to 12 December, the CLRAE paid a monitoring visit to Austria.

The Council of Europe Conventions To date, a total of 223 multilateral agreements (CoE Conventions) and 14 partial agreements have been drawn up in the context of the CoE. These conventions cover a very wide range of topics and in many areas form the backbone for pan- European cooperation and the management of intergovernmental processes.

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2.3.3 The Council of Europe and Austria Encounters at Political Level between Austria and CoE Officials as well as Signing and Ratification of CoE Conventions:

From 11 to 13 December, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, paid a visit to Vienna. In addition to visits to the Vienna-based international organisations and a lecture held at the ”Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies”, the Secretary General also met Federal Minister Clemens Jabloner and Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Johannes Peterlik. On 13 June, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Liliane Maury Pasquier, attended an event in the National Council marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the CoE. From 19 to 21 March, Governor Thomas Stelzer paid a visit to Strasbourg, as did Federal Minister Clemens Jabloner from 14 to 15 October, and the President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka together with the President of the Fed- eral Council Karl Bader from 24 to 25 October. All these visits involved meetings with high-level CoE representatives. In her capacity as a member of the PA, the Second President of the National Council Doris Bures took part in PA sessions in Strasbourg. As members of the CLRAE, the presidents of the province parliaments of Vorarlberg (Harald Sonderegger), of Tyrol (Sonja Ledl-Rossmann), and of Carin- thia (Reinhart Rohr), attended the CLRAE’s meetings. On 2 October, Ambassador Gerhard Jandl signed the Council of Europe Conven- tion on Cinematographic Co-Production.

European Centre for Modern Languages in Graz Founded in 1994, the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) in Graz is based on an enlarged partial agreement. It supports member States in the implementation of language policy measures and promotes innovation in language learning. The centre’s current thematic priorities of work include education for children whose mother tongue is not the language of schooling, sign language, promoting foreign language education in schools, digital approaches to language education and establishing a frame of reference for language teachers. The ECML also dealt with the integration of Roma. In December, a dedicated symposium was held in Graz to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its foundation.

Austrians in the Council of Europe Austria has traditionally shown a high level of commitment in the CoE and has already been represented by three Secretary Generals, two Presidents of PACE and three presidents of the CLRAE. In total, some 21 Austrians are employed in the CoE. Since November 2015, Gabriele Kucsko-Stadlmayer has been the Aus- trian judge at the ECtHR. Since 2006, Christoph Grabenwarter has been the

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Austrian member of the Venice Commission and since 2010 Andreas Kiefer has held the office ofSecretary General of the CLRAE. Member of the National Council Werner Amon served as Vice-President of the PA, and the President of the Diet of Vorarlberg, Harald Sonderegger, held the office of Vice President of the Chamber of Regions of the CLRAE.

2.4 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Developments and General Trends The annual Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial level (MCM), held under the Slovak Presidency in May, focused on “Harnessing digital transition for sustainable development”, which also corresponded to the priorities defined in the Austrian government programme. The concluding Statement adopted by the Min- isterial Council highlighted in particular the need for international cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence. In addition, Austria actively supported the implementation of a horizontal project on digitalisation, which dealt inter alia with the effects of the digital transformation on companies, the labour market, education and the international tax system. Alongside this thematic priority, a special focus was placed on the organisation’s potential enlargement. Apart from the candidate countries Colombia and Costa Rica, whose accession processes were almost completed by the end of the year, further requests for accession are currently pending. In the interests of geographical balance, Austria advocated a clear accession perspective for all prospective members that are EU Member States (Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria).

Economic and Financial Policy In the course of the year, the economic mood deteriorated in most of the OECD Member States amid a generally low interest rate environment. Referring to the already highly accommodative focus pursued by the majority of monetary policies, the OECD Secretariat recommended strengthening budgetary stimuli through public investment and implementing necessary structural reforms. Grow- ing concern over the level of indebtedness of non-financial companies in many OECD Member States was discernible, which was also fuelled by the low interest rate level. According to OECD analyses, in addition to expectations of an economic downturn, companies were reluctant to make new investments due to uncertainty about further developments in the US trade dispute with China and other countries. From the Austrian perspective, the publication of its OECD Economic Survey was particularly interesting. The OECD Economic Survey provides a multidimensional

114 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) analysis of the state of the Austrian national economy. Presented at the MFA in November, the report not only covers traditional economic policy indicators, but also addresses a wide range of aspects that are important from a socio-political point of view. In a special chapter, this year’s report dealt with the capital ade- quacy of Austrian companies and also provided evidence-based policy recommendations to promote well-being. The latest Product Market Regulation (PMR) country note on Austria published in 2018, is based on an expanded set of indicators and ranks Austria in the bottom third, i.e. countries with room to reduce regulatory barriers to competition.

International Tax Policy The main resources of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration have been pooled in order to prepare a proposal for a new allocation of taxing rights in relation to profits generated by multinational companies (Unified Approach under Pillar 1), which at the same time sought to provide an economic assessment of the potential effects this new allocation could have on the tax revenues and investments of the individual states. This Unified Approach would result in the first-ever easing of the current transfer pricing regime by requiring companies whose profit ratio exceeds a certain threshold (yet to be determined) to allocate a portion of their consolidated profits to all jurisdictions in which they operate according to a formula for taxation (yet to be defined). In addition, a minimum taxation level would have to be introduced in order to reduce the incentive for tax optimisa- tion in companies (Pillar 2). This proposal, met with particular opposition on the part of “tax havens”. The preliminary economic impact assessment performed by the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, however, showed relatively low additional tax revenues for the first pillar; and although figures were slightly higher for the second pillar, additional tax revenue thus generated remained at a rather low level only. That said, those involved held the view that both measures would nevertheless mark a first, ground-breaking step towards a new international corporate taxation regime, building on which and by way of changes to the parameters it would become possible to generate increased corporate tax income from large multinational corporations. In light of the highly relevant work it performs, the fact that Austria had been invited to join the politically important Steering Group of the Inclusive Framework for the three years to come was particularly positive.

Trade, Investment Policy and Corporate Responsibility The OECD’s work on trade policy has focused on the challenges posed to international trade by an increasingly complex and uncertain environment. In addition, new technologies and digitalisation will have a major impact on trade and the economy. From Austria’s perspective, in-depth analyses of value chains, trade barriers and digital trade provided important evidence-based foundations for

115 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement multilateral trade policy negotiations. Studies and surveys dealing with the growing role of state intervention in a number of sectors support the analysis of distor- tions in international markets. In the area of investment policy, the review of the OECD Codes of Liberalisation of Capital Movements and Current Invisible Operations was successfully completed. These Codes are one of the OECD’s founding instruments and have since 1961 provided the framework for the gradual liberalisation of global capital movements. The revised version, which was adopted by the OECD Council of Minis- ters on 22 May after three years of work, covers inter alia new developments in the regulation of cross-border capital flows in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. In parallel and chaired by Austria, the Investment Committee maintained its focus on a holistic approach to investment policy, taking special account of social, development and environmental aspects. Following the ground-breaking work on the benefits and costs of investment agreements performed last year, this year’s focus was on analysing the social and environmental impacts of direct investment and the contribution direct investment can make towards achieving the SDGs. The first release of the FDI Quality Indicators was presented in Sep- tember and provides a comparison of the effects investment flows had in individual host countries, focusing on the five areas of productivity and innovation, employment and quality of work, skills, gender equality, and carbon footprint. In addition, headway was made on the analytical work on the further development of investment agreements and the consideration of national security aspects in investment policy. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises contain comprehensive recommendations on responsible corporate conduct for companies doing business abroad. National Contact Points (NCPs) were set up to raise awareness of and implement the Guidelines. The Austrian National Contact Point is located at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs. One priority of its work is duty of care in supply chains and promoting the application of the Guidelines, in particular through outreach and coherence activities launched by the OECD. The peer review of the Austrian National Contact Point was successfully completed. Together with other ministries, interest groups, civil society and an independent expert on out-of-court dispute resolution, the MFA is a member of the Steering Committee of the Austrian NCP.

Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection The OECD’s work in the field of labour and social affairs was characterised by the topic of the future of work (with a special focus being placed on “Collective Bar- gaining” and “Social Dialogue”, analysis of the effects of an increase in non-standard employment relationships on the labour market and social protection, and future-ready adult learning). In this context, Austria has successfully advocated a differentiated presentation of collective systems. The studies on the develop-

116 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ment of the middle class were further intensified and contributions were made to the horizontal project on housing, placing a special focus on homelessness and affordable housing. In this context, a contribution by the Austrian non-profit housing associations was received with interest. In the field of migration, work was dominated by the preparations for a ministerial meeting in January 2020, in which context highly differing views held by Member States were aired. A study on this topic demonstrated that Austria was particularly affected by temporary migration in the sub-sector of posted workers. In the field of health, further progress was made on the projects PaRIS (indicators, standards and benchmarks for patient-driven healthcare systems based on the PISA/PIAAC model), which means that an initial implementation phase will be launched in 2020. Preliminary results of a field study on personalised pricing provided interesting insights with respect to the topic of consumer protection.

Education and Skills Work in the field of education and skills constitutes one of the core elements of OECD activity. Based on OECD data, international benchmarks on the impact on education and skills are prepared for students and adults (PISA, PIAAC) and national skills strategies are developed. In 2019, the largest PISA study to date was published involving 79 participating countries and 600,000 tested students.

Energy – International Energy Agency (IEA) Chaired by Poland, the IEA Ministerial Meeting was convened at the end of the year under the heading of “Building the Future of Energy”. Austria was represented by Federal Minister Maria Patek in the meeting, which for the first time in 10 years adopted a joint ministerial communiqué. The IEA ministers emphasised the importance of energy security, the transition to clean energy and expanding the Agency’s global reach. The IEA member states also adopted a new “strategic partnership” with the association countries, in which context a special focus is placed on India. As has already become customary, the “World Energy Out- look 2019” was presented in November. Building on three different scenarios, the development paths for the coming years were outlined. With a view to successfully meeting the challenges of global energy transition, Austria attached particular importance to the IEA’s work in the fields of energy security and successfully realising sustainable energy transition in line with the Paris Agreement, especially with respect to increasing the share of renewable energies and energy innovation. In this context, an important role is to be played by renewable hydrogen as a key element for sector coupling. Presented in summer at the G20 summit in Japan, the IEA report on The Future of Hydrogen marked the first strong signal at a global political level that highlighted the contribution made by hydrogen. Austria formed part of the high-level advisory panel, which played a key role in the development of the report. In May 2019, Austrian 117 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement energy policy was subjected to an in-depth review by the IEA. Such reviews are conducted at intervals of about 5 years and include both detailed assessments of the individual sectors and recommendations supporting an enhanced development of energy policy. The report on the in-depth review performed on Austria will be published before summer 2020.

Digitalisation – Going Digital II A summit meeting held in March marked the end of the first phase of the horizontal project “Going Digital”. Phase II covering the period 2019–20 will help countries implement an integrated policy approach to digital transformation, especially through further development of the “Going Digital Toolkit” (that includes indicators, policy notes and innovative policy examples). At the same time, opportunities and challenges related to new technologies will be addressed, especially as regards frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Jobs, skills and social inclusion, as well as competitive and market structures, including the evolving role of platforms and SMEs will remain areas of special attention. In May, the Council of Ministers adopted the OECD Principles on Artificial Intel- ligence as the first such international standards agreed by governments. They comprise five principles for the responsible stewardship of trustworthy artificial intelligence, whose implementation is supported through the provision of data and guidance on benchmarks, policies and practices. An “AI Observatory” will provide a centre for dialogue and exchange of best practice.

Environment The OECD’s environmental activities continued to focus on environmental performance of selected countries and topics such as the increase in global raw material consumption, the preservation of biodiversity, sustainable transport infrastructure, waste management, the circular economy and, in particular, water governance. To this end, the OECD is planning a comprehensive review covering all countries and an analysis of the state of the OECD recommendation’s implementation. Reports such as “Climate finance provided and mobilised by developed countries in 2013–17”, “Accelerating Climate Action: Refocusing Poli- cies through a Well-being Lens” or “Vision for an Environmentally Responsible Transformation” were also presented during the United Nations Climate Summit in New York in September. The OECD offers Austria and partner countries a forum for joint efforts, exchange of experience and possible approaches towards developing solutions to common problems. Cooperation with the OECD is important in order to understand the drivers behind economic, social and ecological changes. The OECD also sets international standards in many areas – an excellent example being the peer review process. A country’s policies are assessed by other “peer” countries, enabling valuable lessons to be learned from the experiences of other countries. Rec- 118 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ommendations prepared based on these findings may help governments to obtain support for effective measures in their respective countries.

Global relations Joint Work Programmes and Structured Cooperation Projects are in place with the OECD Key Partner Countries China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and India. Brazil remains the OECD’s most active key partner and applied for membership as early as 2017. In addition, the OECD is currently negotiating Joint Work Pro- grammes with China and South Africa, while the Joint Work Programme with Indonesia will be implemented until 2021. Furthermore, much of the OECD’s work with non-Members takes place in the context of regional programmes for South East Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Eurasia, South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. In terms of the OECD’s foreign relations, Austria attaches priority to the Regional Programme for South East Europe. Austria is committed to strengthening governance and increasing the Regional Programme’s visibility within the OECD, inter alia with a view to sustainably promoting the EU perspective of the countries in the region. In addition, Austria has assumed the chair of the “Friends of South- east Europe” group. Cooperation between the OECD and the G20 is becoming increasingly important. Since 2009, its Secretary-General has represented the OECD at the meetings of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, and the G20 Heads of State and Government meetings. Consequently the OECD, together with the IMF and World Bank, has repeatedly been tasked with work by the G20 whose processes it supports at many stages. This thus provides Austria as a non-G20-member with direct access to information on G20 issues.

Development Policy In February, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Recommendation on the Humanitarian Development-Peace-Nexus was adopted. In July, the Develop- ment Assistance Committee was the first multilateral organisation to agree on the Recommendation on Ending Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harass- ment in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance. Chaired by Austria, Ireland and the United Kingdom, this recommendation was developed in a one-year process by a dedicated “DAC Reference Group on Prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse”. In the second quarter, the OECD DAC Quality Stand- ards for Development Evaluation were revised. Beyond the scope of the DAC, these criteria have become the recognised international standard for conducting evaluations. Discussions on the targets for a knowledge-based community on OECD financing for sustainable development were finalised in December and are to be adopted in January 2020. Austria contributed most actively to the OECD

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DAC work on aligning development cooperation with the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and supports the medium-term goal of adapting the ODA eligibility criteria with regard to the financing of sustainable energy sources. On 5 Decem- ber, the DAC Peer Review of Austria was held with the examiners from Slova- kia and Ireland. The report inter alia highlights enhanced private involvement in ADC, Austria’s strong engagement and leadership in South East Europe and the reputation Austria enjoys among its development cooperation partner countries. The majority of the eleven recommendations are related to coherence of Aus- trian development policy, strengthening the whole-of-government approach in the bilateral field, increasing funding for development financing, revising existing mechanisms for facilitating humanitarian aid, Austria’s engagement in fragile contexts and provision of human resources.

2.5 Austria as Host Country to International Organisations A dynamic and future-oriented host country policy is one of Austria’s foreign policy priorities. The goal is thus to attract international organisations and institutions that establish their permanent headquarters or other offices in Austria. As home to the offices of many international organisations, Austria acts as a hub for two major thematic areas: the promotion of peace and security, as well as promoting sustainable development in the context of energy and environmental challenges. The fact that Vienna hosts more than 40 international organisations strengthens the city’s relevance as a venue for dialogue and multilateral diplomacy. Building on its efficient convention sector, Vienna enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the most important conference and congress venues in the world. Under its pro-active host country policy, Austria continues to strengthen its legal framework conditions seeking to remain an attractive location for the established offices while at the same time attracting new international entities. Vienna is one of the four headquarters of the United Nations (UN). The Vienna International Centre (VIC) is home to a large number of UN organisations and specialised agencies, including the United Nations Office at Vienna(UNOV) , the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Industrial Devel- opment Organization (UNIDO), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehen- sive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which is active in fighting crime, drug abuse and terrorism, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs(UNODA ) and its Liaison Office, the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs(UNOOSA) , the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and an outposted office of the UN Environment Pro-

120 Austria as Host Country to International Organisations gramme (UNEP) as well as the UNEP Regional Office, which also administers the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. Apart from the UN organisations and specialised agencies based at the VIC, a number of other major international organisations are located outside of the Vienna International Center in the city of Vienna, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of the Petro- leum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), which focuses on promoting transparency in the field of disarmament, and the Secretariat of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC). The Vienna office of the World Bank Group has recently significantly strengthened its presence: alongside organisational units of the International Bank for Recon- struction and Development (IBRD), especially the International Finance Corpo- ration (IFC) has expanded its operational activities in Vienna. In September, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) opened its Regional Resident Representative Office for the Western Balkans in Vienna while the Joint Vienna Institute(JVI) , an internationally recognised IMF training institution, has been based in Vienna for many years now. Since 2012, the International King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Centre for Interreli- gious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) has been based in Vienna. Head- quartered in Vienna, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) deals with strategic aspects of migration management. Apart from a country office, the International Organization for Migration(IOM) also maintains a liaison office in Vienna, which is responsible for Eastern and South East Europe as well as Central Asia. With a view to tapping into synergy effects, several Vienna-based international organisations and NGOs that are active in the energy sector joined forces and formed the Vienna Energy Club. Among these organisations are the Energy Com- munity of South East Europe as well as the Renewable Energy and Energy Effi- ciency Partnership (REEEP) and the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) initiative. Founded in 2011, the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) chose to set up its headquarters south of Vienna in Laxenburg (Lower Austria), which is also home to the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). Since 2003, the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention (PSAC) has been based in Innsbruck.

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40 years Vienna International Centre (VIC) By establishing the Vienna International Centre (VIC, or UNO City as it is com- monly called), Austria has provided a location for the permanent headquarters of – initially – the IAEA and UNIDO, and subsequently a number of other UN agencies and entities. Since 1979, the year in which the VIC was opened, Vienna has served as one of the meanwhile four headquarters of the United Nations. Designed by architect Johann Staber, the original building boasts six distinctive office towers and was extended in 2006 to include a spacious conference wing. One of the VIC’s hallmarks is the flexible layout and design of its office floors, ensuring a high level of functionality that is still appreciated today. The VIC’s 40th anniversary was celebrated with a number of events organised by the UN, the MFA and the City of Vienna. The celebratory highlight was a ceremony held in the VIC and attended by UN Secretary General António Guterres as guest of honour.

2.5.1 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Established in 1957, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an autonomous organisation within the UN system. Its main task is the worldwide promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy, increasing nuclear safety and security as well as verification of states’ compliance with the safeguards under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It was the first UN organisation to set up headquarters in Vienna. With currently around 2,500 staff, it is also the largest of the Vienna-based organisations. After Director General Yukiya Amano had passed away in July, Rafael Mariano Grossi, until then Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Argentina to Vienna, was elected as his successor in December. In his inaugural address the new Director General reflected on the developments the IAEA has seen in recent years, highlighting that alongside promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the Agency has placed an increasingly important focus on nuclear safety and preventing the mis- use of fissile material. In the context of its project Renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories (ReNuAL), the IAEA has since 2014 modernised and updated its laboratories in Seibersdorf in order to be able to meet its members’ growing demand for scientific services. The initiative, which has been continued since 2017 under the acronym “ReNuAL Plus” (ReNuAL+), has been supported by a number of states, including Austria. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) is a central challenge for the IAEA. A year after the USA’s unilateral withdrawal from the agreement, Iran started in May to gradually fail to comply with the obligations laid down in the plan. Consequently, the IAEA’s verification and monitoring activities as well as the related quarterly reports from the Director General assessing the degree of Iran’s

122 Austria as Host Country to International Organisations compliance and implementation of the JCPoA were matters of increasing importance and were often addressed in the IAEA bodies’ meetings.

2.5.2 Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) The Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Orga- nization (CTBTO) has been active in Vienna since 1997. Since 2013, the CTBTO has been headed by Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo (Burkina Faso). The development of the CTBTO’s International Monitoring System, based on high-tech solutions for seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide measurements, has made further progress. To date, the Treaty has been signed by 184 states and ratified by 168. The Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has, however, not yet entered into force as it has not been ratified by eight (Egypt, China, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and USA) of the 44 Key States listed in Annex 2. In June, the new permanent CTBTO Technology Support and Training (TeST) Cen- tre was officially opened in Seibersdorf. Primarily used as a storage and maintenance facility for the equipment of the On-site Inspections department, the TeST also houses state-of-the-art training facilities and a media centre to be used by the entire organisation.

2.5.3 United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) The 18th session of the General Conference was held in Abu Dhabi from 3 to 7 November. This was the fourth time that the conference has not been held at its headquarters. The Minister of Energy and Industry of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail Al Mazrouei, was elected as President of this year’s session. The Gen- eral Conference adopted the Abu Dhabi Declaration and eight other resolutions, including on “Small Island Development States”, “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”, and on “Energy and Environment”. Austria supported a total of five resolutions by co-sponsoring them. After long and tough negotiations in the lead-up to the session, the General Con- ference, as the organisation’s most important decision-making body, adopted the biennium budget 2020–2021. Discussions focused mainly on the share of and the payment mechanism for UNIDO contributions to the UNDS reform. Another topic on the General Conference’s agenda was the election of the external auditor for the next two years, with the Russian candidate prevailing over four originally nominated candidates. Austria’s project-related cooperation with UNIDO focuses on the one hand on job creation and the promotion of women and young people, especially in regions that are subject to high migratory pressure, and on the other hand on sustainable energy production, for instance by supporting a number of 123 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement renewable energy and energy efficiency centres in a range of geographic regions and by hosting the biennial Vienna Energy Forum.

2.5.4 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) As the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) is based in Vienna, the city has become an important venue for substantive discussions on international drug matters and the fight against corruption and crime. In this context, the main governing bodies are the two ECOSOC subcommittees, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Crimi- nal Justice (CCPCJ), which also meet in Vienna. Since 2000, Austria has been a member of the CND. As the host country, Austria contributes actively to both the CND and the CCPCJ – in 2019 also by assuming the vice-chair in the commission. Within the UN system, UNODC plays a key role in the fight against organised crime, illegal drug trafficking, HIV/AIDS, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking and terrorism. In cooperation with other UN organisations such as the WHO, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) or the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), UNODC also assumes a central coordinating role on drug issues. In the field of anti-corruption, UNODC has – in collaboration with UNDP and the UN Secretariat – assumed a leading role in the elaboration of a joint UN position on corruption. Furthermore, UNODC is also responsible for programme and project planning and implementation, as well as for providing technical assistance to states in the implementation of the UN conventions on drugs, organised crime, corruption and terrorism. The beginning of the year was mainly marked by the 62nd session of the CND (14–22 March). Although the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration, which serves as a new UN policy document on drugs (after 2009, 2014 and 2016) proved to be a major challenge, it strengthens the role of UNODC as the central coordination platform for multilateral drug policies. The session was attended by some 2,400 participants including Bolivian President Evo Morales, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Federal Minister Herbert Kickl. The high-level opening ceremony of the 28th session of the CCPCJ, held from 20 to 24 May, was attended by Federal Minister Josef Moser. Although the topic of cybercrime again featured prominently on the agenda of the 28th session of the CCPCJ, other topics addressed and resolutions adopted in the course of the meeting dealt with terrorism, sexual exploitation and human trafficking. In her speech at the high-level panel meeting marking the launch of the UNODC Education for Justice initiative on 7 October, Federal Minister Iris Rauskala focused on the importance of education in crime prevention.

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The 8th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was held in Abu Dhabi from 16 to 20 December and set the course for the UNGA Special Session on Corruption in April 2021. Under the second cycle of the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Austria is currently undergoing a country review and is participating as reviewing State party in the country review of Sudan. Austria has continued to provide voluntary contributions to the funding of several international projects and programmes on drug control and on combating crime and human trafficking.

2.5.5 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Founded in 1960, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has been based in Vienna since 1965. Following Qatar’s withdrawal at the beginning of the year, the organisation currently has 14 Member Countries. Today, OPEC Member Countries together produce around 40 % of the world’s oil production and hold some 80 % of the world’s oil reserves, which are mainly located in the Middle East. The objective pursued by OPEC is to coordinate its Member Countries’ petroleum policies in order to ensure the stabilisation of oil markets. In response to a massive oil price shock in 2017, OPEC members signed a “Dec- laration of Cooperation” with eleven non-OPEC oil producing countries (including Russia). In this declaration, the “OPEC Plus” members commit themselves to coordinating their oil production volumes in order to stabilise the global oil markets through voluntary production adjustments. Collaboration under this format has been further deepened and institutionalised, including through the adoption of a “Charter of Cooperation”, a high-level voluntary commitment to ensure continued proactive dialogue between member countries at both ministerial and technical level. Another OPEC body that is also based in Vienna is the OPEC Fund for Interna- tional Development (OFID). This multilateral development finance institution was established in 1976 and seeks to strengthen financial cooperation between OPEC countries and developing countries by providing financial aid. OFID currently finances projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America and is cooperating with the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) on a project aimed at facilitating the transition to sustainable energy supply in South and East Africa. On 9 October, a Protocol to the OFID’s Headquarters Agreement was signed by Federal Min- ister Alexander Schallenberg and OFID Director-General Abdulhamid Alkhalifa. OPEC and OFID have contributed to the work of the Vienna Energy Club, a platform of Vienna-based organisations dealing with international energy issues.

125 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement 2.6 Human Rights The priorities of Austria’s human rights policy include freedom of religion or belief, with a special focus on the protection of religious minorities, the promotion of the rights of the child as well as protecting children against violence and exploitation, women’s rights, freedom of the media and the safety of journalists, the strengthening of the human rights of particularly vulnerable persons and groups, such as minorities, and strengthening the rule of law in international relations and at national level, the fight against impunity, as well as the implementation and dissemination of international humanitarian law. Austria furthermore strongly and consistently advocates the abolition of the death penalty. Austria was elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the period 2019 to 2021, enabling it to launch concrete initiatives. In this spirit, Austria advocated its human rights priorities in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), raised them in bilateral talks and made corresponding recommendations at the meetings of the Working Group on the Universal Peri- odic Review (UPR).

2.6.1 Priorities Freedom of Religion or Belief and Protection of Religious Minorities

At the multilateral level, Austria, together with the other EU Member States, introduced resolutions on freedom of religion or belief in the UNGA and in the UNHRC and supported the resolutions introduced by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Thus Austria contributed, inter alia, to the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Austria also regularly addresses the difficult situation of religious minorities in the country debates of the UNHRC. This approach is also in line with the increasing focus the European Union’s (EU) has placed on this topic. At the EU level, the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief, which are based on an Austrian initiative and were adopted by the Council in 2013, define the priorities for implementation in the individual countries. Austria is a member of the dedicated Task Force, set up within the EU to address this issue, and specifically advocates maintaining a focus on religious minorities, inter-religious dialogue and the improvement of the related flow of communication within the EU. Austria took part in the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, hosted by the US State Department in Washington from 16 to 18 July, and in the meetings of the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief that are coordinated by Canada and convened, inter alia, in Washington and New York.

126 Human Rights

Rights of the Child At the 74th UNGA, Austria again supported the resolution on the rights of the child introduced by the EU and the Group of Latin American States, focusing this year on the priority topic of “Children without Parental Care”. Introduced in the 40th HRC, the annual joint resolution sponsored by the EU and the Group of Latin American States was dedicated to the topic “Children with Disabilities”. In light of the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a separate resolution was adopted inviting the President of the HRC to hold a panel debate at the 43rd UNHRC in March 2020. In the context of the 41st session of the HRC, the Permanent Representation of Austria to Geneva organised a side event on the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty involving the UN-appointed expert Manfred Nowak. In addition, Austria supported side events on internally displaced children and an event on child victims of human trafficking. On 27 May, Austria, together with Romania, holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, organised an event in Geneva celebrating the 30th anniversary of the CRC. The session was dedicated to the topic of “Child’s Rights in the Digital Age” and was attended by the Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Austrian expert Renate Winter who also addressed the meeting. Austria also contributed actively to an international conference held in Geneva in November to mark the 30th anniversary of the CRC, and co-organised the thematic discussion on juvenile justice together with Mexico and civil society organizations. Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) also promotes the rights of the child, based on a targeted two-level approach. In implementing the human rights approach, ADC on the one hand takes special account of the needs and rights of children in all activities, including political dialogue. On the other hand, ADC promotes specific projects and programmes that are specifically tailored towards protecting and promoting the rights of children. In addition, there are projects aimed at improving the living conditions of children with disabilities in Ethio- pia, Syria and Jordan, supporting refugee children and their host communities in Burkina Faso, and improving the living conditions and social inclusion of Roma children in the Western Balkans, as well as projects carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Austria took part in the third international conference on Safe Schools hosted by Spain in Palma de Mallorca in May. The conference dealt with the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, which Austria has supported from the outset, and discussed the need to better protect children, teachers and educational institutions during conflicts.

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Women’s Rights Austria contributed actively to the 63rd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women as well as to the open debates of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on women, peace and security (WPS) and conflict-related sexual violence in April and October. In the negotiations held both at the UNGA and in the UNHRC, Austria, together with other states, expressed its opposition against any dilution of international standards on women’s rights, including, for instance, on sexual and reproductive rights, and advocated maintaining the existing consensus. In the context of the 74th UNGA, Austria contributed to the negotiations of the resolutions on improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas and on the situation of girls in general. Under the heading of “365 Days of Action, Investing in Women Peacebuilders and Humanitarian Responders”, Austria organised a side event on the topic of “Women, Peace, Security” in cooperation with the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), UN Women and the Permanent Missions of Canada and of Norway. In the context of the sessions held by the UNHRC, Austria also contributed to the negotiations on the resolutions on ending violence and discrimination against women, child and forced marriages and maternal mortality as well as on equal pay for equal work. Austria also supported the extension of the mandates of the Working on Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls and of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. At an event on “Women, Peace, Security” organised by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and supported by Austria, the measures taken in Austria towards implementing resolution 1325 were presented. On 10 July, Austria presented its ninth periodic report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in Geneva and answered questions from Committee members. The delegation led by the head of the legal department included high-level representatives of all ministries concerned. The Committee’s final observations and recommendations were forwarded to Austria and are being reviewed with regard to their implementation by the relevant federal ministries. At EU level, more specifically in theEU High Level Task Force on the implementation of resolution 1325, the EU Strategy adopted under the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union was completed by an EU Action Plan, adopted in July. The 10th Implementation Report on the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSC resolution 1325 was adopted by the Federal Govern- ment on 16 October and subsequently submitted to Parliament. In addition to a voluntary contribution to the core budget of UN Women, Aus- tria also contributed to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and 128 Human Rights to a project to end impunity for sexual and gender-based violence in Syria and Yemen. In the context of the “Orange the world” campaign from 25 November to 10 December, it was possible to reach out to a wider audience and raise awareness about the importance of combating violence against women. By way of, inter alia, social media activities, the campaign that was facilitated by a large number of Austrian representations abroad also enabled attention to be drawn to organisations and services offering help, support and assistance to those affected. Gender equality, the empowerment of women and the protection and promotion of their rights are also among the declared objectives pursued by ADC. Apart from taking special account of the needs and rights of women and men with respect to all activities, specific projects and programmes to strengthen the rights and participation of women and girls were supported. In Ethiopia for instance, the projects supported by ADC focus on strengthening sexual and reproductive health and rights, and on combating female genital mutilation. In Uganda, support is provided for projects aimed at facilitating fairer access to justice for women and girls. In South East Europe, the focus is on the implementation of gender-respon- sive budgeting, in Albania on the expansion of the women’s emergency hotline. In East and West Africa as well as in the Caucasus region, the projects supported are aimed at implementing resolution 1325. Austria also contributed two million euros earmarked for Uganda to the UN Women, Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), which is the only global funding mechanism dedicated exclusively to promoting the participation and involvement of women in peace-building and humanitarian activities. The WPHF supports women’s organisations in selected countries in the implementation of UNSC resolution 1325. The Working Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, composed of civil society actors and Austrian Development Agency (ADA) staff, has taken up its work aimed at strengthening related ADC exchange and capacities in this field.

Freedom of the Media and Safety of Journalists As a member of the core group, Austria played a decisive role in the negotiations on the resolution on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity in the context of the 74th UNGA. The resolution puts a stronger focus on gender aspects, prevention, the establishment of independent review mechanisms and the online sphere. On 14 November, Austria, together with the International Press Institute and the representations of Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece, organised a side event on the safety of journalists. Austria also supported two side events on this topic at the 40th UNHRC in Geneva. At the level of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza- tion (UNESCO), Austria organised several information and coordination meetings of the Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists at ambassadors’ level

129 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement in March, April and September. Within the framework of the 206th session of the Executive Board in April, Austria successfully coordinated the adoption of the decision on the Director General’s progress report on the UN Plan of Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists. The Executive Board called on Member States and UNESCO to continue implementation and invited the Director General to prioritise activities addressing the specific threats faced by women journalists online and offline. On the initiative of and led by Austria, members of the Group of Friends organized the conference “Standing Up against Online Harassment of Women Journalists – What works?” on 18 June. The event brought together over 200 representatives of Member States, journalists and legal experts to explore new ways of improving the safety of journalists. Using the hashtags #Journalist- sToo and #JournoSafe, an awareness-raising social media campaign was launched in cooperation with UNESCO. On the initiative of the Permanent Representation of Austria to UNESCO, ambassadors and delegates of the Group of Friends members supported the UNESCO #KeepTruthAlive campaign to draw attention to the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Austria has actively contributed to the activities launched by the Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists, established within the framework of the Organiza- tion for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The group seeks to primarily facilitate the exchange of information and to promote joint initiatives as well as to cooperate closely with Vienna-based organisations dealing with the topic. On 10 and 11 July, the United Kingdom hosted a Conference for Media Freedom in London to mark the launch of the Media Freedom Coalition. Austria joined this coalition signing the Global Pledge on Media Freedom, which aims to strengthen international cooperation on media freedom and safety of journalists. Switzerland became the 31st member of the “Freedom Online Coalition”. This coalition, which Austria had joined upon its establishment at the initiative of the Netherlands in December 2011, is an informal association of states that promotes freedom of expression on the Internet worldwide. In May, the coalition published a Joint Statement on Defending Civic Space Online.

Protection of Minorities At the 74th UN General Assembly, Austria introduced a resolution on the rights of stateless persons belonging to minorities thus referring to the recommendations of the 11th session of UN Forum on Minority Issues. Initiated and supported by Austria, this Geneva-based forum is a platform for dialogue on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to Minorities, which focuses on bringing together and promoting the contribution of civil society and minority representatives from all over the world. In this resolution, the UNGA urges states to implement concrete measures to prevent statelessness and improve the situation of stateless minorities.

130 Human Rights

Meeting in Geneva on 28 and 29 November, the twelfth session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues was convened on the theme of “Education, Language and the Human Rights of Minorities”. The meeting was very well attended and brought together some 500 participants (representing governments, minorities, NGOs, national human rights institutions, UN agencies and regional organisations). The topic of education, language and minority rights was discussed in four thematic units: human rights and minority language education; public policy objectives for education in, and the teaching of, minority languages; effective practices for education in, and the teaching of, minority languages; and language, education and the empowerment of minority women and girls. Discussions focused on the relevance of multilingualism and education in as well as teaching of mother-tongue from pre-school onwards. The meeting was preceded by three regional minority fora held on the initiative of the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fer- nand de Varennes. Austria contributed actively to the work of the Forum and in cooperation with the NGO Minority Rights Group International (MRG) organised a discussion event on “Linguistic Minorities and Education in situations of conflict and displacement”. As the Minority Forum continues to be clearly associated with Austria, it offered a further opportunity to raise Austria’s profile within the UNHRC. Within the EU context, major importance is attached to the protection and integration of Roma. This is also highlighted by the review of the implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategies by 2020. Austria works consistently on the implementation of its National Roma Integration Strategy and regularly reports to the European Commission on progress made. The National Contact Point at the Federal Chancellery is responsible for the related reporting and also reviews implementation of the national concepts for the inclusion of Roma in Austria. It additionally organises regular meetings of the Roma Dialogue Platform on specific topics related to the inclusion of Roma. Austria cooperates closely with the Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms, which are governed by the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. In the course of stocktaking on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of these two instruments, the monitoring arrangements of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities were subjected to a revision and updating process to which Austria made a proactive contribution. The aim was to improve and strengthen the monitoring procedures, which were increasingly affected by delays and controversies. An important new element introduced to the Framework Convention is a mechanism that facilitates a swifter response on such issues. On 14 October, a roundtable on the implementation of the Euro- pean Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in Austria was held in Vienna involving representatives from the Council of Europe and relevant actors from the federal and province levels.

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Human Rights Education Human rights education aims to share knowledge and information on human rights and to develop an understanding of the importance of respecting, protecting and actively implementing human rights in one’s own community. Based on this comprehensive and informed understanding, awareness of human rights shall thus be sustainably strengthened and implemented in society. The “Understanding Human Rights” manual, published by the European Training and Research Centre for Democracy and Human Rights – ETC Graz, has enabled Austria to provide an important tool that is used worldwide in meeting this goal. The manual has already been translated into 17 languages and is used successfully by numerous countries and regions in their respective training and education programmes. The action plan for the fourth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, (2020–2024) was adopted by consensus at the 42nd session of the UNHRC in September. It contains concrete measures to be taken by UN Member States in implementing the fourth phase, placing a special focus on youth. Austria co-sponsored the related resolution.

Combating Capital Punishment For Austria, the relevant efforts by the UN, the establishment of the World Coa- lition against the Death Penalty, and the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty are key instruments in combating capital punishment. Building on a joint initiative launched by the EU, Argentina and Mongolia, the UNGA adopted a resolution in June on controlling trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The resolution instructed a group of experts to examine the feasibility of a legally binding international instrument, based on a report by the UNGS. The Global Alli- ance to end trade in goods used for capital punishment and torture comprises 62 states. In addition, the general ban on sentencing persons to the death penalty who were not yet 18 years of age at the time they committed the crime was reaffirmed in the Austrian initiative for a resolution introduced at the 42nd UNHRC on human rights in the judiciary and the administration of justice. In the UPRs conducted by the UNHRC to review the UN Member States’ human rights records, Austria made recommendations on the abolition of the death penalty to the states of Yemen, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Egypt and Kazakhstan. Austria also supported the resolution on the question of the death penalty in the 42nd UNHRC, which focused this year on the issue of the reintroduction of the death penalty. Austria raises the topic of the death penalty regularly in bilateral contacts with states that use capital punishment. Austria supports EU interventions and

132 Human Rights démarches, in particular with respect to unfair trials, minor offences, pregnant women, people suffering from mental health problems or juvenile offenders. In numerous individual cases, Austria intervenes or supports EU démarches in third countries. In immanent individual cases under time pressure, the issue is often raised directly with the embassies in Vienna. The MFA also cooperates closely with local and international civil society organisations that advocate the abolition of the death penalty. In this spirit, the MFA was also represented at the 7th World Congress against the Death Penalty in Brussels. The Committee of Ministers Deputies of the Council of Europe (CoE) adopted two declarations on executions in Belarus. On the International Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October, the Secretary General of the CoE and the EU High Rep- resentative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy again issued a joint statement.

Prevention of Human Trafficking Austria is affected by human trafficking both as a transit and destination country. Cases of human trafficking in Austria predominantly involve human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, but there have also been cases of exploitative labour conditions and child trafficking. At the national level, efforts towards combating human trafficking are coordinated by the Task Force on Human Trafficking based on National Action Plans. In 2018, the head of the Consular Department, Ambassador Petra Schneebauer, was appointed National Coordinator on Combating Human Trafficking and Chair- person of the Task Force. The Task Force is responsible for drawing up National Action Plans on combating human trafficking and monitors their implementation. The fifth Austrian National Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking (2018– 2020) is currently being implemented. The action plans pursue a comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking and include measures aimed at national coordination, prevention, victim protection, law enforcement and international cooperation. All relevant public and government institutions, the federal provinces, social partners and non-governmental organisations cooperate closely within the Task Force. In order to be able to also address and focus in detail on such complex issues as child trafficking, prostitution and labour exploitation, the Task Force has set up separate working groups on these topics that are led by the respective ministries. With a view to raising awareness of the topic among the general public, the Task Force organises a major annual public event marking the EU Anti-Trafficking Day (18 October). This year’s conference was held at the ”Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies” on 16 October and dealt with the topic of “Technology and combating human trafficking – chance or challenge?”. Austria is party to all international legal instruments on combating human trafficking, including in particular the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Traf-

133 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement ficking in Persons, especially Women and Children supplementing the UN Con- vention against Transnational Organised Crime (2005) and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (2006). On 12 Sep- tember, Austria handed over the instrument of ratification for the Protocol to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention (2014) on Forced Labour (1930); Recommendation (No 203) to ILO Director-General Guy Ryder, making it the 39th country to ratify the Protocol. Austria has continued its intensive cooperation with international organisations such as the UNODC, the OSCE, the CoE and the International Centre for Migra- tion Policy Development (ICMPD). The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings(GRETA) performed a comprehensive review of Austria, and the report on Austria by the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings was published. Austria continues to support UNODC projects aimed at preventing human trafficking and protecting vulnerable people already in potential victims’ countries of origin, for instance in the Arab region. Further OSCE projects supported by Aus- tria focused on combating human trafficking along migration routes. With a view to increasing the protection of private domestic staff of diplomats or international officials accredited to Austria and to preventing potential labour exploitation, the MFA has for some years now launched regular prevention and control activities in cooperation with victim protection institutions. At international level, Austria has assumed a leading role in the related efforts. In this context, the MFA and the Federal Criminal Police Office jointly organised a training course for private domestic staff of diplomats or international officials accredited to Austria held on 22 November.

2.6.2 Human Rights in the United Nations

2.6.2.1 Membership in the Human Rights Council Austria is a member of the UNHRC for the period from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, Permanent Repre- sentative of Austria to the United Nations Office at Geneva, was elected by the UNHRC on 6 December to serve as its President for a one-year term beginning on 1 January 2020. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger is thus the second woman to be endorsed in this position. The 40th session of the UNHRC (25 February to 22 March) was the first meeting in which Austria took part as a member. In line with its priorities, Austria contributed to numerous interactive dialogues and debates, inter alia on freedom of religion or belief, children with disabilities, human rights defenders, torture and minorities. Through their joint statement on new and emerging digital technologies and human rights that was endorsed by 64 further states, Aus-

134 Human Rights tria, together with Denmark, Korea and Singapore, provided an initial impetus for further treatment of this issue by the UN Human Rights Council. A statement on Cameroon prepared by Austria together with the United Kingdom was endorsed by 39 states. This statement not only contributed to initiating a constructive dialogue, which also highlighted the serious concerns held by a number of African states about the situation in Cameroon, but also provided important support for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who set out for Cameroon soon afterwards. A new initiative for resolution mandated the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with enhancing monitoring of the human rights situation in Nic- aragua. The EU again expressed its opposition to the bias regarding the situation of Israel. In a separate explanation of vote, Austria rejected the unbalanced con- demnation of Israel in the proposed resolution initiative on ensuring accountability and justice for ongoing violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. Austria voted in favour of adopting the resolutions on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Further country resolutions were adopted on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Georgia, Iran, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, South Sudan and Syria. Thematic resolutions supported by Austria focused, inter alia, on freedom of religion or belief and the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the right to food, recognizing the contribution of environmental human rights defenders to the enjoyment of human rights, environmental protection and sustainable development, the rule of law, economic, social and cultural rights, and on the rights of children with disabilities. Austria also supported two side events on the priority topic of safety of journalists. With regard to the implementation of women’s rights, the Permanent Representative of Austria presented the measures taken by Austria towards implementing resolution 1325 at an event hosted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on “Women, Peace, Security” and supported by Austria. Addressing the 41st session of the UNHRC (26 June to 12 July), Federal Minis- ter Alexander Schallenberg emphasised Austria’s commitment to the worldwide protection and the universality of human rights, stressing the need for effective multilateralism in times of global challenges. Austria endorsed a joint letter from 22 states calling on China to grant the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteurs access to Xinjiang and to guarantee human rights in accordance with its international obligations. Furthermore, Austria, together with Australia, Belgium, Ger- many, France and the Netherlands, was a main sponsor of the initiative for a resolution to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea. Coun-

135 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement try resolutions co-sponsored by Austria included the EU initiative on the human rights situation in Belarus by which the mandate of the Special Rapporteur was extended for another year. Furthermore, Austria co-sponsored initiatives for a resolution on the human rights situation in Syria and the Philippines, on which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was requested to prepare a comprehensive report. The resolution negotiated by Austria together with Honduras and Uganda on the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons was endorsed by more than 120 states. The resolution empha- sises the interaction between climate change, disasters and internal displacement and addresses the reform of the UN development system. Together with Argentina, Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia, Morocco, Poland and the United Kingdom, Austria furthermore negotiated the resolution on the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights. In addition and together with Brazil, Denmark, Korea, Morocco and Singapore, Austria introduced the initiative for a resolution on new and emerging digital technologies and human rights. A particularly controversial topic was the extension of the mandate of the Independ- ent Expert on Protection against Violence and Discrimination based on Sex- ual Orientation and Gender Identity, which was supported by Austria together with the large majority of EU Member States in the vote. Furthermore, Austria supported the extension of the mandate of the Working Group on Discrimina- tion against Women and Girls and the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. Austria supported an event organised by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights on the prevention of torture. The problem of trafficking in women and girls was discussed at a side event organised by the Permanent Representa- tion together with UN Women and the Committee of Experts set up within the framework of CEDAW. The Permanent Representation also organised side events on the right to privacy. At its 42nd session (9–27 September), the UN Human Rights Council adopted an EU initiative for a resolution on Myanmar, which welcomed the first report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar. The resolution reaffirms the accountability of those responsible for serious human rights violations. The resolutions on the mandate extensions of the Independent Experts on Somalia, Sudan and the Central African Republic were also co-sponsored by Austria. Other country resolutions co-sponsored by Austria concerned the human rights situations in Burundi, Yemen and Syria. The UNHRC established a fact-finding mission to investigate serious human rights violations in Venezuela. Austria undertook the drafting of a resolution on human rights in the administration of justice with a focus on violence, custodial deaths and serious injuries in situations of deprivation of liberty. The resolution contains a reference to the

136 Human Rights recent recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years of age. In the resolution, the UN Human Rights Council also refers for the first time by consensus to the principle of reversal of the burden of proof in cases of death and serious injury in custody. It was co-sponsored by 56 states from all regions of the world. Together with Brazil, Germany, Liechtenstein and Mexico, Austria also drafted a resolution on the right to privacy in the digital age, which received the support of 63 states. The resolution underlines that the use, deployment and further development of new and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can impact the enjoyment of human rights and mandated the Advisory Commit- tee of the UN Human Rights Council with preparing an analysis on this complex of issues. Other thematic resolutions supported by Austria related to modern forms of slavery, the death penalty and human rights in the context of combating terrorism. During the 42nd session, Austria organised side events on the topics of violence in the situations of detention and the rights of elderly persons. In December, the UNHRC also adopted a President’s Statement on the Coun- cil’s long-term efficiency processaimed at enhancing the organisation’s working methods. Through this action, the Council approved a series of measures to streamline its work given its expanding agenda, while preserving its essential mandate to promote and protect human rights throughout the world. Thanks to savings and redeployment, it was possible to avoid potential reductions in meeting times, which would in particular have affected UN expert bodies. At the meetings of the UPR working group, Austria made concrete recommendations on Afghanistan, Chile, Eritrea, Yemen, Cambodia, North Macedonia, Slo- vakia and Vietnam (32nd session in January); on Albania, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Bru- nei-Darussalam, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic People’s Repub- lic of Korea, Qatar, Nicaragua and Portugal (33rd session in May); and on Egypt, Angola, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, El Salvador, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan and Slovenia (34th session in November). In this context, the individual recommendations referred especially to the respective priorities.

Human Rights in the United Nations General Assembly In the Third Committee of the 74th UN General Assembly, 62 resolutions on human rights and social issues were dealt with. Overall, it was possible to reduce the number of votes (19) taken on resolutions compared to the previous year. Austria introduced a resolution on the protection of the rights of minorities, which was co-sponsored by 67 states from all regions and adopted by consensus. In this resolution, the UNGA deals with the problem that statelessness often affects persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and recommends a number of measures that states should take to improve the difficult situation of stateless persons belonging to minorities. In this respect, the UNGA also welcomed the holding of regional minority forums, which were

137 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement launched this year by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues. In addition, Austria as a member of the core group introduced a resolution on the safety of journalists. The resolution was adopted by consensus and co-sponsored by more than 100 states from all regions. This year, the resolution focused increasingly on gender aspects, prevention, the establishment of independent investigation mechanisms and the online sphere. As regards further resolutions, the adoption of the traditional EU initiatives on the human rights situation in the DPR of Korea and on freedom of religion or belief can be considered a success. In addition, and in cooperation with the Organisa- tion for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the EU was able to facilitate the adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar, condemning the displacement of the Rohingya minority and the associated human rights violations. Like- wise, the votes taken on the resolutions on the human rights situation in Iran, in Syria (including a new reference to the humanitarian crisis in north-east Syria) and in Ukraine (Crimea) were also successful. By a large majority, the EU was able to achieve full financing from the ordinary UN budget of the “International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism” (IIIM) established by the UNGA in 2016. The IIIM collects and analyses information and evidence such as testimonies of victims, witnesses and other documents relating to the most serious international crimes committed in Syria with a view to assisting criminal proceedings by making them available to the International Criminal Court, a special tribunal or national courts for possible prosecution. Austria also welcomed the adoption of resolutions on the rights of people with disabilities and on the protection of human rights defenders. The resolution on the rights of the child, initiated by the EU and the Group of Latin Ameri- can States, which focused this year on “children deprived of parental care”, was adopted by consensus after two motions for amendments had been rejected. The negotiations on a resolution on contemporary forms of racism and glorification of Nazism and/or Neo-Nazism, initiated by Russia, resulted in only minor changes to the text as compared to previous years. The EU Member States thus again jointly abstained from voting on this initiative. In an explanation of vote, the EU condemned all crimes committed during the Nazi regime, especially the Holocaust, in the strongest possible terms and called for effective measures towards fighting neo-Nazism in all its forms. In addition, the Third Committee again adopted several resolutions on strengthening the rights of women, including on the protection of women migrant workers against violence, and on the improvement of the situation of women and girls in rural areas. Although some of the negotiations were controversial, particularly with regard to sexual and reproductive health, the resolutions were eventually adopted by consensus. Based on agreed EU positions, Austria took over the role of EU chief negotiator on three resolutions and due to its active support of the EU initiatives for a resolution contributed to their successful adoption. By introducing the resolutions on

138 Human Rights human rights of minorities and the safety of journalists, Austria also highlighted its national priorities and was also able to raise its international profile. The resolution projects relating to its position as host state, such as the initiative for a resolution on preparing a UN Convention on Cybercrime, but also resolutions on the global drug problem, organised crime and human trafficking were actively pursued by Austria, also promoting national and European interests in this context. Austria contributed proactively to the negotiations on the resolutions on the rights of the child, focusing in this respect on the recent UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty. In addition to the respective statements by the EU, Austria also held five national statements on the topic of social development (presented by the Austrian Youth Delegate) and in the interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteurs on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, on Minority Issues and with the Independent Expert leading the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty. Joining 22 other states, Austria also endorsed a joint statement on the situation of the Uighur minority in China. Together with partner organisations and further UN Member States, Austria organised two side events – one on youth participation in national and international climate action, and the other on the safety of journalists.

2.6.3 Human Rights in the European Union Pursuant to Article 21 TEU, the objectives of the EU’s Common Foreign and Secu- rity Policy (CFSP) include the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, as well as the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Issues related to human rights policy within the EU are dealt with by the Council Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens’ Rights and Free Move- ment of Persons (FREMP). On 10 an 11 September, the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union organised a Presidency Conference in Helsinki on the interaction between democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The EU’s uniform approach in the field of human rights has come under pressure within the Council Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) that deals with all human rights aspects of the EU’s external relations, as Member States held partly differing views, inter alia, on issues relating to the EU’s human rights policy towards third countries. Austria continued its commitment towards achieving better integration of human rights in all EU policy areas in order to ensure a consistent EU human rights policy both inside and outside of the EU. Regarding the EU’s positions in UN human rights fora, both the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan for UN fora at the sessions of the UNHRC as well as the EU Strategic Action Plan for the 74th session of the UNGA were updated. Furthermore, the topics to be addressed by the resolution on the rights of the child sponsored by the EU and the Latin American and Caribbean Group in 2020

139 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement were selected, and preparations for the EU position for the 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women 2020 were commenced. In the area of business and human rights, agreement was reached on a common EU approach with regard to the 5th meeting of the intergovernmental working group on the development of an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and human rights, which met in Geneva in October 2019. Following a Presidency conference on 2 December, the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU proposed a European “Agenda for Action” on business and human rights. The EU Strategy and the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for the period 2015–2019 continued to be implemented as a priority in order to further strengthen the effectiveness and coherence of the EU as a global power for the promotion of human rights. The focus is on establishing coherent links between human rights and other EU foreign policy areas, such as trade, the fight against terrorism, migration and development cooperation. The concrete measures foreseen in this plan aim at promoting freedom of expression and safety of journalists, strengthening freedom of religion or belief, combatting torture and the death penalty, promoting women’s rights and gender equality, children’s rights, non-discrimination, business and human rights. The start of the new EU Commission’s work was marked by discussions on the Action Plan for the next period. By adopting the Council conclusions on democracy at the October Council meeting, the EU has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting and fostering democracy in external relations. On 1 March, former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ireland, Eamon Gilmore, took up duties as EU Special Representative for Human Rights (EUSR), succeeding Stavros Lambrinidis. He continued the EU’s efforts towards promoting human rights dialogues by paying visits to, inter alia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Eri- trea, Cuba, Myanmar, South Africa, the USA, the African Union (AU) and the international institutions in The Hague. EUSR Gilmore and the Head of the EU Funda mental Rights Agency, Michael O’Flaherty, were guests at a public discussion event organised on 10 December by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights and supported by the MFA and the EU at the House of the European Union in Vienna. Identifying priority areas, the EU Guidelines on Human Rights are designed to enable players at EU level and EU Member States to support enhanced protection of human rights with regard to third countries in a more coordinated and coherent manner. Each of these guidelines comprises a catalogue of concrete measures for the EU’s permanent commitment to third countries on individual human rights issues such as combating the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the protection and promotion of the rights of the child, human rights dialogues with third countries, the protection of children in armed conflict, the protection and promotion of human rights defenders, combating violence against women, international humanitarian law, the human rights

140 Human Rights of LGBTIQ persons, freedom of religion or belief, and the protection of freedom of expression online and offline. The guidelines against torture were revised and updated, and new guidelines on non-discrimination in external action, as well as guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation were adopted. Austria advocates the full implementation and further development of the EU Guidelines. The main responsibility for implementing concrete projects and programmes in the field of EU human rights policy lies mainly with the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). The European Commission is responsible for implementing the work of the EIDHR and is guided and supported in managing this task by the Committee on Democracy and Human Rights. A concrete contribution to strengthening democracy at global level is being made by the EU Elec- tion Monitoring Missions, which have been conducted since 2000. A total of 22 Austrians have been selected to participate as long-term and short-term observers in the eight missions to El Salvador, Nigeria, Senegal, Malawi, Tunisia, Kosovo, Mozambique and Sri Lanka in 2019. Compared with other EU Member States, Austria thus again assumes a very prominent role in this context. The Vienna-based European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides advice to the bodies and institutions of the EU and its Member States. From the very beginning, Austria has cooperated closely with the FRA and its Director Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland). The FRA collects information on the fundamental rights situation in the entire EU and based on this information draws up recommendations for improvement. The FRA has increasingly focused on victim protection, legal cooperation, anti-discrimination, the rights of the child, the integration of Roma, migration, asylum, and racism, and has provided the EU Member States with practical advice and reports. In this year’s annual report, the FRA focused especially on the 10th anniversary of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and its application in the EU MS. This topic was also addressed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council at its meeting on 7 October, which reaffirmed the importance of common values for the EU by adopting dedicated Council conclusions.

Structured Human Rights Dialogues The EU applies special Guidelines on Human Rights Dialogues under which it defines different forms of dialogue, i.e. structured human rights dialogues, ad hoc dialogues, dialogues with groups of states and expert meetings with like-minded states in preparation for major human rights events. The EU holds such human rights dialogues with more than 40 states and groups of states. The respective topics, problematic issues and opportunities for cooperation addressed during these dialogues are defined individually on a case-by-case basis. The topics that feature most frequently in these talks include, for instance, minority rights, women’s rights, the death penalty, freedom of religion or belief, democratisation, the rule of law, children’s rights and civil society development. The EU also endeavours to actively involve civil society, for instance by hosting joint preparatory

141 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement meetings in the lead-up to human rights dialogues, which are usually held on an alternating basis in the EU and in the respective partner country. The EU held human rights dialogues and consultations as well as sub-committee meetings with the AU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Chile, China, Georgia, Egypt, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Kazakh- stan, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Cuba, Laos, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tai- wan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and the United States of Amer- ica. The dialogue with Iran has been suspended since 2004. The possibility of a resumption is, however, being examined in exploratory talks. No dialogue has been scheduled with Russia.

2.6.4 Human Rights in the Council of Europe The Council of Europe’s human rights protection system is based on the Euro- pean Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the legally binding effects of the judgments passed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Launched in 2010, the Interlaken Process aimed at strengthening the ECHR system and its long-term effectiveness, was concluded. Further steps taken in the context of this process were the conferences held in Izmir, Brighton, Brussels and most recently in Copenhagen. Together with Protocol No. 14 to the ECHR, this process has enabled important steps to be taken towards enhancing sustainability of the ECHR system, which are to be further implemented. In the course of these reforms, it has been possible to substantially reduce the very high number of cases pending before the ECtHR – from originally over 160,000 to approximately 55,000 to 60,000 cases annually in recent years. Since the reform conference held in Brussels in 2015, the focus of the related activities has been on the implementation of ECtHR judgments by the member States. A slight increase in pending cases has, however, been observed. The non-implementation of ECtHR judgments continues to be the subject of controversial debates in the CoE. At the end of 2017, Art. 46 (4) of the ECHR was applied for the first time in the case of Ilgar Mammadov against Azerbaijan. Introduced by Protocol No. 14, it enables the Committee of Ministers to refer the question of whether a state Party has fulfilled its obligation to implement the judgments to the ECtHR. The corresponding decision of the ECtHR in these proceedings was taken on 29 May. As Mammadov had previously been condition- ally released from custody, albeit subject to a number of requirements, the use of this “leverage” may be considered as being somewhat effective. Nevertheless, the ECtHR found that Azerbaijan had failed to fulfil its obligation to comply with the Court’s 2014 judgement. The case is of such significance because of the pre- cedence character it creates with a view to the future application of this article

142 Human Rights should a state Party fail to implement the judgements passed by the ECtHR. Further similar cases involving implementation issues are pending in Russia and Turkey. In the reporting period, the ECtHR concluded a total of eleven cases pending against Austria. in five of these cases a judgement was delivered, in four cases the Court found a violation of the ECHR by Austria. A large number of unfounded cases were decided in single judge formations. The Treaty of Lisbon provides for the EU’s accession to the ECHR, which would enable a review of EU legal acts by the ECtHR with regard to their compatibility with the ECHR, also on the basis of individual complaints. Following its finalisa- tion in April 2013, the draft agreement on the EU’s accession was submitted by the European Commission to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for review. In its opinion, issued on 18 December 2014, the CJEU found that several items in this draft accession agreement were not compatible with Union law, which held up the process for the time being. The topic of accession to the ECHR gained in momentum under the Austrian and the subsequent Presidencies of the Council of the European Union and translated in the joint letter on the resumption of negotiations from Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Vice- President Frans Timmermans to the Secretary General of the CoE on 31 October. The Commissioner for Human Rights of the CoE Dunja Mijatović paid country visits to Hungary, Poland, France, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Her respective reports and statements on country-specific and thematic developments contribute to raising awareness of human rights in the member States. In this context, special emphasis is regularly placed on the protection of human rights defenders. The Austrian members currently represented on the monitoring bodies established by the various Council of Europe conventions and partial agreements concerned with human rights aspects, were Gerald Schöpfer (European Commission against Racism and Intolerance – ECRI), Julia Kozma (European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment – CPT), Julia Planitzer (Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings – GRETA), Rosa Logar (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence – GREVIO), Dieter Halwachs (Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages) and Karin Lukas (Euro- pean Committee of Social Rights – ECSR).

2.6.5 International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is a permanent international court established by the Rome Statute (RS) of 1998. It has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The RS

143 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement stipulated that the ICC shall be based on the principle of complementarity. This means that the Court will only act if the affected states – which are responsible for trying the perpetrators – are either unwilling or unable to carry out the investigation or prosecution of crimes. On 17 March, the withdrawal of the Philippines from the RS took effect. Kiribati became a state Party to the RS on 26 November. Hence, a total of 123 states are still party to the RS. On 4 March, Malaysia had declared its accession to the RS, but withdrew its instrument of ratification on 29 April for domestic political reasons. A total of twelve situations were pending with the ICC: Uganda, DR Congo, Dar- fur/Sudan, Central African Republic I and II, Kenya, Libya, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Georgia, Burundi and Bangladesh/Myanmar (the opening of these investigations was approved by the Pre-Trial Chamber on 14 November). On 15 January, Trial Chamber I acquitted Charles Blé Goudé and Laurent Gbgabo (Ivory Coast), but the Prosecutor filed a notice of appeal against this decision. The Appeals Cham- ber set conditions to be imposed on the two defendants who were released. Bosco Ntaganda (Democratic Republic of Congo) was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity on 8 July and was subsequently sentenced to 30 years imprisonment. In addition, the Prosecutor of the ICC was conducting preliminary examinations into nine situations. On 12 April, the Pre-Trial Chamber rejected the request of the Prosecutor to proceed with investigations on Afghanistan. The judges decided that an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan at this stage would not serve the “interests of justice”. Both the prosecutor and the victims appealed. In March, the USA delivered on last year’s threats and imposed entry restrictions and visa restrictions on individuals who are directly responsible for or who have taken action to request or further any ICC investigation of US personnel. Accord- ing to State Secretary Pompeo, “these visa restrictions may also be used to deter ICC efforts to pursue allied personnel, including Israelis, without allies’ consent”. Since visa restrictions are subject to confidentiality in the USA, no information has been disclosed on the specific individuals affected. On April 5, it became known that Prosecutor Bensouda’s permanent US entry visa had been revoked. Numerous ICC member states, including Austria, responded immediately to the US measures issuing statements expressing strong concerns about the measures taken by the USA. Austria also endorsed a joint statement by 22 foreign ministers coordinated by Liechtenstein on political support for the ICC. The spokesperson of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also published a statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States. Convening in The Hague from 2–6 December, the eighteenth session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Crimi- nal Court, focused on the mandate for an external review of the Court by inde- 144 Climate Protection, Environment and Energy Issues pendent experts to be carried out in 2020, the findings and recommendations of which will be discussed at the next ASP. As early as this year, a resolution on the review of the procedure for the nomination and election of judges was adopted with a view to enhancing the related selection procedures. In addition, on the initiative of Switzerland, supported inter alia by Austria, a resolution on amendments to article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted, whereby intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including wil- fully impeding relief supplies is to be considered an element of war crime in an armed conflict not of an international character. The former Austrian Ambassador to The Hague, Werner Druml, was elected member of the Budget and Finance Committee. In the general debate, Austria reaffirmed its support for the ICC and stated that the attempt to influence an independent trial through political pressure was a violation of the principle of the rule of law. Austria also participated in the organisation of three side events on the criminal prosecution of the most serious crimes of sexual violence, the application of the RS to cyberwarfare and accelerating proceedings before the ICC. Austria again supported the ICC Victim Assistance Trust Fund. Based on the initiative launched by the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2018, the mandate of the new EUSR for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, was strengthened in February in the areas of international humanitarian law and international criminal law. On 5 June, the Austrian Representation in Brussels, together with Romania and Finland, organised a round table discussion with the new EUSR Gilmore, EU Member States, representatives of the ICC, ICRC and civil society organisations to discuss expectations and possibilities for implementing this strengthened mandate. EUSR Gilmore visited the ICC and other international organisations based in The Hague in June and attended the side event organised by the Finnish EU Presidency during the ASP.

2.7 Climate Protection, Environment and Energy Issues

2.7.1 Climate Change and Climate Policy In the context of the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations, UNSG Guterres convened a Climate Action Summit on 23 September. The summit focused in particular on greater commitment to combating climate change and climate financing, targeted reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas, necessary measures to adapt to climate change and the role and special needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Austria was represented by Federal President Alexander van der Bellen and Federal Minister Maria Patek. As an important initial step, Austria contributed 30 million euros to the first replenishment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in October. The fund is one of

145 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement the most important international climate funds and one of several instruments developed to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Following the historic consensus on the Paris Agreement in December 2015 and the adoption of the almost complete Paris Rule Book in Katowice in December 2018, the international climate process dealt with the elaboration of the still missing provisions on market mechanisms (Article 6 of the Paris Agreement). At the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Con- vention on Climate Change (COP25) that met in Madrid from 2 to 13 December, participants were, however, again unable to adopt these rules. But as most of the technically necessary decisions could be taken, the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change can continue as planned. Chaired by the Chilean Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt, COP25 was, however, unable to live up to its motto “Time for Action”, as the topics on its agenda were in essence highly technical. The year to “boost ambition and increase climate action”, as proclaimed by the UNSG at the Climate Action Summit in New York in September, will thus only be able to produce more tangible results at the next climate conference in Glasgow in November 2020. The Austrian negotiation team at the conference was headed by Federal Minister Maria Patek.

2.7.2 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) The Fourth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 11–15 March, with a High-level Segment on 14 to 15 March. The conference was overshadowed by the crash of the Boeing 737-MAX8, and minutes of silence and ceremonies were held to commemorate the victims. The overall theme of this Environment Assembly was “Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production”. The Vienna Office of the United Nations Environment Programme launched the project “Vanishing Treasures”, which seeks to alleviate the impact of climate change on endangered species in Central Asia (snow leopard), Bhutan (royal Ben- gal tiger) and Rwanda/Uganda (mountain gorilla). To some extent the project builds on Austrian know-how, as the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, for instance, will share its expertise on wildlife management. The project is co-financed by Luxembourg.

2.7.3 Global Environmental Protection Agreements and Initiatives The Seventh Session of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Bio- diversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which serves as an interface between research and policy on biodiversity, was held in in Paris from 29 April to 4 May.

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The meeting adopted both the First Intergovernmental Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services as well as a Summary for Policy Makers. The findings of this global assessment will not only constitute a very relevant basis for negotiations at the Conference on Biological Diversity (COP15, to be convened in China in October 2020) on the new post-2020 biodiversity targets, but also provide important input for the new EU Biodiversity Strategy. A new IPBES work programme covering the next 10 years, which includes new assessments on “Biodiversity, Food, Water and Health”, “Transformative Change” and “Biodiversity and Business” was adopted. As input for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a technical paper on biodiversity and climate change will be developed. In August, a working group of the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Nai- robi, Kenya, for discussions on the first elements of anew global post-2020 biodiversity regime. During its two and a half year-term as Presidency of the Alpine Convention, Austria had placed a key focus on sustainable development of the Alps as an area for living, recreation, working and doing business in line with its motto “Protect and Utilise”. Priority topics pursued in this context were soil protection, climate protection and climate change adaptation measures. Based on these principles and meeting in Innsbruck on 4 April, the XVth Alpine Conference adopted, inter alia, the Alpine Climate Target System 2050, which sets out targets for climate- neutral and climate-resilient Alps in 12 sectors. The 7th Report on the State of the Alps addresses the topic of “Natural Hazard Risk Governance” and is the first report to be adopted in all languages of the Alpine countries. Guidelines on Economical Use of Soil, agreed by all Alpine countries, consider spatial planning right from the outset. These elements were incorporated into the Declaration adopted at the XVth Alpine Conference in Innsbruck, which constitutes the politically agreed basis for the coming years. Subsequently, the Alpine Climate Board, chaired by Austria since its inception, has identified implementation paths in order to operationalise theAlpine Cli- mate Target System 2050. The French initiative for a Global Pact for the Environment was discussed in three rounds in Nairobi in the first half of the year. The initiative aims at increasing coherence of international environmental law, which is perceived as fragmented, with a view to strengthening and improving its implementation. The outcome of the related efforts was a UNGA resolution aimed at drawing up apolitical declaration providing recommendations for action by 2022. A global treaty binding under international law is no longer being pursued. The Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions on hazardous chemicals brought some progress towards safe global chemicals and waste management. 147 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement

At the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans- boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, far-reaching decisions were adopted on the issue of plastic waste, more specifically on international trade in plastic waste, on partnerships on domestic and plastic waste, on technical guidelines on various persistent organic pollutants, on transboundary movements of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic equipment, including waste as well as non-waste. At the Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Parties listed two further substances/groups of substances, namely dicofol and perfluorooctanoic acid. The number of banned or restricted substances has thus reached thirty (“dirty thirty”). As a result of the Convention’s practical implementation activities, it was possible to delete all but two of the numerous exemptions granted 10 years ago for the industrial chemical perfluorooctane sulfonic acid. Under the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC), it was possible to subject two further substances to the PIC procedure, namely phorate as a pesticide, and hexabromocyclododecane as an industrial chemical. Although the substances paraquat, fenthion, carbosulfan and chrysotile asbestos had been qualified as eligible for listing by the Chemical Review Committee, the Conference failed to reach a consensus on their listing. The Conference, however, agreed to advocate a strengthening of the Convention’s Chemical Review Com- mittee and to take possible further steps, including closer cooperation with the World Customs Organization or more exchange of information and implementation of a voluntary procedure. The main item on the agenda of the 14th session of the UN Forum on Forests, convened in New York from 6 to 10 May, was the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF), adopted by the UNGA on 27 April 2017. Discussions focused on implementation issues, exchange of experience between member countries, the global Collective Partnership on Forests (CPF) and the Major Groups on climate change, sustainable economic growth and employment, as well as education and reducing inequality. In the context of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the 6th session of the Global Disaster Risk Reduction Platform, held in Geneva from 13 to 16 May, focused on the economic, social and environmental value of unlock- ing the resilience dividend against disasters. The Platform called on the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to expand climate adaptation and resilience measures. The goal is to fully involve the Office in implementing theSus - tainable Development Goals. Meeting in Geneva from 17 to 28 August, the 18th meeting of the Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of

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Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) placed a special focus on tropical timber, marine species and reptiles, whose protection could be improved. All proposals introduced by the EU were adopted. In this context, Austria particularly supported simplifying the rules for trade in musical instruments made of rosewood. The 14th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Con- vention to Combat Desertification (COP14) convened in New Delhi (India) from 2 to 14 September and decided to include the need for fair land tenure as an additional thematic area into the Convention. Thus, it was formally recognised that fair land tenure can create a favourable environment for the restoration of large areas of land, thereby fulfilling one of the core objectives of the Conven- tion, i.e. improving the living conditions for people living in drylands. The issue of drought/aridity, a particular concern for Africa, will become an increasingly important topic on the Convention’s agenda. After the period from 2009 to 2013, Austria was again elected as one of the vice-presidents of the conference for the period 2019 to 2021. As a global policy framework for the sound management of chemicals and waste management is to be adopted at the 5th session of the International Con- ference on Chemicals Management 2020, the third meeting of the Intersessional Process considering the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Manage- ment (SAICM) that met in Bangkok (Thailand) from 1 to 4 October dealt with principles of international chemical safety, better cooperation and coordination among sectors and a stronger focus of the relevant international organisations. Another objective is to ensure that science – alongside UN bodies, non-governmental organisations and industry – plays a greater role (Science Policy Interface). Meeting from 15 to 17 October, the motto of the Budapest Water Summit was “Preventing Water Crises”. The 14th meeting of the Working Group on Integrated Water Resources Man- agement under the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, that convened in Geneva from 22 to 24 October, served to prepare the forthcoming reporting cycle in 2020 and to implement the decisions of the 8th Conference of the Parties in 2018 and to prepare the work programme for the period 2019–2021. The 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was held in Rome from 4 to 8 November. It was marked by the preparations for the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund and negotiations at times reflected the global political situation. Important results achieved in the negotiations included implementation measures for the reduction of climate change-inducing substances (HFCs; partially halogenated fluorohydrocar- bons), as set out in the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Besides, further steps were taken to address the problem of increased emissions of the substance CFC-11 identified last year and attributable to illegal production in

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China. Budget planning for the Protocol’s Trust Fund was streamlined and made more transparent. Under the motto “Make Mercury History”, the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury convened in Geneva from 25 to 29 November. It dealt with implementation issues, the organisational conditions required to ensure the well-functioning of the Convention’s Secretariat and smooth cooperation with the bodies of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. Decisions adopted related to a revision of the annexes on mercury- added products and manufacturing processes involving mercury or mercury com- pounds; on collecting further information on dental amalgam; on the management of mercury-contaminated sites; on mercury waste (especially threshold values); mercury releases and emissions; and on harmonised customs codes for mercury- added products.

2.7.4 Sustainable Energy Vienna is the headquarters of Sustainable Energy For All (SEforALL), a quasi- international organisation (QuiO) recognised by Austria. Founded in 2011 as a global initiative by the then UNSG Ban Ki-moon, this multi-stakeholder platform cooperates with governments, the private sector and civil society. The goals pursued in this context are achieving Sustainable Energy Goal 7 (SDG 7) “affordable and clean energy for all”, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming below 2° Celsius, as called for in the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015. The focal items on SEforALL’s agenda are decarbonisation and combating energy poverty, in particular by identifying regions affected by extreme energy poverty and taking effective measures to counter it. By launching a wide range of initiatives and programmes in areas such as energy efficiency (cooling, energy and transport), Leave No One Behind (access to electricity in Africa, clean cooking, energy and the environment or energy for displaced people), SEforALL endeavours to provide universal access to sustainable energy. SEforALL has made a significant contribution towards enshrininguniversal access to affordable, sustainable and modern energy as SDG 7 and is does valuable work with respect to advocacy and awareness-raising, particularly among decision makers in politics and business. What is more, SEforALL also highlighted the fact that the last decade to achieve the 2030 SDGs had begun. Consequently, the organisation will focus in future on implementing projects, for instance in cooperation with international financial institutions. In June, SEforALL organised a series of workshops on financing energy system transformation in Amsterdam where participants from different sectors identified ways and actions towards achieving the goal of “sustainable energy for all”.

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In addition, SEforALL organised a side event on SDG 7 during the UN Climate Summit in September, and preparations for the 2020 SEforALL Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, commenced. After the organisation’s CEO Rachel Kyte had resigned in September, her successor Damilola Ogunbiyi (Nigeria) will take office at the beginning of 2020. Like her predecessor, Damilola Ogunbiyi will, in addition to her function as CEO of SEforALL, also act as the Special Representative of the UNSG for Sustainable Energy for All and as Co-Chair of UN-Energy, thus working closely with the UN. Together with other international organisations active in the energy sector, SEforALL represents Vienna as an energy hub, thus contributing significantly to the positioning of Vienna as a business and headquarters location in the international context.

2.7.5 Nuclear Safety Austria recognises each and every country’s right to choose its energy mix. Nev- ertheless, Austria remained committed to expressing its clear opposition to nuclear energy both in bilateral contacts and within the framework of the EU and various international organisations. For Austria, nuclear power is neither a sustainable form of energy nor is it a viable or appropriate means for tackling climate change. Taking into account the entire fuel cycle as well as costs involved in building, operating and finally decommissioning the plants, the operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) has furthermore proven economically unviable, not least due to the fact that it still remains impossible to quantify the costs of the globally unresolved question of final storage. Operating countries therefore increasingly tapped into public subsidies. In 2018, Austria had already brought an action for annulment against the decision of the European Commission according to which the granting of state aid for the construction of reactor units at the British Hinkley Point NPP and the Hungarian Paks II NPP were compatible with Union law. As the action for annulment of the European Commission’s decision according to which the granting of British state aid for the construction of the Hinkley Point C reactor units was compatible with EU law was dismissed by the EU Court of First Instance, Austria appealed against the first instance decision in 2018 and requested an oral hearing in September. It is to be assumed that this case is of prejudicial significance for the Austrian action concerning the granting of state aid to the Hungarian Paks II NPP. Conse- quently, the proceedings have been suspended. Within the framework of EURATOM, Austria also consistently opposes an EU-funded direct and indirect promotion of nuclear energy. This holds particularly true for EURATOM research and the so-called “taxonomy” regulation.

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Particularly with respect to all cases of nuclear facilities that could have negative effects on Austria, Austria continues to make full use of all available means of protecting its safety interests. Thus, Austria participated in the following cross-border proceedings: • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) – procedure for NPP Khmelnitsky 3 & 4 (Ukraine) • EIA process decommissioning NPP Gundremmingen, Unit B, (Germany) • EIA procedure for the extension of NPP Dukovany (Czech Republic) • EIA procedure for the construction of NPP Sizewell C (United Kingdom) • EIA procedure for the low and intermediate level radioactive waste repository Vrbina (Slovenia) • Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure for modifications to the development plan for dry storage NPP Krško (Slovenia) • SEA procedure for the nuclear waste management programme Italy • Public participation procedure on generic safety aspects related to the lifetime extension of French 900MW series reactors. Not a single repository (deep geological repository) for high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel elements was put into operation worldwide. Austria has continued to follow the search for repositories in neighbouring countries very closely. This has held particularly true for countries such as Hungary, Switzer- land and the Czech Republic where concrete sites are already being considered. Among the currently nine potential sites identified by the Czech Republic, some are located close to the Austrian border. In 2020, the number of potential sites will be narrowed down to four. Compliance with the highest safety standards when extending the operating lives of existing nuclear power plants, but also for new plants, remained a matter of particular concern to Austria and has consistently been highlighted at international, European and bilateral level. At the bilateral level, the regular meetings held within the framework of the Nuclear Information Agreements provide the necessary basis. Regular meetings of nuclear experts were held with Switzerland, Germany, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Belarus.

2.8 International Disarmament and Arms Control Disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction are central objectives in the pursuit of Aus- trian security policy. In this context, particular emphasis is placed on the protection, safety and security of the civilian population as well as on the humanitarian dimension of these weapons. Austria’s strong engagement and commitment in

152 International Disarmament and Arms Control this area is also reflected in the initiatives it has launched at both the European and international level. Austria played a leading role in the facilitation and successful conclusion of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and is strongly committed to its rapid entry into force, which requires 50 ratifications. By the end of the year, a total of 80 states had already signed the Treaty and 34 had deposited the instrument of ratification. Its entry into force is thus approaching, which will eventually mean that a globally applicable ban on nuclear weapons under international law had become effective. Austria has offered to host the first Conference of the -Par ties at the UN headquarters in Vienna. Under the heading of “Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare”, Austria organised the first international conference on the protection of civilians against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) in October, thus launching the process towards a political declaration on EWIPA. The main elements identified at the conference now form the basis for negotiations on a declaration. Further- more, Austria continues to advocate a preventive legal ban on lethal autonomous weapon systems without sufficient and effective human control(LAWS) . In the field of chemical weapons, Austria has also advocated the establishment of the Investigation and Inspection Mechanism that enables attributing chemical weapons use and contributes proactively to the international Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons.

2.8.1 Risks posed by Weapons of Mass Destruction

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Austria is of the view that the effects of the use of nuclear weapons and the inherent risks of these weapons are unacceptable and can only be prevented by an absolute prohibition and the complete destruction of this category of weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear disarmament is furthermore indispensable in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Building on this “Humanitarian Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament”, a ban on nuclear weapons under international law was negotiated within the UN framework on the initiative of Austria and a number of other states. These negotiations were successfully concluded on 7 July 2017 in New York and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was adopted with 122 states in favour. The treaty has been open for signature in New York since 20 September 2017 and will enter into force once the 50th instrument of ratification has been deposited. As the treaty has already been signed by 80 states and ratified by 34 at the beginning of December, it may be expected that the required number of 50 ratifications will probably soon be achieved. Austria ratified the Treaty on 8 May 2018

153 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement and proposed hosting the first meeting of the States Parties at the UN headquarters in Vienna. Furthermore, Austria is committed to raising interest and encouraging as many states as possible to join the treaty. The treaty, which comprises a preamble and 20 articles, is the first concrete result of multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations since the adoption of the Com- prehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, which has, however not yet entered into force. This new legal instrument strengthens and complements the existing international regime on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and represents a substantial contribution towards facilitating the implementation of the disarmament requirement under Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which requires other instruments such as the TPNW to be implemented. A world without nuclear weapons cannot be achieved without a legally binding prohibition of such weapons under international law. In essence, the treaty focuses on the prohibition of the acquisition, possession, use and other activities related to nuclear weapons. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons opens up an opportunity for nuclear weapon states to irreversibly and verifiably eliminate their arsenals. Likewise, it also contains provisions for victim assistance and for reme- dying environmental damage caused by the use or testing of nuclear weapons.

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Since it entered into force in 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has formed the legal basis and cornerstone of the international nuclear regime. The treaty obligates its 190 States Parties – with the exception of the five nuclear weapon states recognised in the treaty, namely China, France, Great Britain, Russia and the USA – to renounce nuclear weapons and at the same time establishes the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. For their part, the five nuclear weapon states recognised in the NPT commit themselves to nuclear disarmament and the goal of complete elimination of nuclear weapons. India, Israel and Pakistan have not joined the NPT, while the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea declared its withdrawal from the treaty in 2003. The States Parties convene every five years for a dedicated conference to review the state of the NPT’s implementation. At the last review conference in 2015, it was not possible to reach consensus on a final document. From 29 April to 10 May, the preparatory committee meeting for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT convened in New York. The greatest challenge for the NPT is the lack of implementation of the disarmament commitments undertaken by the nuclear weapon states under Article VI and compliance with the non-proliferation obligations and the lack of progress towards the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. Austria has participated in a number of initiatives aimed at achieving progress at the Review Conference despite the current international tensions.

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Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) provides for a comprehensive ban on all nuclear explosions. Since the adoption of the draft treaty by the UNGA in 1996, the CTBT has been signed by 184 states and ratified by 168. Thanks to its global monitoring and verification system, the CTBT – once it has come into force – will make the secret development of operational nuclear weapons impossible. However, eight of the key States listed in Annex 2 of the treaty (Egypt, China, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States of America) have not yet ratified the CTBT. The CTBT Preparatory Commission has in the meantime made great progress in setting up the verification system whose worldwide network of monitoring stations is 90 % complete and largely operational. The monitoring system consists of high-tech facilities for seismic, hydro-acoustics, infrasound and radionuclide measurements. It is already in use today, including for civilian applications, such as tsunami early warning services and for radiological measurements following the nuclear power plant disaster in Fukushima (Japan). The capabilities of the international monitoring stations were also repeatedly demonstrated during the nuclear weapons tests conducted by North Korea. Austria participates in the efforts aimed at promoting the Preparatory Commis- sion, most recently by supporting the establishment of the Technology Support and Training (TeST) Centre in Seibersdorf. The TeST Centre enables proper storage and maintenance of the CTBTO’s specialised equipment. Seibersdorf also houses one of the CTBTO-certified radio-nuclide laboratories for the analysis of samples.

Geneva Conference on Disarmament Set up in 1979, the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the UN’s permanent multilateral forum for negotiation of disarmament agreements and treaties. Austria has been a state party to the CD since 1996. As had been the case in the past 22 years and due to the consensus principle, the 65 member states have – again this year – not been able to agree on opening concrete treaty negotiations.

Chemical Weapons Convention The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force in 1997, introduced a ban on all chemical weapons and stipulates their phased destruction by all States that possess such weapons. With 193 States parties, the CWK has now come close to reaching its stated objective of having universal validity. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague is currently headed by Director General Fernando Arias González (Spain). On 10 December 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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The use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war has presented the CWC with its greatest challenge to date. By adopting resolution 2118 on 27 September 2013, the UNSC required Syria to fully destroy its chemical weapons arsenal by 30 June 2014. Syria then became a State party to the CWC and by the end of 2013, agreements were reached under which Austria provided air transport capacity to support the mission monitoring the chemical disarmament in Syria and also seconded an expert to the OPCW. Although the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal was largely completed in the course of 2014, poison gas (mostly chlorine gas) was repeatedly used in the Syrian civil war, also in 2015. On 7 August 2015, the UNSC adopted resolution 2235, by which a Joint Investigative Mecha- nism involving both the UN and the OPCW was set up to ascertain responsibility for these incidents. In 2016, the Joint Investigative Mechanism submitted four reports, identifying Syrian government forces as being responsible for the use of chlorine gas in three cases in 2015 and IS forces as being responsible for the use of mustard gas in one case in 2015. Another chemical weapons attack, probably sarin, in Douma in April again claimed a large number of civilian lives. Although responsibility for this attack has not yet been fully ascertained, Western states indicate that it was perpetrated by the Syrian Arab army. As Russia vetoed its extension in the UNSC, the mandate of the Joint Investiga- tive Mechanism expired on 17 November 2017. Subsequently and on the initiative of France, the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons was established and seeks to hold to account all those responsible for the use of chemical weapons. Austria, that has committedly been advocating a ban on chemical weapons and the fight against impunity for violations of international humanitarian law, joined this partnership as a participating country. At an extraordinary Conference of the States Parties to the OPCW in The Hague, held from 26 to 27 June 2018, participants decided to grant the OPCW the power to conduct investigations in order to facilitate the attribution of chemical weapons use. The OPCW’s programme and budget for 2020, including the establishment of the Investigation and Inspection Mechanism that enables the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons to be identified, were adopted by majority vote at the 24th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, held from 25 to 29 November. Furthermore, Annex 1 of the CWC was amended by consensus to include a number of chemicals belonging to the “Novi- chok” family. Furthermore, Austria, representing the Western European and Oth- ers Group (WEOG), was elected to the OPCW’s Executive Council for the period from May 2020 to 2022.

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Signed in 1972, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) provides for a ban on the development, production and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons. Currently, 183 countries are States Parties to the BTWC and five coun-

156 International Disarmament and Arms Control tries are signatory States. In the annual meetings at experts’ and the States Par- ties’ level, deliberations focus on the development of measures aimed at enhancing biosafety, monitoring, training and the sharing of experience. Meeting in Geneva from 3 to 6 December, the Conference of the States Parties to the BTWC proceeded with the work programme adopted by the 2016 Review Conference. It also adopted initial preparatory activities launched with a view to the 2021 Review Conference.

Ballistic Missiles The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC) was developed based on enhanced efforts on the part of the international community to establish an international control mechanism for ballistic missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Along with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the HCoC is the only multilateral instrument in this field. Chaired by Norway, the 18th Regular Meeting of Subscribing States was held in Vienna on 3 and 4 June. Since 2002, Austria has been entrusted with the function of Immediate Cen- tral Contact (Executive Secretariat), thus acting as an interface for the entire exchange of information (especially with respect to prior notifications of missile launches) in the context of the HCoC mechanism. A total of 140 states have subscribed to the HCoC, in whose universalisation effort Austria has assumed a leading role.

2.8.2 Addressing the Issue of Conventional Weapons Protection of civilians in armed conflict has been a long-standing thematic priority of Austrian foreign policy. The committed course Austria has pursued for many years now in fighting the use of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions is a very important humanitarian contribution in this respect, as these weapons continue to pose an acute risk to civilians and claim innumerable lives – even decades after fighting has stopped.

Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Trans- fer of Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction (Ottawa Convention) entered into force in 1999. Currently, 164 countries are States Parties to the convention. The Ottawa Convention’s success is reflected in the fact that only one state laid anti-personnel mines this year, trade has virtually been brought to a halt, major stockpiles have been destroyed and large contaminated areas have been cleared of mines. Over the years, the number of people who fall victim to anti-personnel mines every year around the world has steadily declined. Recently, however,

157 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement the use of improvised, non-industrially produced explosive devices by non-state actors in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan has again led to an increase in the annual number of victims. The 4th Review Conference, held in Oslo from 25 to 29 Novem- ber, took stock of the progress made in the Convention’s implementation over the last five years and adopted a political declaration on a mine-free world as well as the Oslo Action Plan, which sets out the implementation targets for 2020–2024. From 2018 to 2020 Austria is a member of the Convention’s Committee on Article 5 – Implementation (mine clearance). Austria has provided three million euros for mine risk education, mine clearance and victim assistance projects in Syria and Ukraine.

Convention on Cluster Munitions The Convention on Cluster Munitions (Oslo Convention) entered into force in 2010. By the end of the year, it had been ratified by 107 states and a further state had signed it. The Convention provides for a categorical prohibition of the use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions, which inflict unimaginable harm and suffering on the civilian population. In the field of victim assistance, the Convention – not least due to Austria’s committed efforts – sets new and forward-looking standards. The 9th Conference of the Parties met in Geneva from 2–4 September. From 2018 to 2020, Austria serves as a member of the Convention’s Committee on Article 3 – Storage and Stockpile Destruction.

Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas The use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) has claimed an increasingly high death toll worldwide, with international statistics showing that 90 % of the victims are indeed civilians. In recent armed conflicts (Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Ukraine), the use of explosive weapons (including aircraft bombs, artillery shells, rockets, but also improvised explosive devices – IEDs) in populated areas has demonstrably been one of the main causes of casualties, pain and suffering among the civilian population. Furthermore, such weapons destroy civilian infrastructure (including means of transport, schools, medical care, water and electricity supply), which has a lasting impact on the livelihoods of the affected population. Therefore, explosive weapons in populated areas are also one of the main reasons for conflict-driven migration or flight. According to surveys conducted by renowned NGOs, the suffering and damage caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (in Syria, for instance) is the primary reason why people have to leave their homes. This year alone, the number of documented cases of civilians killed by explosive weapons worldwide reached 29,499. It is, however, to be assumed that the actual number of victims is much higher.

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Together with a group of like-minded states, Austria is working towards shifting the topic of EWIPA more into the limelight of related discussions with a view to avoiding human suffering and to promoting compliance with international humanitarian law. Austria thus supports the drawing up of a political declaration on EWIPA, as proposed by UNSG and the President of the Committee of the Interna- tional Red Cross. In order to launch this process, Austria hosted the Vienna Con- ference on Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare in October, which was attended by representatives from 133 states and more than 500 delegates from the fields of diplomacy, defence, international law, humanitarian operations and civil society. At this first global conference on the subject, it became very clear that much more must be done to protect the civilian population from the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas. In the final discussion on the topics to be addressed in a political declaration, almost all participants agreed on the need to prepare such a declaration. The main elements worked out during the meeting form the basis for further negotiations on a declaration. With a view to its drafting, a first round of consultations was held in Geneva in November and is to be followed by further meetings. The goal is to adopt the political declaration at the forthcoming conference in Dublin in the first half of 2020. Austria will continue to play an active role both in the preparation and the subsequent implementation of this declaration.

Autonomous Weapons Systems Autonomous operating systems and artificial intelligence (AI) are not only widely used for civilian purposes but are on the rise in the military field as well. Tech- nological progress does not stop short at weapons systems. It is, for instance, possible to work on developing autonomous weapon systems (AWS), which could potentially select and attack targets independently without human intervention. This gives rise to moral, ethical and legal concerns. Developing relevant regulations and ensuring that they are in place before such AWS are operational, are among the most pressing challenges in the field of disarmament. In the context of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in 2013, an informal group of experts was set up to deal with this issue for the first time in greater detail, and met in March and August. So far it has not yet been possible to agree on a clear and precise definition of autonomous weapon systems. Some states regard these as fully autonomous systems, while others see them rather as systems that have a level of autonomy when it comes to critical functions, such as target selection and use of force. However, there is consensus that international humanitarian law is in principle applicable to such systems and that a minimum degree of human control over weapons systems must be maintained. Austria is among the states that advocate

159 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement a legally binding instrument which would – in a preventive move – prohibit AWS that do not provide for meaningful human control. At the meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Conven- tional Weapons (CCW) in November 2018, Austria and a number of like-minded states presented a draft for opening negotiations on a legally binding protocol, which continues to be tabled as a proposal. Since the principle of consensus applies within the CCW, it was not possible to adopt a corresponding mandate. Even the idea of a legally non-binding Political Declaration on the issue had no prospect of consensus, thus only very general guiding principles without binding effect were negotiated within the framework of the expert group. At the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the CWC, held on 11 to 15 November, 13 such guiding principles were adopted.

2.8.3 Multilateral Export Controls

Export Control Regimes The objective of the five current control regimes is to prevent – through the coordination of national export controls – sensitive technologies and knowledge from falling into the hands of states that could use them for military purposes. The main instruments of these regimes are lists of relevant goods and/or substances and guidelines governing exports to non-Member States. Austria is a member of all five regimes. The national implementation of these instruments is largely covered by the Foreign Trade Act and the War Material Act. The relevant regimes in the nuclear context are the Vienna-based Zangger Com- mittee (ZC), which has 39 members, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) with 48 members. The ZC and the NSG draw up and maintain control lists of sensitive nuclear goods and equipment, seeking to prevent uranium enrichment and pluto- nium processing activities for non-peaceful purposes. The 29th NSG Plenary Ses- sion was held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on 20 and 21 June. The 43-member Australia Group (AG) seeks to ensure by means of export controls that certain products will not contribute to the development of chemical and biological weapons. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) consists of 35 members who have committed themselves to preventing the proliferation of missile technology capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. In September 2020, Austria will take over the chair of the MTCR for a period of one year. Founded in 1996, the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), which comprises 42 Partici- pating States, aims to prevent destabilising accumulations of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies by coordinating national export controls and increasing transparency. The Secretariat, headed by Ambassador Philip

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Griffiths (New Zealand), is based in Vienna, where it also held its annual plenary session of the Participating States on 4 and 5 December.

Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) The text of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which sets out the rules for international trade in conventional arms, was adopted by the UNGA with an overwhelming majority in 2013. Austria, that had supported a robust ATT, was among the first states to sign the treaty. Signed by 135 states and ratified by 105 (including Austria) by the end of the year, the treaty entered into force on 24 December 2014. The ATT is the first treaty to define international standards for the transfer of conventional arms, thus contributing to fighting and/or limiting the negative impact of illicit and irresponsible arms trade on stability, security and human rights, but also on sustainable economic and development policy. Under the treaty, arms exports are banned if they have been or could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. In export decisions, criteria such as their impact on peace and security, the risk of illicit transfer or trafficking (including the exchange of information on corruption) or gender-based violence are to be taken into account. The ATT does, however, not include a ban on weapons nor an obligation to destroy existing weapons. The right to individual or collective self-defence according to Art. 51 of the UN Charter remains unaffected by the treaty. Austria has successfully advocated ensuring that the international Arms Trade Treaty lives up to the highest possible standards. These include inter alia the development of mandatory human rights criteria in approval procedures, a comprehensive and complete scope, as well as efficient enforcement mechanisms. The Fifth Conference of States Parties to the ATT convened in Geneva from 26 to 30 August.

National Export Controls In Austria, the Foreign Trade Act (main responsibility: Federal Ministry for Digi- tal and Economic Affairs) and the War Material Act (main responsibility: Federal Ministry of the Interior) form the legal basis governing the export of conventional arms. The MFA and the Federal Ministry of Defence are involved in the approval procedure. Defence equipment subject to approval is defined on the one hand in the Foreign Trade Act of 2011 and/or by the items listed in the EU Common Military List, the Second Foreign Trade Regulation of 2011 in conjunction with its annex, and by the War Material Regulation, on the other hand. In addition, Austria is committed to adhering to the EU Common Position of December 2008, which defines common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment. This legally binding Common Position makes a significant contribution

161 Austria’s Multilateral Engagement towards further harmonisation of national export regimes and implementation activities.

2.9 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Since 1995, Austria has been a member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) and since 1997, a member of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the dialogue and consultation forum between NATO and the Euro-Atlantic partner states. Cooperation with NATO on the one hand facilitates addressing important security policy issues in a trans-Atlantic framework and on the other hand fosters the further development of the Austrian Armed Forces. Austria has participated in various forward-looking NATO programmes (e. g. in the cyber area) and is an important and recognised troop contributor. Implementing the Joint Declaration adopted by EU and NATO leaders in 2016, seven areas of cooperation between the EU and NATO have been identified: countering hybrid threats, operational cooperation including in the maritime domain, cyber security and defence, defence capabilities, defence industry and research, exercises, and partners’ resilience (i.e. capacity building in defence and security). Building on the 2016 Declaration, a second joint declaration was adopted by EU-NATO leaders in July 2018, placing an additional focus on military mobility, counter-terrorism and strengthening resilience to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear-related risks. With a total of around 350 soldiers, Austria continued to provide the largest contingent of any partner country for the NATO-led peace operation in Kosovo (KFOR) and was the fourth largest contributor of KFOR troops. Together with the Kosovar police and EULEX, KFOR contributes towards maintaining a safe and secure environment, ensuring freedom of movement for all ethnic groups in Kosovo and providing training and knowledge-sharing with the Kosovo Secu- rity Force. Since June 2009, NATO has gradually and in several stages reduced the KFOR force level on the ground. Current levels stand at some 3,400 soldiers under KFOR command. Austria contributed 20 soldiers to the NATO-led training, advice and assistance mission Resolute Support (RSM) in Afghanistan that has a total strength of around 17,000 troops. The mission’s core task is to build and develop efficient civil and military capacities and structures in accordance with international standards with a view to fulfilling security policy tasks. Since August 2016, Turkey has been blocking Austria’s cooperation with NATO, which particularly affects the Partnership Cooperation Menu(PCM) . Since then, Austria has at all levels endeavoured to work towards bringing about an end to this blockade. As a result of intensive efforts it was possible to somewhat defuse the situation and achieve at least some easing. Regardless of the blockade, Aus-

162 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) tria has continued its participation in KFOR and RSM, provided that interoperabil- ity remains guaranteed. At the meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government celebrating the 70th anniversary of the organisations’ foundation in London at the beginning of Decem- ber, the recognition of outer space as an operational domain (the area in, from and through which military operations achieve intended effects), an updated action plan on strengthening the role of NATO in the fight against terrorism, updated NATO minimum requirements for civil telecommunications including 5G as well as the continuation of the engagement in Afghanistan were adopted. The meeting also adopted a declaration that deals inter alia with current threats, challenges and future priorities.

163 3. Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs Active and responsible development policy is an essential element of Austrian foreign policy. Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) is geared towards creating perspectives on the ground. The key objectives of ADC as enshrined in the Development Cooperation Act (DCA) are combating poverty in developing countries, ensuring peace and human security, preserving the environment and protecting natural resources. Relevant activities in the field of development policy are coordinated by the MFA, which also holds responsibility for the strategic orientation of ADC. The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) plans, finances and supports programmes and projects in priority countries and key regions. As a member of the EU, the OECD, the UN and the World Bank Group, Austria also contributes pro-actively to shaping international development policy within the relevant bodies.

Policy Coherence Development policy is a whole-of-government approach. This principle is also enshrined in Article 1 paragraph 5 of the Development Cooperation Act. Policy coherence has become increasingly important in the context of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as their successful implementation requires a particularly high degree of policy coherence. In order to achieve these goals all relevant actors and stakeholders are involved in strategic planning processes such as the Three-Year Programme on Austrian development policy, country and regional strategies as well as thematic-strategic guidelines. Alongside participating in both the EU’s and the OECD’s policy coherence networks, Austria’s new evaluation policy also reflects such policy coherence put into practice.

Budget for Development Cooperation According to preliminary data, Austrian Official Development Assistance (ODA) amounted to 1,079 million euros or 0.27 % of gross national income in 2019.

Evaluation Led by the MFA and in cooperation with the Austrian Development Agency, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Austrian Development Bank and the Federal Min- istry for Sustainability and Tourism, the first-ever interdepartmental evaluation policy “Evaluation Policy ADC Plus” was developed. Its aim is to define qualitative requirements based on international standards, defined by the OECD and the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). As an important framework document for Austrian development evaluation, this policy is relevant both for the minis-

164 Thematic Priorities tries involved and other development policy actors (such as federal provinces and NGOs), and may be applied by all these stakeholders. Strategic evaluations of ADC are planned and carried out by the MFA in cooperation with ADA. To this end, a two-year plan for strategic evaluations of ADC for 2019–2020 and a preview of potential themes to be covered from 2021 onwards were prepared. In accordance with international standards, all strategic evaluations conducted since 1999 can be accessed on the ADA website. Furthermore, implementation plans (management response) were drawn up for the completed evaluations and implementation monitoring regarding the recommendations of previous evaluations was continued. The goal pursued in this context is to tap into the benefits and learning processes from evaluations and to ensure timely implementation. At international level, the MFA and ADA were jointly represented on the relevant evaluation bodies, i.e. the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), Eval- Net and in the extended DACH group (consisting of the German-speaking evaluation bodies of Germany, Austria, Switzerland plus Belgium and the Netherlands), as well as in the EU Head of Evaluation Services (HES).

3.1 Thematic Priorities The joint consideration of the topics water, energy and food security covered under the nexus approach in development cooperation programmes and projects reduces the risk of conflicting goals being pursued in these three areas. The development policy guidelines for water and sanitation, sustainable energy and food security as well as sustainable rural development have been revised and will be finalised in 2020. In the water and sanitation sector, Austria is active at bilateral level primarily in Albania, Moldova, Mozambique, Uganda and Palestine. In Moldova, Austria cooperated with Switzerland on a joint programme aimed at strengthening the institutions in this sector and is responsible for the construction of an EU-funded sewage treatment plant in the small town of Cantemir. In Africa, ADA supports a large-scale Global Water Partnership programme to promote gender equality in the water sector in up to 18 countries. In addition, ADA supports the Interna- tional Institute for Applied Systems Analysis based in Laxenburg. In this context, the focus is placed on local and global approaches to strengthening water supply security, particularly in East Africa. In the field ofsustainable energy, activities continued to focus on supporting the establishment of further regional centres for renewable energy and energy efficiency. The goal is to promote the political and economic framework conditions for the increased use of sustainable energy solutions in the regions, strengthen local and regional capacities and develop regional markets and value chains. The

165 Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs regional centres in West and East Africa, Southern Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific are already operational. Preparations are underway to establish further regional energy centres in the Himalayas-Hindu Kush, Central America and Central Asia. Other partners in the energy sector are the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) initiative and the Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP) in Southern and Eastern Africa with the Nordic Development Fund (NDF). In the context of strategies and programmes on food security and sustainable rural development, particular importance is attached to reducing the impact of climate change, increasing the resilience of households and communities to crises, strengthening local value creation, and sustainable use of and equal access to land and natural resources. ADC supports these approaches in most partner countries, including Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Mozambique as well as in the context of agricultural projects that are being implemented in Armenia and Georgia. ADC supports partner countries in building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions, realising human rights and fostering a vibrant civil society (SDG 16). The objective pursued by the Working Group on Inclusion that is composed of civil society actors, MFA and ADA, is to give people with disabilities the opportunity to voice their opinions in matters relating to development cooperation. The activities launched and measures implemented in this respect by Austria were presented at the European Disability and Development Week in Brussels. The evaluation process for the human rights-based approach, which is pursued in all programmes and projects as well as in political dialogue, was launched and results are expected in 2020. In the field ofpeace promotion and conflict prevention, ADC is particularly active in the regions of West Africa, East Africa/Horn of Africa, the West- ern Balkans, the South Caucasus and the Near and Middle East. In the region West Africa, for instance, ADC supports a fund operated by the United Nations Peace Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) plays a key role in the context of the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) conflict early warning system in West Africa. Building on more than 500 local WANEP partners in the region, involvement of civil society actors and consideration of their perspectives is also ensured. Another important prerequisite for conflict prevention and peacebuilding in fragile contexts is a coordinated, coherent and complementary approach based on development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peacekeeping. In a joint project involving the Fed- eral Ministry of Defence and the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), training courses on civil-military cooperation in humanitarian crisis missions directed at civil, military and police personnel were conducted at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center(KAIPTC) in Accra (Ghana). In the context of this project, a total of 164 personnel from 27 countries have undergone training since 2015.

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In the education and science sector, the priorities pursued by ADC relate to higher education and vocational training. The higher education cooperation programme ‘Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development’ (APPEAR) enables multi-annual partnerships between higher education institutions in the priority countries of ADC and Austria, thus promoting comprehensive capacity development. In Eastern Africa, a regional master’s programme between universities in Ethiopia and Kenya is being initiated in the field of limnology. In cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, partner countries in the key region Danube Region/Western Balkans were supported in their efforts towards approximation with and/or integration into the European Higher Education and Research Area. Furthermore, partner countries in this region as well as Moldova and Burkina Faso were supported in the reform of their respective vocational training sectors. Environmental and climate protection is pursued at various levels in the context of ADC. Support to priority countries and key regions covers, for instance, assistance towards enhanced integration of environmental and climate matters into development plans and ecologically sustainable growth paths. Resource efficiency, climate protection, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and ecosystem preservation are addressed holistically in all projects and programmes. Quality assurance processes and reviews focusing on compliance with environmental, gender equality and social standards ensure that potentially negative impacts on the environment and climate are prevented or minimised. Austria has for many years now also played an active role in the Network on Environment and Development of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which has been vice-chaired by ADA since October 2018.

3.2 Bilateral Development Cooperation Under the Three-Year Programme of Austrian Development Policy 2019–2021, Austrian Development Cooperation is active in three categories of countries: 1) Least Developed Countries, 2) countries in South-East Europe/South Caucasus, 3) crisis regions and fragile states.

Key Regions in Sub-Saharan Africa

Complementing the ADC commitment in the priority countries Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Uganda and Mozambique, ADC actors, ADA and the MFA focus in Sub-Saha- ran Africa on strengthening regional cooperation. ADC thus cooperates in Sub-Sa- haran Africa with partners, which include apart from the African Union, the following regional organisations: the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

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ADC focuses on the thematic priorities ‘peace and human security’ and ‘integrated transboundary water resource management’. In accordance with a whole- of-government approach, ADC endeavours to tap into synergies between all Aus- trian actors, particularly in the fields of science and research, humanitarian aid, migration and mobility, business and development as well as sustainable energy and energy efficiency. Special importance is attached to implementing the humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peace consolidation nexus. Regional and multilateral cooperation in all phases of the conflict cycle seek to ensure the sustainability of contributions to peace and human security. Integrated water resources management endeavours to promote spatial and sectoral cooperation and the nexus between food security/agriculture, trade and industry, health, environmental and climate protection and social justice (“Leave no one behind”). The declared goal of development policy remains eliminating poverty, which is one of the root causes of flight and irregular migration. Particular attention is paid to supporting the necessary framework conditions such as legal security, capacity development in research, innovation and providing stimuli through investments in renewable energy and financing for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In the area of science and research, the focus is on facilitating access for young people to research and science as well as to vocational training. The situation of women and girls is explicitly addressed in all priority areas. ADC lays down minimum standards for the empowerment of women that must be observed in the promotion of educational initiatives on family planning and reproductive rights of women and in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and peacekeeping. ADC supports gender equality, the fight against genital mutilation and the empowerment of women and girls. Regional activities in Sub-Saharan Africa include cooperation with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) for peace building and early conflict detection, cooperation with the Intergovernmental Authority on Develop- ment (IGAD) to stabilise the region, projects to support the African Development Bank’s African Water Facility and projects aimed at strengthening UNSC resolution 1325 in the African Union. In the priority country Ethiopia, the focus is on strengthening resilience and inclusive governance in accordance with the new Country Strategy 2019–2025. Geographically, the focus is placed on the Amhara region and especially its rural areas. As set out in the new Country Strategy 2019–2025 for the priority country Burkina Faso, Austria is active in the fields of sustainable economic development in rural areas as well as technical education and vocational training. The geographical focus is on the Boucle du Mouhoun region. In the priority country Uganda, projects are being implemented in the priority sectors of water supply and sanitation as well as access to justice based on the new Country Strategy

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2019–2025. The regional focus is placed on northern Uganda. Under the new Country Strategy 2019–2024, ADC’s commitment in Mozambique focuses on sustainable agriculture and food security as well as rural water supply and sanitation. The geographical focus is on the province of Sofala.

Priority Country Bhutan The new transition strategy for the priority country Bhutan 2019–2023 accom- panies and monitors Bhutan until its graduation to a middle-income country and focuses on the priority sectors of good governance, especially in the legal and judicial sector, and sustainable energy supply. In the energy sector, a maintenance and safety system was established, engineers were trained – for instance in the field of tunnel construction – and a programme focusing on energy-efficient construction and renewable energies in households, hotels and public buildings was launched. In this context, the Dagachhu hydropower plant, which has been in operation since 2016, is regarded as a model power plant in the region thanks to its cost efficiency and sustainable technology. In the legal and judicial sector, ADC assistance has contributed to the establishment of a total of eight courts in central and southern Bhutan. The training seminars for judges and court clerks will be continued and the first private law school at which Austrian expert knowledge is also taught, commenced operations in summer 2017. Austria also supports the country’s national disability policy based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Furthermore, Bhutan will be supported in efforts aimed at improving audit control in specialised areas such as gender and risk-based auditing and in results-oriented performance management in public administration. With the support of the EU and the World Bank, a contribution is being made to a decentralised system of public financial management. Furthermore, ADC supports common goals pursued by the region in the context of cross-national programmes launched by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with a view to strengthening resilience with regard to environmental and climate change. In cooperation with UNIDO and ICI- MOD, ADC promotes the establishment and expansion of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Centre of the Himalayas(REEECH) .

Key Region Danube Region/Western Balkans The Western Balkans regional strategy and the country strategies for Albania and Kosovo (2013–2021) were extended by one year to 2021. The objectives defined for the whole-of-government regional strategy Danube Region/Western Bal- kans (2016–2020) are to intensify regional cooperation and to support the EU pre-accession process. The focus is placed on pursuing three key development policy areas, namely economy and development focusing on employment; edu-

169 Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs cation focusing on labour market-oriented, socially inclusive vocational training and higher education; as well as governance, human rights, the rule of law and institution building in the context of EU pre-accession. In Albania, governance and the rule of law, labour market-oriented vocational training/employability as well as integrated water management are promoted, while in Kosovo support is provided to education, focusing especially on tertiary education, as well as to economic and private sector development focusing on rural areas. The Country Strategy for Albania has been evaluated from 2019–2020 and the results are to be incorporated into the development of the new country strategy from 2022 onwards.

Key Region Black Sea Region/South Caucasus Austria’s development involvement in the South Caucasus focuses primarily on sustainable development in the border regions between the two ADC priority countries Georgia and Armenia, with special attention being given to cooperation in the agricultural sector. Particularly noteworthy are the Organic Agricul- ture Support Initiative Project (OASI), funded by the EU and ADA, the start of a follow-up project in Armenia and EU-ADA cooperation in the agricultural sector with a view to promoting mountain tourism and organic farming (GRETA project) in Georgia. The whole-of-government country strategy 2016–2020 coordinated with the ADC priority country Moldova is directed at supporting the development and EU association of the Republic of Moldova. To complement the related activities, ADC implements EU-financed delegated cooperation in Moldova focusing on “Development of Rural Areas” and aimed at promoting the competitiveness of the agri-food sector and improving drinking water supply as well as sanitation in rural areas over a project term of four years until 2021.

Priority Palestine Under the European Joint Strategy 2017–2020, which rests on five pillars (governance reform, rule of law, sustainable services, water and energy, sustainable economic development), Austria is active in the thematic fields of sustainable services, social protection and water and energy. A particular focus is placed on improving water supply, which is becoming increasingly precarious particularly in the Gaza Strip, by supporting the Palestinian Water Authority with advice, training and equipment.

Fragile Situations in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Region

As the third largest donor among the EU Member States, Austria made available 17.5 million euros to the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (MADAD Fund). The MADAD Fund supports refugees from Syria and their host 170 Bilateral Development Cooperation countries and host communities especially in the fields of education, strengthening the local economy and improving healthcare and water supply. In the context of the Global Coalition against ISIL/Da’esh, Austria contributed under the “Stabilisation” working group to the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabi- lization in Iraq, which seeks to contribute to promoting the quick stabilisation of the liberated areas. Funding made available to Iraq has amounted to approximately 18 million euros since 2014. Of this total, six million euros were allo- cated to the UNDP Stabilisation Fund for the stabilisation of the areas liberated from ISIL/Da’esh and for care provided to IDPs and returnees, and two million euros were made available to the UNDP Emergency Response and Resilience programme. Since the outbreak of the crisis in Syria, humanitarian assistance totalling 137 million euros has been provided to Syria, Iraq and neighbouring countries affected by the refugee crisis. Another instrument in this context is the EU Emergency Trust Fund, set up at the EU summit in Valletta on 12 November 2015 with a view to addressing the root causes of migration and flight in Africa. The goal pursued by this fund is to improve people’s living conditions in the three most important regions of origin and transit of refugees in Africa. In this context, Austria places a special focus on providing support to the ADC priority countries in the Horn of Africa, such as Ethi- opia, and to North Africa. Austria currently contributes eight million euros, which makes it the 14th largest donor among the EU Member States.

Promotion of Civil Society Participation Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are important partners of ADC. Making available a mix of tailor-made promotional instruments and a budget of 14 million euros, Austria supported some 90 programmes and projects in 40 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia as well as in South East and Eastern Europe. Ten CSOs held contracts for framework programmes and strategic partnerships involving a total contract volume of 30 million euros covering three to five years. In the field of Personnel Development Cooperation, the posting of experts was promoted to further capacity building for local development organisations. Under the funding instruments Individual Projects South and Individual Projects East, 37 projects were implemented in developing countries of the South as well as in South East Europe, Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. In addition, 30 ongoing EU co-financing projects were supported by ADA. Co-funding of three million euros was made available to six projects of Austrian CSOs dealing with the issue of “migration and development/flight-asylum-return” and support for the continuation of the six projects was approved involving a total of three million euros. Under the call “FGM/ Female Genital Mutilation, Women’s Health and Family Planning”, four projects received funding of 1.2 million euros.

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A three-year programme is being successfully implemented in cooperation with the Austrian CSO umbrella organisation AG Globale Verantwortung (WG global responsibility). The project aims to strengthen the competences of Austrian CSOs and to actively participate in shaping the development policy framework at Euro- pean and international level. The programme has been expanded to offer members training in professionalization and inclusive market system development.

Promotion of Entrepreneurial Commitment The private sector is an important development policy actor. Not only with respect to direct economic objectives, but also with a view to other areas included in the 2030 Agenda. Consequently, ADC uses market systems and enterprises in a wide range of different sectors. By pursuing the approach of inclusive market system development, the ground is prepared for enterprises to contribute to sustainable development and to the achievement of the SDGs under the 2030 Agenda. In order to promote direct cooperation with enterprises, ADA relies on economic partnerships. About 90 such projects are currently being implemented and funding of seven million euros has already been paid out for these projects. Funding of a further nine million euros was made available to launch a total of 13 feasibility studies and 20 new projects were launched on the ground. The companies are also offered know-how and advice during the planning and implementation of the projects. The Business and Development team conducts around 5,000 consulting meetings each year. Since 2012, a total of 140 such economic partnerships have been established and have received funding of 40 million euros in total. Since 2012, some eleven million people in ADC partner countries have already benefited from these projects, which have opened up additional opportunities and generated benefits for more than 133,018 local enterprises and institutions, creating more than 10,800 new jobs. Austrian support has enabled the Kosovar entrepreneur Hysni Ymeri, for instance, to set up the “Meister Training Center” as a practice-oriented training centre for technical professions in Pristina. One of the special features of this “Meister” (master craftsman) training scheme is its combination with concrete employment, thus filling the widening gap attributable to the trend towards academic education in Kosovo. At the same time, however, this training centre is not a classical apprenticeship institution, as admission criteria are very selective: only young people who have already completed professional training and/or university education and seek to acquire specific practical experience through a nine-month or two-year supplementary training course are accepted. This master (craftsman) training centre, which also offers validation of skills, does therefore not compete with – but instead – complements existing vocational training opportunities. Over

172 Multilateral Development Cooperation the next three years, some 250 young people between 18 and 35 years of age are undergoing training at this centre.

3.3 Multilateral Development Cooperation

European Union Development Cooperation The EU (Member States and European Commission) is still the largest donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA). Austria’s financial contribution to EU development cooperation is one of the largest single items of Austrian ODA. Austria contributed 331 million euros to development cooperation under the EU budget and the European Development Fund (EDF), equalling 30.67 % of Austria’s total ODA. In the context of the drafting of the new EU Multiannual Financial Framework for the years 2021 to 2027, the content of the new EU instruments for financing external action was the topic of intensive discussions. A main item on the agenda was the European Commission’s proposal to create the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), under which a large part of the existing instruments would be merged into one. The goals pursued by this restructuring are simplified administrative procedures and increased flexibility, transparency and coherence. Equipped with a “partial negotiating mandate” from the Council, trilogue negotiations with the EU Parliament planned for the autumn were thus able to commence on 23 October. Following the EU parliamentary elections, the European Council adopted the new Strategic Agenda, which defines the thematic priorities for the years 2019 to 2024. Under this agenda, the geographical focus of EU external relations will be placed on the EU’s neighbourhood and on Africa. Thematic priorities pursued are climate change, implementation of the SDGs and migration. In December 2018, Austria organised a high-level Africa-Europe Forum on Innovation and Digitalisa- tion in Vienna. Participants emphasised the urgent need to increase European private sector investment in Africa, stressing that this requires changes in the political and legal framework. As very tangible follow-up initiatives, Austria decided, for instance, to set up an investment fund for small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa and the Austrian Development Bank adopted an Africa focus. In December, the new President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen presented the “Green Deal”, which makes the fight against climate change and the implementation of SDGs a central issue for the EU, both internally and in external relations. In view of the fact that sustainable development requires massive investment, cooperation with the private sector has gained in importance. Thus, EU development cooperation seeks to promote investments, especially in Africa, through

173 Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs innovative measures such as the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD). In this context, a Wise Persons’ Group chaired by the Austrian Thomas Wieser was set up to analyse the European Financial Architecture for Devel- opment and make proposals for improvements. The report prepared by the Wise Persons’ Group was presented in October and contains three options for consolidating the structures at EU level. The negotiations on the Post-Cotonou Agreement, which is to put relations between the EU and the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries on a new footing have proved very protracted.

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda

At the first SDG Summit hosted by the United Nations in New York on 24 and 25 September, the heads of state and government reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They called for acceleration actions on the SDGs and enhanced cooperation to facilitate fundamental transformation of societies and economies around the globe. The relevant efforts are to focus on climate protection and the eradication of poverty. The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) met in New York from 9 to 19 July. Under the heading of “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”, it examined the status of implementation of SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). A total of 47 countries presented Voluntary National Reviews on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Austria was represented at the summit with a delegation involving members of the National Council, representatives from ministries and civil society and co-sponsored four side events. In spring, preparatory work for Austria’s first Voluntary National Review was launched as a broad-based stakeholder process.

3.4 Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief

3.4.1 Bilateral Humanitarian Aid Bilateral humanitarian aid provided by Austria is funded and overseen by the MFA and other federal ministries, including the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, the Federal Ministry of Defence, the federal provinces and municipalities as well as other public bodies and institutions. Bilateral humanitarian aid responds to extraordinary crisis situations, which are mostly triggered by natural disasters or armed conflicts. Massive flows of refugees and famine are the most obvious consequences of such extreme crisis situ- 174 Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief ations. These included the refugee crises in Syria and neighbouring countries as well as the famine and drought disasters in Africa. In response to and with a view to mitigating the impacts of the crisis in Syria, a total of around 18.5 million euros was made available for the provision of basic care and services, mine clearance and rehabilitation of mine victims as well as regional refugee assistance. This figure also includes four million euros provided by ADA funds for the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian crisis (MADAD Fund). In order to alleviate the consequences of the drought disaster in Ethiopia, a total of 2.5 million euros was made available to the suffering population, of which 900,000 euros were provided for basic humanitarian assistance from the FDF and 1.6 million euros from the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism for food aid. Due to the humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan, a total of two million euros was made available by ADA channelled through the ICRC for provision of basic care and services, return and strengthening of the resilience of internally displaced persons and refugees. ADA also made available two million euros in humanitarian aid to Libya for provision of basic care and services to internally displaced persons and refugees. Mozambique, which was hit by two severe tropical cyclones (Idai and Kenneth) within a very short time in the first half of the year, received aid of some 1.8 million euros from the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) and the Ministry of the Interior. Due to the serious humanitarian crisis in Mali, 1.5 million euros were made available from the FDF to strengthen the resilience of the affected population, especially with respect to water supply. The Austrian Red Cross received one million euros from the FDF to provide medical care to the people of Venezuela. In view of the chronic humanitarian crisis in Yemen, one million euros was made available from the FDF for the provision of basic health care and services in the country. In Ukraine, a total of 500,000 euros each were provided from the FDF for the rehabilitation of mine victims and for the provision of medical and food supplies to the population. Due to the ongoing refugee crisis, Uganda received one million euros from ADA funds to support South Sudanese refugees and the affected host communities. Burkina Faso received 500,000 euros from the FDF in support of the ICRC. A total of 500,000 euros from the FDF was also made available to Bangladesh in support of the UNHCR to provide care and services to the refugees in the country. In order to provide psychological care for children affected by the terrorist attack, Sri Lanka received support of 100,000 euros from the FDF. In 2019, total bilateral humanitarian aid, which also includes humanitarian aid for international disasters coordinated by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, amounted to 36 million euros. The funds and assistance provided were channelled through humanitarian organisations such as the UN, the Red Cross movement and Austrian NGOs. Total bilateral humanitarian assistance, which also includes humanitarian assistance coordinated by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in international disaster events, amounted to 36 million euros. The funds were chan-

175 Austrian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs nelled through United Nations humanitarian organisations, the Red Cross movement and Austrian non-governmental organisations.

International Disaster Relief Austria also provided international disaster relief in response to requests for assistance under the EU mechanism and in direct coordination with the European Commission/Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). In February, Austria contributed a female expert to facilitate the implementation of a European Commission “Prevention and Preparedness Mission” in Georgia. To alleviate the impact of the tropical storm “Idai”, Austria provided disaster relief to Mozambique in March, making available contributions in kind such as hygiene kits, kitchen sets and plastic tarpaulins. Likewise in March, and in response to the devastating floods inIran , Austria also provided hygiene kits, woollen blankets and sludge pumps. In September, Bolivia that was hit by forest fires, received support in the form of contributions in-kind, such as family tents, water pumps and filter masks. In the aftermath of two severe earthquakes that hit Albania in September and November, Austria provided winter sleeping bags, camp beds, sleeping mats and electricity generators. In addition, 600,000 euros were made available by ADA to contribute to the repair and construction of housing units. All of the aforementioned international disaster relief missions were organised by the Federal Ministry of the Interior as the body responsible for international disaster relief, and national crisis and disaster protection management.

Austrian Food Aid Major political importance attached by Austria to international food aid provided to regions suffering from hunger and acute food insecurity is reflected in Austria’s decades-long membership of the Food Aid Convention. Involving the contribution of the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, this convention was transformed in 2013 to the more up-to-date Food Assistance Convention (FAC). By ratifying the new FAC in early 2013, Austria committed itself to providing at least a minimum amount of food assistance to food-insecure third countries on an annual basis. In the context of the reorganisation of food aid in 2015, cooperation between the MFA and ADA was optimised with regard to project selection and project support, based on a coherent Austrian overall strategy. Led by the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism and in cooperation with the MFA and ADA, Austria provided support of 1.6 million euros to relief projects implemented by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia.

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3.4.2 Multilateral Humanitarian Aid and Assistance provided by the European Union

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is responsible for the international coordination of humanitarian aid, disaster relief and emergency response, for the development of the UN’s humanitarian policies as well as for the advocacy of humanitarian issues with other UN departments. In addition to its headquarters in New York and Geneva, OCHA operates a network of field offices and regional support offices. Only around 5 % of OCHA’s financial requirements are covered by funds from the ordinary UN budget, while the rest is made available through voluntary contributions from the Member States, including Austria. Since 2010, Austria has been a member of the OCHA Donor Support Group, a forum made up of top donors to OCHA. Austria supported OCHA’s work through an untied contribution to the core budget. In addition to these contributions, OCHA received funding to coordinate refugee assistance and relief in Syria and Mozambique.

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The Office of theUN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is one of the largest UN relief organisations. It operates in 123 countries and funds its activities mainly through voluntary contributions from its member states. As has already been the case in previous years, Austria provided an untied core contribution to UNHCR. In addition, Austria supported relief activities launched by UNHCR in the field of provision of basic care and services to internally displaced persons, refugees and returnees as well as to host communities in Bangladesh.

United Nations World Food Programme Set up in 1961, the Rome-based WFP is the UN’s largest humanitarian organisation. By way of the WFP, the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism provided food aid to alleviate the impact of the drought disaster in Ethiopia with the relevant funding being handled by ADA.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East As in previous years, Austria made a core payment to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In addition, ADA provided financial support to the UNRWA healthcare and education programmes.

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International Committee of the Red Cross and International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies Set up in 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the only organisation mandated with monitoring compliance with international humanitarian law. The ICRC is active in more than 80 countries. Together with the Inter- national Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as well as national organisations and societies, it has made a significant contribution to alleviating humanitarian emergencies and suffering worldwide. Since 2017, Austria has been a member of the ICRC Donor Support Group, an informal forum bringing together the most important donors to the ICRC. Austria supported the ICRC’s operational work in the field of provision of basic services, including food, drinking water as well as healthcare and cash aid to the affected population in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Syria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Jordan and Burkina Faso as well as for the Mine Action appeal in Ukraine. Austria also contributed to the ICRC’s headquarters budget. Funds were made available to the IFRC for the provision of psychological support to victims of the terrorist attack in Sri Lanka.

Humanitarian Aid in the European Union Context Austria contributed its share to humanitarian aid worldwide through the Euro- pean Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office(ECHO) , whose operational budget amounted to around one billion euros. The largest portions of funds were used to provide aid to alleviate the humanitarian crises on the African continent and in Syria.

3.5 International Humanitarian Law Austria continued its pro-active efforts towards strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL), also within the context of the 33rd Inter- national Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva in December. The conference adopted resolutions on current issues of IHL and humanitarian aid. Austria also made voluntary pledges, thereby reaffirming its commitment to strengthening and promoting the expansion of IHL as well as to nuclear disarmament and the protection of civilians in urban warfare, in particular from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). Within the framework of the EU, IHL issues were dealt with in various forums to which Austria contributed proactively, especially in the Council working parties on international law, international criminal law and humanitarian aid as well as in the Political and Security Committee. In the lead-up to the International Confer- ence, Council conclusions on humanitarian aid and IHL as well as joint commitments and pledges were prepared by the EU and its Member States. This year

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Austria continued its efforts aimed at institutional strengthening of the EU, and particularly the European External Action Service in the field of IHL and international criminal law. The Permanent Representation in Brussels also organised events on IHL, involving inter alia the new EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and of Doctors without Borders. There is excellent cooperation between the Austrian authorities and the ICRC as well as the Austrian Red Cross. Due to its increased financial contributions, Austria has since 2017 been a member of the ICRC Donor Support Group and has actively contributed to the development of the ICRC Strategy 2019–2022. In cooperation with the ICRC, Austria and the Austrian Red Cross are hosting a European Regional Conference of National IHL Committees on the national implementation of international humanitarian law in Europe in 2020. IHL issues are regularly addressed in the Austrian National Commission for the Implementation of IHL, which was established in 1988 and meets under the joint chairmanship of the MFA and the Austrian Red Cross. At its annual meeting, the Commission prepared inter alia the Austrian pledges to the International Confer- ence of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and discussed progress in ratifications of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), in whose development Austria had played an active role. It also focused on the drafting of political declarations on the protection of civilians from use of explosive weapons in populated areas as well as from use of lethal autonomous weapon systems without sufficient and effective human control (LAWS). In accordance with the pledges Austria had made at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and at the United Nations World Humanitar- ian Summit (WHS) in May 2016 on hosting events to promote the expansion of IHL, the MFA and the Austrian Red Cross, in cooperation with the Universities of Linz and Graz, organised a seminar on “International Humanitarian Law and the European Union – Current Developments during the Austrian Presidency” on 29 January. Austria continues to call for ensuring that violations of IHL not go unpunished. The fight against impunity also requires objective establishment of facts. For this reason, Austria supports investigation and fact-finding commissions, such as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to assist the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, initiated by UNGA resolution 71/248 and the International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission (IHFFC) set up under Article 90 of Additional Protocol I of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions.

179 4. Foreign Trade Austria is a small, open economy; exports and imports of goods, services, capital and know-how are decisive factors in the country’s economic development. The Austrian export economy safeguards and creates jobs, prosperity and tax revenues. In 2018, the Austrian export volume – for the first time ever – reached the 150 billion euro threshold. Around 60 % of Austria’s gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by export-oriented companies and every second job is related directly or indirectly to foreign trade. The number of exporting companies has more than quintupled in the past 25 years, increasing from 12,000 to about 61,000. Around 80 % of the exporting companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are active in a wide range of industries and sectors. According to the forecast of the Austrian Institute for Economic Research, exports of goods will continue to grow, increasing by 3.3 % in 2020. Together with its network of representations abroad, the MFA also makes a significant contribution to the success of the“export nation Austria”. The promotion of Austrian economic interests within and outside of the EU is part of its mission and an important objective pursued by the MFA, whose Foreign Trade and Business Services Departments deal with foreign trade matters, relevant issues raised by individual enterprises and answer questions related to foreign trade. In more than 2,000 concrete cases, the Austrian embassies have provided assistance and support in the interest of the economy and of Austria’s position as a business location. This included interventions and meetings with authorities, handing over of company memoranda, promotion of Austria as a business and tourism location, consulting, information procurement and establishing contacts. These daily services were provided by the embassies in close cooperation with the international trade offices (AußenwirtschaftsCentres), operated by the Aus- trian Federal Economic Chamber.

4.1 Foreign Trade Strategy Under the Austrian Government Programme 2017 – 2022, the MFA, together with the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Federal Economic Chamber was mandated with preparing a new Austrian foreign trade strategy. In December 2018, the strategy – which sets out a total of 63 very specific measures aimed at further strengthening the competitiveness of foreign trade and Austria’s position as a business location – was presented under the heading of “An innovative foreign trade policy for a successful Austria”. Led by the MFA, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Federal Economic Chamber, the objectives and concrete measures specified in the new strategy will be implemented. Ongoing coordination and evaluation of the steps taken is ensured by the steering and management/guidance group.

180 Bilateral Foreign Trade Policy

The primary objective pursued by the strategy is to safeguard the prosperity and interests of the Austrian population in a global environment that is subject to constant and rapidly increasing change and transformation. It aims to anticipate trends and new growth markets in a forward-looking manner, tap into opportunities such as digitalisation, and create the necessary economic policy framework for the Austrian economy and for Austria as a business location. Many aspects that are important from a foreign policy perspective, such as sustainability, policy coherence and value orientation, human rights and responsible corporate action in line with the relevant OECD guidelines were integrated as pivotal elements into the strategy. In this context, the section on “sustainability as an opportunity for companies and business locations” is of relevance, as the global trend towards sustainability, the circular economy and environmental technologies is considered a key market of the 21st century and opens up a huge number of opportunities for Austrian trade and industry, both at home and abroad. Under the foreign trade strategy, the MFA also attached importance to establishing a pro-active exchange of information that is as comprehensive as possible on the foreign travel activities of all relevant actors at political level. In implementing the strategy, the MFA is also in charge of drafting a new model treaty governing investment protection agreements with (EU) third countries and launched the related preparatory activities in the second half of the year. As a member of the steering committee supporting the Austrian National Con- tact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the MFA is also actively involved in applying and implementing these guidelines.

4.2 Bilateral Foreign Trade Policy Austria has entered into bilateral investment protection agreements (Bilateral Investment Treaties, BIT) with 60 countries in order to improve legal security for Austrian companies doing business in third countries. In its ruling of 6 March 2018 in the case Slovak Republic v. Achmea BV, the CJEU found that provisions on arbitration tribunals in agreements under international law between EU Mem- ber States are incompatible with EU law. Consequently, a plurilateral treaty for the termination of intra-EU bilateral investment treaties was drawn up. In this context, Austria considers it important that steps be taken swiftly at EU level to ensure comprehensive and effective legal protection of investments in the EU internal market and to prevent any negative impact on Europe’s appeal as a business location.

181 Foreign Trade 4.3 Multilateral Foreign Trade Policy

EU – Free Trade Agreements

The European Commission has conducted negotiations on trade and investment protection agreements with Vietnam and Tunisia, on trade agreements with Aus- tralia, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico and New Zealand and on an investment protection agreement with China. Negotiations have also been held with the USA on agreements on the elimination of industrial tariffs and mutual recognition of conformity assessments. After parts of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) had been provisionally applied since 21 September 2017, Austria notified the other parties of its ratification on 23 May following confirmation of its legal conformity by the CJEU. On 14 May, Austria notified other parties of its ratification of the European Union Central American Association Agreement (EU-CAAA) and of the EU Trade Agreement with the Andean countries Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The EU-Japan Economic Partnership and Investment Protection Agree- ment entered into force on 1 February, as did the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agree- ment on 21 November. The corresponding EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement still requires ratification by the EU Member States. TheEU-Vietnam Free Trade and Investment Protection Agreements were signed in Hanoi on 30 June and the European Parliament is expected to give its consent in early 2020. On 28 June, an agreement in principle was reached on the trade part of the EU agreement with MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), which has been negotiated since 1999. Some EU Member States held critical views, especially with regard to environmental impact assessments. Austria expressed concerns about the agreement, pointing to a potential lowering of food and environmental standards. A resolution to this effect was passed in the National Coun- cil on 18 September. The agreement can only enter into force after unanimous approval by the EU Member States. As things stand, the United Kingdom (UK) will leave the EU on 31 January 2020. Provisions have thus been made to negotiate a post-BREXIT agreement covering the transitional phase until the end of 2020, which will essentially take the form of an EU-UK trade agreement.

World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO currently has 164 members, representing about 96 % of world trade. Discussions on accession have been held with the Bahamas, South Sudan, Uzbek- istan and Belarus. The 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) will be held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, from 8 to 11 June 2020. The outlook is mixed as the Minis- terial Conference will take place in an environment marked by massive challenges

182 Department for Business Services to the multilateral trading system posed by protectionist geopolitical trading practices of individual WTO members. The dispute settlement mechanism is no longer functional as the USA has been blocking the appointment of judges to the Appellate Body, and due to the lack of replacement of its appeal judges the Court’s second instance has not been able to operate since 11 December. Another smouldering fundamental conflict in the WTO concerns therole played by trade for the development of poorer states. Furthermore, there are ongoing issues relating to the organisation’s institutional reform, such as the functioning of WTO committees and the implementation of notification obligations. Progress has, however, been made on the fisheries subsidies. The plurilateral initiatives in the areas of domestic regulation, e-commerce and investment facilitation are also making headway. Austria and the entire European Union are strongly committed to strengthening and modernising the WTO’s multilateral trading system. A functioning, rules-based international trading system is of fundamental importance for the world economy and export-oriented countries like Austria.

4.4 Department for Business Services Austrian diplomacy has always sought to support and promote Austrian business interests. Since its establishment in 2015, the Department for Business Services (“Unternehmensservice”) at the MFA has been a central contact point for Aus- trian companies active in the international sector. The Department for Business Services’ primary task is to handle matters that require official or diplomatic support. Such issues may include disputes related to the European internal market regulations, foreign government actions giving rise to commercial disagreements, discriminatory and other tax claims, poor payment practices on the part of foreign public sector clients or situations in which Austrian investors are put at a disadvantage. These topics can also be raised at or in the context of high-level visits, including the handing over of company memoranda. The wide range of activities aimed at promoting Austrian business interests also include the forwarding of tenders, together with the organisation of information events on current topics such as Brexit and Iran or UN procurement. In all these activities, the Department for Business Services cooperates with relevant stakeholders, including other federal ministries, the Austrian Federal Eco- nomic Chamber, the Federation of Austrian Industries and the Austrian Business Agency (ABA). An excellent example of cooperation among various actors with a view to strengthening the resilience of Austrian export companies is the role the Department for Business Services has assumed since June 2018 as Focal Point with respect to Iran. Particularly noteworthy is the Open Austria initiative where experts from the MFA, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the ABA, based in San Francisco, ensure exchange between Austria and Silicon Valley, one of the world’s

183 Foreign Trade centres of innovation. The ALPS (Austrian Leadership Programs), a visiting programme that offers Austrian companies the opportunity to present themselves to international high potentials, is appreciated by companies and stakeholders alike. This also includes the information events “Business Location Austria” organised by the MFA’s Department for Business Services and directed at representatives of the Austria-based international diplomatic corps.

184 5. Consular Affairs

5.1 The Consular Department’s Areas of Activity The Citizens’ Desk and the Austrian diplomatic representations abroad provide a wide range of consular services to Austrians who travel abroad and to those who live abroad either permanently or for an extended period of time. These services include the provision of detailed and constantly updated travel information and advice on the MFA’s website, information provided around the clock by telephone or in writing, as well as concrete consular support especially in emergencies or crisis situations. The mandate of promoting digitalisation, set out in the government programme, is being pursued with particular vigour by the MFA, especially in the consular field. In connection with the digitalisation activities planned by the respective federal ministries, the MFA attaches particular importance to ensuring that Aus- trians who live abroad permanently or for an extended period of time also have the opportunity to use and benefit from the continuously expanded range of electronic services. In total, some 352,031 visa applications were processed and around 9,435 applications for residence titles under the Settlement and Residence Act (Nieder- lassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz, NAG) were handled by the Austrian diplomatic representations over the course of the year.

5.2 Citizens’ Desk and Operational Crisis Management Abroad This year, Austrians took over 11 million trips abroad. A major share was made up by holiday trips, ranging from the top holiday destinations of Italy, Germany and Croatia to long-distance trips to remote regions. Correspondingly, there was great interest in the country-specific travel information provided on the MFA’s website (over 4.2 million visits to the travel information pages were registered in the year under review). In addition, the MFA’s Citizens’ Desk is available to travellers around the clock for enquiries and in consular emergencies (staff answered some 33,000 telephone enquiries in the year under review). Travellers are also making increasing use of the MFA’s travel registration service that provides not only timely information by text message or email about relevant developments at their travel destination but also support in the event of a crisis (more than 120,000 individuals used this service in the year under review). Launched in June, the “Auslandsservice” (travel registration service) app “www. auslandsservice.at” supports travel registrations on Android and iOS devices.

185 Consular Affairs

Frequent travellers have the opportunity to create a LOGIN account and to subsequently change data records. With a view to facilitating the provision of optimal consular assistance even in remote regions in the event of crises due to terrorist attacks, political unrest, natural disasters, pandemics or other major emergencies, cooperation at European and international level is becoming increasingly important, especially in countries where Austria is not represented by an embassy or consulate. Thus the adoption of EU Consular Directive 2015/637 has ensured effective coordination, cooperation and solidarity among the EU Member States’ consular authorities facilitating consular protection of unrepresented citizens of the EU in third countries. Launched by radical Islamic terrorists and killing 253 people, the bomb attacks on hotel complexes in Sri Lanka on 21 April (Easter Sunday) posed major challenges for all consular missions’ crisis management capabilities. Increasing political unrest, violent riots during demonstrations and general strikes exacerbated the security situation in Venezuela in February and in Ecuador, hitting Chile and Bolivia from October and subsequently impacting the entire region. On 10 March, a tragic plane crash near Addis Ababa killed 157 people, including three Austrians. Among the most severe and devastating natural disasters that also affected consular work in the year under review, were hurricane “Dorian”, which hit the Bahamas on 1 September as a category 5 hurricane, typhoon “Hagi- bis”, which hit the Japanese capital Tokyo on 12 October, and on 26 November, the earthquake including numerous aftershocks near the Albanian capital Tirana that claimed over 50 lives. The period under review also saw the insolvency of tour operator Thomas Cook on 23 September, which affected some 5,000 Austri- ans who had booked holidays via its partner companies. Consequently, the Citi- zens’ Desk and the diplomatic representations dealt with an increased number of inquiries and requests for urgent assistance, and established contact with the liquidating company as a contact point for claims for compensation.

5.3 General Consular and Legal Matters As of 1 December, a total of 178 Austrian nationals were detained in prisons abroad, most of them in Germany (42 cases), Turkey (13 cases), Hungary (eleven cases), Italy, Switzerland and Spain (seven cases each). The most common offences committed by Austrians imprisoned abroad were offences against public security (98 cases), drug offences (91 cases) and offences against life and limb (51 cases). Diplomatic representations made a total of 150 prison visits. The purpose of these visits is mainly to ascertain at regular intervals that Austrian prison inmates are being treated in line with the respective country’s national regulations, and also to ensure that such regulations comply with the international minimum standards and that Austrian inmates enjoy any relief they may be entitled to under the

186 Austrians Abroad existing regulations. Another important part of the services provided in this context is the acceptance and forwarding of parcels and small sums of money sent to Austrian prison inmates abroad. In cases of child abduction, the Hague Convention on Child Abduction of 1980 (Hague Convention, HCCA) foresees direct cooperation between the respective national judicial authorities. In all cases, and especially in countries that are not party to the HCCA, the MFA and the Austrian diplomatic representations support the affected parent with consular assistance in asserting his/her rights abroad. In total, Austrian authorities dealt with more than 20 cases of child abduction. The MFA handled some 18,000 requests for legal (judicial) assistance and administrative cooperation from both Austrian and foreign authorities. A joint project launched by INTERPOL, the French Ministry of Justice and the MFA seeks to significantly accelerate mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. With respect to legal protection in consular matters, the consular section of the MFA and the Austrian diplomatic representations provided assistance in more than 700 cases worldwide. The MFA’s scope of responsibility also includes the national coordination of Aus- trian positions and chairing of negotiations on treaties in the fields of legal assistance, extradition and transfer of prisoners as well as police cooperation. In this context, the MFA cooperates very closely with competent ministries and the Aus- trian diplomatic representations in the countries concerned. A number of bilateral and multilateral agreements were dealt with in the year under review. In total, five agreements were in the process of ratification, eleven agreements were being negotiated and one agreement was concluded. National coordination processes were arranged for a further 13 agreements.

5.4 Austrians Abroad The provision of care and support to Austrian citizens abroad constitutes one of the core tasks of the Austrian embassies, consulates and consulates-general. The range of services offered to Austrians abroad is thus constantly being expanded. This includes making the electronic services provided, such as the electronic identity card (e-ID) or electronic delivery and service of documents also accessible to Austrians residing abroad. Scheduled for the end of 2020, the systems engineering implementation of the new electronic proof of identity (e-ID) in the electronic passport register, will enable the (voluntary) registration of Austrians abroad for e-ID at all passport application facilities, both in Austria and abroad. In introducing this innovative digital ID system, Austria has come to play a pioneering role in Europe.

187 Consular Affairs

Just like the MFA’s dedicated website for “Austrians abroad” (www.auslandsoes- terreicherInnen.at), the Austrian diplomatic representations are an important link between Austrians abroad and their (former) home country. They constitute the first point of contact with regard to passport, citizenship and voting matters, for further contact with authorities and consular protection, for obtaining information about Austria, effective crisis preparedness and coordination, or with respect to organising and facilitating events related to Austria. A special service offered at many diplomatic representations is the opportunity to apply for a “BMEIA Express” (MFA express) passport in order to shorten delivery times. Responding to changing modern requirements, improvements were recently introduced in the fields of electoral law (simplification of postal voting), online registration and provision of information on the Internet. Austrians residing abroad may also register with Austrian representative authorities online in order to ensure quick and efficient establishment of contact (by email or text message), which proves very useful, especially in crisis situations. The newly designed and more user-friendly registration via the “Auslandsservice app” has been available since June and enables personal data to be saved locally on a mobile device for future registrations. Since there is no obligation to officially register one’s permanent residence abroad, the figures relating to Austrians living abroad are largely based on estimates. It may, however, be assumed that some 580,000 Austrians currently live abroad. By far the largest number of Austrians residing abroad live in Germany (257,000), followed by Switzerland (65,000). A major share reside in the United Kingdom (33,000), the USA (30,500), Australia (20,000), Spain (12,000), South Africa, Brazil, Argentina (10,000 each), Israel, France, Italy and the Netherlands (9,000 each); thus more than 80 % of Austrians living abroad are concentrated in just a few countries. Some 379,000 Austrians living abroad are registered with the diplomatic representations and of these around 316,000 are of voting age. A total of 38,512 passports (35,693 ordinary passports, 2,819 emergency passports) and 12,403 identity cards were issued at the Austrian diplomatic representations abroad. Currently, Austrian nationals may apply for passports and identity cards at 125 diplomatic representations, including the authorised honorary consulates/consulates-general. Since 2014, Austrians abroad have had the opportunity to have civil status documents and citizenship certificates issued by the Austrian diplomatic representations abroad via the Central Civil Status Register (Zentrales Personenstandsregis- ter, ZPR) and via the Central Citizenship Register (Zentrales Staatsbürgerschafts- register, ZSR). Embassies and Austrian consular offices abroad issued a total of 2,842 civil status documents and 7,634 citizenship certificates and confirmations. The Office for Consular Authentication at the MFA registered a total of 20,585 authentications and apostilles that may be issued to enable international recog-

188 Austrians Abroad nition of Austrian documents abroad. In total, Austrian diplomatic representations abroad processed some 47,108 authentications and issued 627 apostilles.

Organisation of Austrians Abroad Ties between Austrians living abroad and their home country are maintained particularly through associations of Austrians abroad, other societies that have links with Austria and increasingly also via social media. There are 400 such associations and societies in 61 countries. The Vienna-based Auslandsösterreicher-Welt- bund (AÖWB, the World Federation of Austrians Abroad), is the umbrella organisation concerned with the representation of interests and provision of a service platform for associations of Austrians abroad. Since 1 January, Jürgen Em, has been the President of the AÖWB and Irmgard Helperstorfer has served as Secre- tary-General. The AÖWB maintains the dedicated website www.weltbund.at and publishes the magazine “ROTWEISSROT”. The launch of its online platform www. austrians.org, directed specifically at Austrians living abroad, in 2012 has contributed to the further strengthening of the federation’s social media presence. The AÖWB organises an annual meeting of Austrians abroad, the most recent was held in Eisenstadt from 5 to 8 September. Funding provided by the MFA to the AÖWB amounts to 100,000 euros. The federal provinces of Burgenland (“Burgenländische Gemeinschaft”), of Upper Austria (“Oberösterreich International”), Lower Austria (“Blau Gelb in der Welt”/ Blue Yellow in the World) and Styria (“Büro für Auslandssteirer”/Office for Styr- ians Abroad) also pursue initiatives to improve networking among and between Austrians abroad and their home country as well as their native province.

Matters of Interest to Austrian Nationals Living Abroad The Fund for the Support of Austrians Abroad (Auslandsösterreicher-Fonds) was established in 1967 with a view to assisting Austrians who live abroad and find themselves in serious difficulties. The Federal Act on the Fund for the Support of Austrians Abroad (Bundesgesetz über den Auslandsösterreicher-Fonds, AÖF-G) Federal Law Gazette I No. 67/2006, which came into force on 1 January 2007, extended the group of potential recipients of support and assistance. The fund, which is financed with a total of 600,000 euros by Austria’s nine federal provinces and the MFA, contributing 50 % each, provided financial assistance totalling 560,750 euros to 1,062 Austrians in need in 64 countries. The Board of Trustees appointed by the Federal Government is chaired by Ambassador (ret.) Rudolf Lennkh, the office of Managing Director is held by Sabine Müstecaplıoğlu. The Christmas campaign, organised by the MFA every year in support of Aus- trians abroad in need, raised cash and in-kind donations totalling 45,870 euros,

189 Consular Affairs which were made available to 417 Austrian nationals in need living in 47 countries worldwide. For Austrians living abroad who are elderly, in need of permanent help or seriously ill and no longer able to care for themselves, the MFA may arrange for repa- triation including accommodation in a suitable institution in Austria. In the course of the year, seven such individuals were brought back to Austria from Tunisia, Italy, China and the UAE and accommodated in Austrian social welfare and/or care institutions.

Participation of Austrians Abroad in Political Decision-making in Austria and the European Union Since 1990, Austrians who are on the (European) electoral register and are residing abroad on election days, have had the right to vote in Austrian parliamentary and presidential elections and to participate in nationwide plebiscites, public consultations and referenda and, since 1 January 2018, also in popular petitions. Austrians whose main registered residence is abroad may register for popular initiatives and submit a declaration of support. They can do so by either personally submitting the relevant written statement on paper to municipalities in Austria or online by means of a qualified digital signature (“Bürgerkarte”/Citizens’ Card, “Handy-Signatur”/mobile phone signature). Austrians abroad – as well as non-Austrian citizens of the European Union who have their main residence in Austria – may vote in elections for Austrian Members of the European Parliament (EP). Voting rights of Austrians abroad – that were simplified considerably as of 2007 – enable participation in elections from the age of 16. Postal voting is possible in Austria and abroad for anyone who is unable to cast their vote in a polling station on election day. Furthermore, Austrians abroad may order absentee ballots in advance (“absentee ballot subscription”). Thus, they automatically receive their absentee ballots for all nationwide elections, plebiscites and referenda for a period of ten years. Furthermore, Austrians living abroad have the opportunity to vote in regional parliamentary elections in their former province, provided they previously resided in the provinces of Lower Austria, Tyrol or Vorarlberg. For the elections to the European Parliament (EP) in May, a total of 44,723 Aus- trians abroad were entered in an electoral register, marking an increase of 28.6 % compared with the 2014 EP election. The number of valid ballot cards cast by Austrians abroad rose to 27,640, i.e. a 59.2 % increase, compared with the 2014 EP elections. A total of 61,953 Austrians residing abroad were entered in the electoral registers for the elections to the National Council in September. The number of valid bal-

190 Visa and Residence Matters lot cards cast increased by 3.36 % to 45,962 compared with the 2017 elections to the National Council.

Working Holiday Programme Working Holiday Programmes (WHP) are agreements with other countries that enable young people between 18 and 30 to stay in the respective other country for a period of six to twelve months and to work without a work permit. It is thus possible for these young people to enter spontaneously into a short, fixed-term employment relationship while on holiday. These programmes also seek to enable young people to gain practical work experience abroad and to use training and educational opportunities, particularly in the field of languages and culture. So far, Austria has concluded a total of ten WHPs, namely with New Zealand (2012), the Republic of Korea (2012), Hong Kong (2015), Taiwan (2015), Japan (2016), Israel (2017), Canada (2017), Chile (2017), Australia (2018) and Argentina (2019).

5.5 Visa and Residence Matters As of 31 December, Austrian nationals who are regular passport holders were free to enter 119 states without a visa. Austrians may even enter 42 of these states with an ID card only and 17 states with a passport that has expired within the last five years. Four states required electronic registration before entry. Nationals of 104 states needed a visa to travel to Austria. Visas for entry to Austria can be applied for not only at Austrian diplomatic representations but also at embassies of other Schengen states as well as in visa centres operated by the MFA’s external service provider. In total, it was possible to file visa applications for entry into Austria in 317 locations worldwide. Ten new visa acceptance offices were set up and one office was closed. The Austrian diplomatic representations processed around 351,000 visa applications, which represents an increase of almost 5 % over the same period last year. Of these, almost 95 % were granted and subsequently issued. Of the visas granted, 92 % were Schengen visas and around 8 % were national visas for stays in excess of 90 days. In the context of the representation of other Schengen states, staff at Austrian diplomatic representations processed some 13,000 visas, making up a share of 4 % of the overall total. Cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior on the analysis of the development in numbers of visas, ongoing joint training activities in the consular sector as well as evaluation of visa administration at the diplomatic representations was continued also this year.

191 Consular Affairs

The opportunity to turn to the Federal Administrative Court in order to appeal against decisions taken by Austrian diplomatic representations in visa matters was used 324 times. This represents a significant decline in the number of procedures compared to the previous year. A total of 63.36 % of the appeal cases are complaints against the refusal of an entry permit pursuant to § 35 Asylum Act 2005 (family reunification). A total of 428 decisions were issued, with the Federal Administrative Court upholding the legal opinion of the diplomatic representations in 60 % of the cases.

Residence Applications In the context of settlement and residence procedures, the diplomatic representations abroad are responsible for accepting applications, ensuring that they are complete and correct, and for forwarding them to the competent authorities in Austria for a decision. The diplomatic representations abroad have received and handled 9,435 applications for residence under the Settlement and Residence Act. Most of the applications for residence filed under the Settlement and Resi- dence Act were submitted for the purpose of family reunification (5,177) and for taking up studies in Austria (2,340).

5.6 Asylum-related Issues and External Aspects of Migration

Irregular Migration The management of mixed migratory movements (refugees, irregular migrants, victims of human trafficking) to Europe remained one of the most pressing challenges. The aim pursued by Austria is effective migration management to be achieved through a series of measures at international, EU and national level. In the context of cooperation with the United Nations (UN), the Global Refugee Forum, hosted by UNHCR from 16 to 18 December, marked a focal point. It was the first follow-up meeting on the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), adopted by the UN in New York a year ago. On 19 July, the UN General Assembly adopted a modalities resolution on the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), which will convene for the first time in 2022 to address issues of global migration policy. Austria abstained from voting. Cooperation with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) was continued. The Vienna-based international organisation, which is headed by Director General Michael Spindelegger, continued to grow in the period under review. In the context of the annual Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) organised by ICMPD, which prepared recommendations for a common EU migration policy, the MFA hosted a segment on the root causes of migration.

192 Asylum-related Issues and External Aspects of Migration

A recent phenomenon was the increase in asylum applications filed in two EU countries at the same time. It is assumed that the actual number of irregular migrants who entered the EU amounted to half of this figure of asylum applications. Arrivals in Spain via the Western Mediterranean Route fell to about half of previous year’s level, and arrivals via the Central Mediterranean Route also declined significantly. However, with respect to arrivals on the Greek hotspot islands via the Eastern Mediterranean Route, a significant increase was recorded following an initial decline in 2017. The marked migration pressure observed along this route, is currently the most relevant for the situation in Austria, also due to the impact secondary migration movements via the Western Balkan states towards Central and Northern Europe has on Austria. Over the past few months, the Eastern Migration Route has come to play a somewhat less important role. The positive results achieved in European migration policy are attributable to a range of individual measures, which may vary, some being also of a very specific regional and/or local scope or nature. The measures taken include the closing of the Western Balkans Route, the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, closer cooperation with Morocco and better equipment of the Moroccan security forces, co-funded by the EU, a contribution towards addressing the root causes of migration in Africa through the EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa) to which Austria contributed eight million euros by the end of 2018, and the European External Investment Plan (EIP), which seeks to improve the employment pros- pects of citizens of African states. Other essential steps in this context include Austria’s involvement in EU Common Security and Foreign Policy (CFSP) missions, improved cooperation on readmissions, intensified police cooperation, progress made in the field of national border management, especially in the Western Bal- kan states, the Joint Way Forward (JWF) readmission agreement with Afghani- stan as well as migration partnerships (Migration Compacts) between the EU and some West African states. The High-Level Working Group (HLWG) on Migration and Asylum (responsibilities shared between the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the MFA)) focuses both on the analysis of migration flows along the three most important migration routes towards Europe and on the countries of origin of migration. For the first time, a linkage between trade agreements and migration and a possible related lever was discussed. The traditional update on the EU Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM) within the framework of the HLWG focused on the Sahel region, developments in Latin America, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey.

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Asylum In the year under review, some 670,000 applications for asylum were filed across the EU, which marks an increase of approximately 6.5 % over the previous year (approx. 630,000). In 2017, the number of asylum applications ranged at around 710,000, while it stood at some 1.3 million in 2016. As had been the case in 2018 (13,400) and in 2017 (24,735), the number of asylum applications filed in Austria (approximately 12,500) was below the average number of approximately 25,500 for the years 1999–2016. This means that Austria ranked 12th among the EU Member States in terms of numbers of asylum applications filed. With 28 asylum applications per one million inhabitants, Austria together with the Netherlands ranked 10th within the EU. The majority of asylum seekers in Austria were Afghan nationals (24 %), followed by Syrian nationals (20 %), 6 % held Iranian, 5.7 % Iraqi and 5.7 % Somali national- ity. By the end of the third quarter, 1,262 applications for family reunification under Art. 35 of the Asylum Act had been submitted to Austrian diplomatic representations. In Austria, 44,337 final decisions on asylum, subsidiary protection and humanitarian residence were issued. Of these, asylum was granted in 9,482 cases, while in 10,083 cases a legally binding negative asylum decision and in 24,772 other decisions were issued. The largest number of positive asylum decisions were issued to Afghan nationals (asylum was granted in 3,962 cases), followed by Syrian nationals (2,489 positive final decisions). Iranian nationals (asylum granted in 765 cases) and Somali nationals (731 positive final decisions) ranked third and fourth. Sub- sidiary protection was granted to 2,169 individuals, and rejected in 7,028 cases. Applications for a humanitarian residence permit were granted in 1,885 cases and rejected in 13,690 cases. Austria has thus fulfilled its international obligations, inter alia under the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees.

194 6. International Cultural Policy The image enjoyed by Austria across the world is largely shaped by the achievements of its artists, cultural workers and scientists. International networking, the promotion of mutual understanding and the joint work on what connects and unites people through art and culture as well as science are central components of Austrian international cultural policy work and thus of Austrian diplomacy and the fostering of intercultural relations.

6.1 Priorities In addition to presenting Austria as an innovative and creative country, the Inter- national Cultural Policy Concept, developed in 2015, focuses on Austria’s contribution to further promoting European integration and on the dialogue between cultures and religions. This concept is implemented by Austria’s international cultural policy network, supported by the seven International Cultural Policy funding and priority programmes as well as the Department for International Cultural Relations. As provided for by the Government Programme 2020–2024, the concept will be revised under the new federal government. The Austrian International Cultural Policy Network currently consists of 30 Austrian Cultural Fora and a Cooperation Office in Lviv in Ukraine, 89 embassies and consulates general, 65 Austria Libraries (Österreich-Bibliotheken), 10 Austria Institutes (Österreich Institute) and two Offices of Science and Technol- ogy (OSTAs). Expressed in figures, the achievements of international cultural policy become somewhat quantifiable: in 2019, a total of 6,594 events took place at 2,381 locations abroad, involving 5,695 partners and the participation of 9,144 artists and scientists. Since 2015, Bilateral Cultural Years have been an important instrument for strengthening bilateral cultural and scientific relations. After four years of cooperation with partner countries in South East Europe, Ukraine was the first country of the wider neighbourhood in the East with which a Bilateral Cultural Year was organised. Under the motto “Creating Perspectives through Creativity”, the cultural year focused on three priorities: “History in Central Europe”, “Literature and Contemporary Art” and “Creativity and Innovation”, with a view to linking the past with the present and the future. Creative new approaches were adopted in all three thematic areas and attention was drawn to things that had remained largely unknown, enabling new insights and opening new perspectives on both Austria and Ukraine. The related activities not only contributed to better mutual understanding but above all succeeded in arousing mutual curiosity.

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October marked the start of the Austrian-Slovenian Year of the Neighbourhood Dialogue, which will continue until September 2020. This year, special attention is being drawn to the many and varied links created by geographical proximity and shared history. Thus greater emphasis is being placed on common and con- necting elements in art and culture, landscape and space, on discovering the common cultural and natural heritage, raising awareness of and seeing what has hitherto been less visible, and thereby fostering mutual acquaintance and understanding. In order to meet these goals some 60 events – concerts, theatre and dance performances, film screenings, exhibitions and lectures – are being organised in both countries. Furthermore, dialogue at scientific, political and business level is being intensified. In addition, a special focus was placed on Japan, Thailand and India, with whom the establishment of diplomatic relations was celebrated. Diplomatic relations were forged with Japan and Thailand 150 years ago and with India 70 years ago. A range of cultural events were organised marking these anniversaries. A top-class cultural programme organised in Japan, included the Vienna Boys Choir, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and various exhibitions involving collaboration between major Austrian and Japanese museums as well as a piece of music especially composed by Gabriele Proy. In cooperation with Thailand, the anniversary year was celebrated by a dedicated book on bilateral relations in history, art, culture, education and science. In collaboration with India, a cultural programme was organised that placed a special focus on music, film, science and women in society, culture and science. The objective pursued by Austrian International Cultural Policy in the field of music is to present Austria, the country of music, in all its facets while highlighting innovations and new talents. Providing support to contemporary Austrian music therefore continues to be an important programmatic focus. In this regard, the network of Austrian representations abroad supports musical performances that cover a very wide range, from classical music to jazz, world music and pop to new music as well as experimental approaches (electronic music, sound instal- lations). Support was provided in particular to those musicians who had been selected for participation in the highly successful programme for young Austrian soloists and ensembles “The New Austrian Sound of Music” (NASOM). Initiated by the MFA in 2002, NASOM has over the last 17 years and in cooperation with mica-Music Information Center Austria developed into an established Austrian music brand. This is also reflected in the more than 430 concerts in which NASOM artists performed in over 65 countries in 2018. For the current 2020/2021 edition of NASOM, a jury of experts again selected a total of 25 young acts. In the film sector, support was provided to facilitate the participation of Austrian films in European and international film festivals as well as to enable the partici pation of a large number of films in festivals dealing with human rights-related topics. As interest has remained high since it was launched in 2011, cooperation

196 Priorities with Ars Electronica Linz was continued in the field of animation film. So far, events have been held in 30 countries. Under the cooperation set up in 2013 with the Academy of Austrian Film, selected short films have been presented abroad as “Österreichische Kurzfilmschau” (Austrian short film series) by the MFA’s international cultural network. To date, the Österreichische Kurzfilmschau has been shown in 32 countries. The “Österreichische Kurzfilmschau” enabled Austrian film- making to be showcased at numerous events and provided a platform for young filmmakers in particular. The involvement of Austrian lecturers working abroad in this programme meant that the short films were shown to a wider audience in the school and university sectors, where they met with an excellent response. Furthermore, a cooperation was set up in 2014 with the international film festival “TRICKY WOMEN” in Vienna – the only film festival worldwide dedicated exclusively to animation films produced by women. Under this collaboration, selected animation films by female Austrian filmmakers were presented in 25 countries. This cooperation contributes to improving the gender balance and/or to taking dedicated steps into this direction also in the film sector. In terms of activities launched worldwide in connection with visual arts and exhibitions, the trend towards enhanced quality and quantity has continued. To an increasingly larger extent, classical travelling exhibitions are being replaced by solo exhibitions, group exhibitions and thematic exhibitions, each of which tailored and specially developed for individual countries, cities or partner institutions. Under this concept, cultural fora, embassies and consulates-general may put together their “own” customized exhibition. Choosing from a range of topics, such as Calliope AUSTRIA (Women in Society, Culture and the Sciences), contemporary architecture, Ludwig Wittgenstein or historical themes, they may down- load online print data of modular exhibitions and create a version that is tailored to their local needs. This novel solution cuts transport costs and ensures simultaneous availability worldwide. In the field ofliterature , a large number of readings were held involving renowned as well as emerging Austrian writers. The second edition of the literature promotion programme “schreibART AUSTRIA”, launched in 2016, has become well established worldwide. The authors selected for the “schreibART” programme I and II took part in readings and were also invited to writing workshops at universities and other institutions, and participated in several international book fairs. First translations of some of the works were completed and discussed in literature symposia, and workshops on literary translations were organised to promote linguistic understanding. A positive development in this context is the constantly increasing media coverage and the growing number of reviews of Austrian literature both in quality local media and in social networks. In the field oftheatre , the year saw numerous performances by Austrian play- wrights, with scenic readings by Austrian authors, which were very well-received. Austrian theatre companies took part in international theatre festivals. As part of

197 International Cultural Policy the Cultural Year Austria-Ukraine, the play “Grillenparz” by Thomas Arzt was not only translated but also premiered at the Kyiv Academic Theatre Koleso. In recent years, the contemporary Austrian dance scene has succeeded in gaining a strong foothold at European level, building on a network set up with the Federal Chancellery and Tanzquartier Wien (TQW). Since 2018 and in cooperation with TQW, support has been provided under the programme “Dance on Tour Austria” to ensembles in neighbouring countries as well as in Eastern and South East Europe. In the context of academic lectures delivered abroad, a focus was placed in Norway, Poland and Bulgaria on 130 years of Ludwig Wittgenstein. New publi- cations, symposia and plays highlighted the ground-breaking achievements of Lise Meitner and Hedy Lamarr. The fall of the Iron Curtain 30 years ago and the reshaping of Europe featured very prominently on the agenda of all neighbouring countries and of some neighbouring EU Member States. Within the framework of the Neighbourhood Dialogue with Slovenia, the first conference on “International Legal Relations: Austria-Slovenia in the European Context” was held in autumn. Numerous events dealt with women’s suffrage, LGBTIQ and human rights, and violence prevention. The annual “Schrödinger Lecture” at Trinity College Dublin and the Boltzmann Symposium in Tokyo dealt with fundamental research. New priorities were also set in the field ofarchaeology , including the award of an excavation licence for Kalba in Abu Dhabi to the Austrian Academy of Sciences. A number of conferences dealt with the topic of architecture and more specifically Bauhaus. Furthermore, a range of symposia and conferences were held on the broad thematic field of Austrian and German literature and translation sciences. Launched in 2017, the priority programme “Creative Austrians – Vordenker_innen für die Gesellschaft von morgen” (Creative Austrians – pioneering thinkers for the society of tomorrow) deals with the question of how art, science and socio-politically relevant creative work can change the world. Organised in cooperation with international trade offices and civil society actors, discussions andevents on the topics of sustainability, waste avoidance and implementation of the Sus- tainable Development Goals (SDGs) were held in a number of countries. In this context, questions relating to smart cities, the future of the city and developing rural areas into attractive living environments played a particularly important role. In cooperation with major Austrian players, such as Ars Electronica, and by supporting artists’ solo or group performances at festivals, Austria succeeded in attracting attention in the fields ofnew media and/or digital media. The Artists in Residence (AiR) programmes were continued: in the context of the cooperation with Quartier21 at Museumsquartier Wien, authors and visual artists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine and Bela- rus were invited to work for two months each in Vienna. Under this collabora- 198 Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue tion, Quartier21 provides the studios and the MFA funds monthly scholarships. As another project that seeks to further expand cultural cooperation with neighbouring countries and Eastern Europe, the exchange project “Central & Eastern Europe Calling” in cooperation with < rotor >, an association for contemporary art based in Graz, was successfully completed: selected artists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine and Belarus were invited to Austria as artists-in-residence, while artists from Austria were in turn invited to these countries as artists-in-residence. Thanks to support from Austrian Cultural Fora, it was possible to establish further links promoting networking between the artists’ communities in the participating countries. Launched in 2008, the translation programme Traduki seeks to promote literary exchange and already covers 14 countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bul- garia, Germany, Kosovo, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Austria, Romania, Switzerland, Serbia and Slovenia). The successful cooperation between the MFA and MuseumsQuartier Wien, launched within the framework of the project “freiraum quartier21 Interna- tional”, was continued and the international exhibitions “Dance of Urgency” (curator: Dogomir Boringer) on dance as a phenomenon of mass culture and “Japan Unlimited” (curator: Marcello Farabegoli), presenting contemporary positions from Japan, were shown for the first time in Austria. Set up in 2001 on Austria’s initiative, the Platform Culture – Central Europe has been continuously developed. Under the Austrian Presidency, a reading and a col- loquium on “Transcultural Literature / Migration / Central Europe” took place from 8 to 10 May in cooperation with the Université Libre de Bruxelles, which dealt with the various forms of literature in the context of multilingualism. During the Czech Presidency, an exhibition on “political caricature” was held at the cultural centre OK16 in Minsk from 14–16 October.

6.2 Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Set up in 2007, the Task Force “Dialogue of Cultures” at the MFA acts as a catalyst and contact point for the implementation of dialogue initiatives. The Task Force has an international network of contacts and – as necessary – serves as an interface between Austrian government institutions, churches and religious communities, NGOs, institutions as well as representatives from the fields of science, culture, media and business. The Task Force’s network offers a wide range of opportunities for knowledge building and exchange of views. Based on the publication “Die Kunst der Begegung – Dialogfelder der österreichischen Außenpolitik” (the art of encounter – fields of dialogue in Austrian foreign policy), presented at the MFA in June, the Task Force seeks to contribute to structur- ing the concept of dialogue as a communicative method in diplomatic contexts and provide concrete examples illustrating opportunities for creative implementa- 199 International Cultural Policy tion. The publication also provides a summary of Austria’s special expertise in the fields of dialogue, considering its role as host to international organisations and as a venue for congresses. The Task Force furthermore supports the Austrian Cultural Fora, embassies and consulates-general in designing and implementing dialogue projects. The hall- mark of these dialogue initiatives is the promotion of intercultural understanding at national and international level. At the multilateral level, the Task Force contributes pro-actively to relevant dialogue within the framework of the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the EU and in cooperation with the Vienna-based International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). Imple- menting a motion for a resolution of the National Council in June, initial preparatory work was carried out with a view to Austria’s withdrawal from KAICIID, in close coordination with the other members and maintaining Austria’s reputation as a host country. Although dialogue of cultures and worldviews is not an area of EU competence, the positions of EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside of the EU and of EEAS Policy Advisor on religion and dialogue were created and filled as early as 2016. The EU Global Strategy, which calls for the development of an integrated approach to crises and conflicts, for making use of all policy areas in order to manage the security challenges and for ensuring greater attention to the relationship between EU internal policies and external relations, also creates the need for coordination and cooperation in this thematic area. In order to meet this goal, a programme aimed at promoting such exchange was established at the beginning of September within the framework of the “Global Exchange on Religion in Society” presented by HR/VP Federica Mogherini. In 2017 and 2018, the Task Force “Dialogue of Cultures” launched an exchange of information within the EU on national structures, priorities and activities within the framework of the Vienna Group it had established to this end. Austria also participated in the two meetings of the “Transatlantic Policy Net- work on Religion and Diplomacy” (TPNRD), which addresses the religious dimension in external relations. As an informal forum comprising the most important state actors within and outside of the EU, TPNRD – as a joint initiative of the EEAS and the US Department of State – is currently the only platform of its kind. The Intercultural Achievement Award (IAA), initiated by the MFA and presented for the sixth time on 28 October, has developed into a key project that highlights the successful use of dialogue in civil society initiatives in the context of development work, the media and integration.

200 International Cultural Policy Activities in the Context of the European Union and UNESCO 6.3 International Cultural Policy Activities in the Context of the European Union and UNESCO On 8 April 2019, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on an EU strategic approach to international cultural relations. Negotiated under the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union last year, these conclusions provide a framework to Member States and the EU institutions (European Com- mission and European External Action Service) for developing and implementing common cultural projects and joint actions with third countries. As a co-founder of EUNIC in 2006 and as a member of the Executive Board since 2017, Austria pursues an international cultural policy oriented towards strengthening the European project, and was able to ensure that close cooperation between EU delegations, EUNIC and national cultural fora or embassies in third countries was enshrined in the Council conclusions. The goals pursued include in particular provision of support to culture as a driving force for sustainable social and economic development, strengthening the role of culture and intercultural dialogue between communities to promote peaceful coexistence, and strengthening cooperation in protecting cultural heritage. In all three areas, Austria has a successful track record and long-standing experience building on bilateral cultural activities and/or cultural institutions and actors, who may contribute to future joint EU projects and cultural strategies. Important steps taken towards implementing this European cultural strategy were the development of detailed guidelines for cooperation between EUNIC, the European Commission and the EU delegations in third countries in July and the call for proposals for five pilot projects on innovative cooperation models under the heading of “European Houses of Culture”. Together with their local EUNIC partners, the Austrian representations in Minsk and San Francisco succeeded in being included in the shortlist of the ten most successful project proposals of the first stage, which will receive funding for the development of more detailed projects and may apply for the shortlist of projects awarded 50,000 euros in 2020. Produced in 2018 as a project during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the documentary film about EUNIC:“UNIQUE EUNIC: EU Cul- tural Relations – Trust & Creativity across continents” was shown worldwide; especially popular was its two-minute trailer version that was presented in connection with EUNIC projects. EUNIC currently comprises 36 European organisations responsible for cultural relations. Worldwide, more than 100 EUNIC clusters have already been formed in over 80 countries as cooperation networks of local EU cultural institutions, in which Austria – wherever it has a local diplomatic presence – is represented by the Cultural Forum or the embassy and often assumes a leadership function.

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Of the 30 Austrian Cultural Fora, 14 are active in the EU – which also holds true for 38 of the 65 Austria Libraries and seven of the ten Austria Institutes worldwide. Within the European Union, they work pro-actively towards promoting cultural exchange, European multilingualism, and especially the German language as it is spoken and written in Austria. They also foster career opportunities of Austrian artists on the European arts and culture market, which is of particular importance to them. In the context of UNESCO, Austria plays a very active role, having launched and contributing to numerous initiatives and projects. Following particularly successful elections, Austria will be represented in a total of eight intergovernmental steering committees in 2020: in the Intergovernmental Council of the Interna- tional Hydrological Programme, the Media Development Council, the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the Bio- ethics Committee, the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport, the Governing Body of the International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere, the Committee of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the International Cultural Heritage and the Committee of the Convention on the Pro- tection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Austria also seeks to contribute to visibly shaping the work of UNESCO through concrete projects. In this context, Austria focuses inter alia on the topics of protection of World Heritage, the safety of journalists, human rights education, education as a tool to prevent violent extremism, intangible cultural heritage, biodiversity, as well as water and river management, to name but a few. The Austrian contribution to UNESCO’s regular budget amounted to 0.874 % or 1,159,168 US dollars (902,131 euros). An additional amount of 22,135 US dollars each was made available to the World Heritage Fund and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, and 20,000 euros to the International Fund for Cultural Diversity.

6.4 Bilateral Agreements in the Fields of Culture and Science Austria has concluded cultural agreements with 32 states, which generally cover not only the field of culture but also education and science, and in some cases furthermore include the fields of sports, youth and women. These agreements regulate cooperation in areas such as language teaching and educational activities, the granting of scholarships, the exchange of lecturers, the promotion of networking among researchers as well as exchange in the fields of art and culture, and generally serve to promote cooperation on all topics covered by the respective agreement. The most recent cultural agreement was signed with Ukraine and has since entered into force. The agreements with Brazil, the Republic of Korea and India are currently in the planning stage.

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Cultural agreements generally provide for the establishment of a joint commission formed by members of both countries in order to promote cooperation. To this end, cultural work programmes are drawn up and adopted. A new work programme was concluded with Slovakia. In cooperation with the province of Upper Austria, bilateral cultural talks were held with Switzerland in Linz, the Upper Austrian capital – thus for the first time outside the federal capital Vienna. During the visit Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen paid to Israel in February, the Memorandum of Understanding in place with Israel covering the fields of culture, science and education, was extended for the seventh time since 1996. Austria has concluded 19 agreements on scientific-technical cooperation (S&T cooperation agreements), which seek to facilitate the exchange of information on structures and priorities in the scientific field and to promote the mobility of scientists in the context of joint research projects with partners in the respective contracting state. The most recent S&T cooperation agreement was signed with Brazil on 19 June, but has not yet entered into effect. Furthermore, new work programmes based on S&T cooperation agreements were adopted with Bulgaria, China, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary.

6.5 Science, Education and Language Alongside cultural exchange and dialogue, science has become a focal point of international culture. If diplomacy means building and maintaining relations between countries, then “Science and Technology Diplomacy” is the contribution that science, technology, education and the use of knowledge can make to international relations and global engagement. Science and technology impact everybody’s life. All global issues of the future have a scientific or technological component and can only be implemented through international cooperation. In this context, the latter is the domain of diplomacy and an area to which it can contribute. Science Diplomacy has therefore become an important field of work at the MFA and is being designed and developed in close cooperation with the specialist departments and scientific institutions. Science Diplomacy is thus more than scientific cooperation and also differs from science policy. It is rather about alliances between science and politics aimed at fostering cooperation and promoting international relations. The interaction between science and diplomacy works in both directions: regardless of the respective political situation, it strengthens science and its institutions and establishes constructive contacts between states, thus creating a positive agenda for cooperation and keeping communication channels open. Austria has a successful track record in Science Diplomacy. A shining example is the long-standing Austrian cooperation with IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis), which was founded as a confidence-building measure based on international scientific cooperation between East and West. Austria

203 International Cultural Policy also enjoys an excellent international reputation in some key areas of science and technology diplomacy, such as quantum physics, climate and security research or life sciences, in which the responsible ministries and scientific institutions are very active. Further examples of Austrian science and technology diplomacy are the bilateral dialogues with Iran, Indonesia and China, the work of the Aus- tro-Russian Commission of Historians and the Permanent Conference of Austrian and Czech Historians. Over the years, Austrian Science Diplomacy has proven to be a stabilising and continuing element in politics as it builds bridges between society and science. It contributes towards combating prejudice, creates trust and thus establishes a basis for dialogue and cooperation. The first-everScience Concept of Inter- national Culture analyses these experiences and outlines the framework under which Austrian cultural diplomacy that places a focus on science can fully tap into its potential in the future. The concept was coordinated with the ministries responsible for education, science, research, digitalisation, innovation and technology. The diplomatic representations play a central role in the context of Science Diplo- macy. As “facilitators” and “matchmakers” so to speak, they support the respective ministries and science institutions in their international cooperation activities, create meeting and networking opportunities and initiate discourses on new topics and at interdisciplinary interfaces such as culture and SDGs, “arts and tech”. They set priorities, for instance, in the context of science networks, in archaeological research, in educational cooperation and on the future-oriented topic of smart cities. The strategic further development of Science Diplomacy aimed at integrating science into political decision-making processes and translating scientific findings into policies also ranks high on the international agenda. Austria is a member of the growing international network of Foreign Ministry Science and Technology Advisers (FMSTAN), established in 2016 to strengthen this dialogue between science and politics within the framework of INGSA, the International Network for Government Science Advice. From 25 to 27 November, the international meeting of the Science Diplomacy networks FMSTAN/SPIDER/INGSA and BRIDGES was held in Vienna and Laxenburg in cooperation with IIASA. The Österreich Institut GmbH (Austria Institute Ltd.) was founded in 1997 to offer and organise German language courses, to support and promoteGerman language instruction abroad and to cooperate with national and international organisations. Its mandate covers the cultivation of international cultural relations via the German language. It thus promotes the study and cultivation of the German language as it is written and spoken in Austria and as a means for sharing a modern, contemporary image of Austria. Based in Vienna, the organisa-

204 Science, Education and Language tion maintains Österreich Institute (Austria Institutes) in Belgrade, Wroclaw, Brno, Budapest, Cracow, Bratislava, Rome, Warsaw, Sarajevo and Moscow. Austria Professorships and Centres of Austrian Studies have been established at universities in the USA, Canada, Europe and Israel. These facilities strive to initiate, deepen and coordinate the study of topics specifically related to Austria and Europe in the respective host country’s academic life and to stimulate academic research in this subject area as well as encourage publication of the relevant findings. Regular collaboration with embassies, consulates-general and Cul- tural Fora contributes significantly towards enabling university chairs and centres for Austrian studies to fulfil their tasks. The OeAD GmbH (Austrian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education, Science and Research) is an important partner for Austrian Cul- tural and Science Diplomacy. In addition to providing services to scholarship and grant holders and administering the various mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, bilateral scholarship programmes, Austrian Development Cooperation programmes as well as scientific and technical cooperation programmes, it also makes an important contribution to the further development of the education and higher education systems in Austria based on its analytical capabilities. Following the integration of KulturKontakt Austria (KKA, culture contact Aus- tria) on 1 January 2020, OeAD GmbH will operate a total of eight field offices: cooperation offices in Lviv and Shanghai; regional offices in Sarajevo and Tirana; project offices in Chisinau, St. Petersburg and Odessa; and an infopoint in Baku. Collaborating with local institutions in the fields of science, education and culture, the OeAD field offices are important cooperation partners for the diplomatic representations. They take care of mobility, educational exchange, and university marketing, provide scholarship advisory services, promote participation in summer schools and initiate exchange programmes. These offices furthermore seek to facilitate and promote cooperation with Austrian and local scientists. In addition, the OeAD offices in Shanghai and Baku are also licensed examination centres for the Austrian German Language Diploma (Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch, ÖSD). Currently, there are eight Austrian Schools abroad (Österreichische Auslands schulen): two in Budapest (Hungary) and one each in Prague (Czech Republic), Istanbul (Turkey), Guatemala City (Guatemala), Shkodra (Albania), Querétaro (Mexico) and Liechtenstein. Lessons at these schools are based on the Austrian curriculum in combination with relevant curricular adaptations to the respective host country.

205 International Cultural Policy 6.6 Österreich-Bibliotheken (Austrian Libraries) Over the past 30 years, the Österreich-Bibliotheken (Austria Libraries) abroad have evolved into well-established platforms of intercultural dialogue. They are primarily located in Central, Eastern and South East Europe, but also in the Black Sea region, the Caucasus and Central Asia. In operation since 1989, they have made a very special contribution to overcoming the intellectual and mentality-related division of Europe into East and West. Institutionally linked to universities and national libraries, the Austria Libraries are popular among students and teaching staff with a scientific focus and are also used by interested members of the public. Alongside their role as Austria’s science satellites abroad, they have developed into active information and cultural centres that organise cultural and scientific events in cooperation with the Aus- trian Cultural Fora and embassies. Being an indispensable and integral element of Austria’s international cultural policy, they provide important and sustainable impetus to fostering and sharing Austrian culture and philosophy in all its diversity abroad, also reaching beyond the Central European scope. Besides providing traditional classical library services, the 65 Austria Libraries in 28 countries organised 1,145 events that attracted some 65,000 visitors. More than 90,000 people used the Austria Libraries, whose holdings have grown to some 472,000 books and some 16,700 audio and video media. Almost all Austrian Libraries are equipped with WLAN. Together with numerous other Austrian or Austria-based libraries, the Austria Libraries form a worldwide network. The MFA attaches much importance to fostering networking among the Austria Libraries and organises regular meetings with a view to promoting closer links. Accessible via the Austria Libraries’ web portal (www.oesterreich-bibliotheken. at), the database of Austrian literature already lists more than 14,193 publica- tions, not yet including the external databases in Japan, Russia and Italy. The translations produced in the context of Austria Libraries frequently win translation awards sponsored by the Federal Chancellery, as well as prizes in their respective host countries. The Austria Libraries at the Departments of German Studies abroad are often managed by lecturers from the Österreichischer Austauschdienst (OeAD, Aus- trian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education, Science and Research), who are highly valued by the heads of Austria Libraries as competent networkers in matters relating to Austrian cultural, educational and scientific activities. Some facilities that house Austria Libraries also award the Austrian German Language Diploma (ÖSD) and conduct the relevant preparation courses and exams. In long-standing cooperation with the “Kultur und Sprache” (“Culture and Lan- guage”) programme, which will be incorporated into OeAD-GmbH as of 1 Janu-

206 Multilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation ary 2020, Austria Days are organised at selected locations abroad. These events, which are held in close cooperation with local institutions, focus on topics specifically related to Austria. The “Culture and Language” departments and the local cooperation partners are jointly responsible for programme design and organisation. These short seminars also serve to provide in-service training opportunities for German teachers abroad. The publication series “Transkulturelle Forschungen an den Österreich-Biblio- theken im Ausland” (transcultural research at the Austria Libraries abroad) provides an important publication platform for academic staff at the Austria Libraries who work on common thematic research projects. Volume 17 “Mediale Selbstref- erenzen. Das Netzwerk der Presse in der Habsburgermonarchie und ihren Nach- folgestaaten 1855–1925” (media self-references. the network of the press in the Habsburg Monarchy and its successor states 1855–1925), was published, volume 18 “Geschlecht und Gedächtnis. Österreichische Autorinnen prüfen Geschichts- mythen” (gender and memory. female Austrian authors examine historical myths) is to be published soon and “Das Jahr 1918 in der deutschsprachigen Presse des Habsburgerreichs” (the year 1918 in the German-language press of the Habsburg Empire) is currently being prepared.

6.7 Multilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation Austria has continued to place a special focus on multilateral scientific and technological cooperation both inside and outside of Europe in order to strengthen its position and consolidate its role as a location for high-tech industry and research. Austria thus also takes part in programmes launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in Paris, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) in Darmstadt and, above all, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva. Currently, more than 100 Austrian scientists work in association with the CERN programme. Led by the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research and the Austrian Mission in Geneva, Austria participates in the meetings of the CERN Council, the CERN Finance Committee and the Tripartite Employment Conditions Forum (TREF), which acts as a consultative forum for personnel matters related to management, staff and member states. The Laxenburg-based International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) has been a long-standing and very relevant cooperation partner of the MFA in the field of Science Diplomacy. Furthermore, Austria’s foreign policy interests are also represented through its involvement in the European Molecular Biol- ogy Conference (EMBC) in Heidelberg, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in Reading (United Kingdom) as well as the Euro- pean Space Policy Institute (ESPI) in Vienna.

207 International Cultural Policy 6.8 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and Issues related to the National Socialist Past The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental institution with a Permanent Secretariat in Berlin, was set up in 1998 on the initiative of Sweden. It was established with the purpose of becoming an international network promoting Holocaust education, research and remembrance at both national and international level. In accomplishing its tasks, it is able to draw on the support of renowned international experts from science and academia. Chaired this year by Luxembourg, the Plenary Session adopted the text of a Ministerial Declaration for formal adoption by a special plenary session on 19 January 2020. The goal is to strengthen the IHRA’s contemporary focus and its potential for action against manifestations of racism and discrimination, including antisemitism, and enable the Alliance to respond more effectively to current developments as well as to make more effective use of the successful influence diplomacy used by its 34 Member States in countering revisionism. Admitted in 2001, Austria held the ITF Chair in the commemorative year 2008 and has since been one of the central players within the Alliance. The Austrian delegation is co-led by the MFA and the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism. Austrian government representatives as well as experts from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, the Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance, the Mauthausen Memorial and the organisation “_erinnern.at_” participate in the permanent working groups and committees. Projects launched by Austria in the fields of Holocaust education, awareness-raising and research are highly regarded within the IHRA. Based on a Council declaration adopted under the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 6 December 2018, an EU working group started to review the state of implementation of the working definition of antisemitism that was developed by the IHRA and is being broadly used and applied.

6.9 The Future Fund of the Republic of Austria The Future Fund of the Republic of Austria was set up at the end of 2005 as a diminishing fund assuming the residual funds of the Fund for Reconciliation, Peace and Cooperation (Reconciliation Fund) that had been established in 2000 and was closed on 31 December 2005. The Fund’s mandate covers the promotion of projects, academic work and initiatives, which serve remembrance of the victims of the Nazi regime, are a reminder of the threat posed by totalitarian systems, dictatorships and tyranny, serve international cooperation and contribute towards the promotion of respect of human rights and mutual tolerance as well as towards strengthening European awareness. 208 The Future Fund of the Republic of Austria

Since its establishment, the Future Fund has supported around 2,300 projects, almost exhausting its original endowment. An amendment to the Future Fund Act (Federal Law Gazette I No. 141/2017), adopted unanimously by parliament and the Federal Council on 20 September and on 5 October 2017 respectively, ensured the continuation of the Fund’s activities for another five years. The MFA provides technical and administrative support to the Future Fund. Fur- thermore, the MFA and its respective diplomatic representations cooperate closely on a number of international projects supported by the Fund. Such projects include, for instance, the redesign of the exhibition at the Austrian memorial site in the former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Intercul- tural Achievement Award (IAA). In addition, the Zukunftsfonds supported the film “Born in Lviv...” by Piotr Szalsza as part of the Cultural Year Austria-Ukraine 2019. Commemorating the victims of the Nazi regime, another UNESCO project “Inter- national Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust and 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and exter- mination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau” was supported by the Zukunftsfonds. The Zukunftsfonds was very pleased to contribute to and facilitate the presentation of the publication “A Cold War over Austria. The Struggle for the State Treaty, Neutrality, and the End of East-West Occupation, 1945–1955” by professors Ger- ald Stourzh and Wolfgang Mueller at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York and at Harvard University in Cambridge. The “Werkstattgespräche” (workshop talks), organised in cooperation with the “Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies” to present selected projects supported by the Future Fund were continued. On 15 January, for instance, the life and work of the renowned art historian Sir Ernst Gombrich were presented in “Art and the Mind – Mit dem Steckenpferd unterwegs (Art and the Mind – concepts and insights in the context of Image Science, the “Steckenpferd”). The thematic area of the Nazi regime and National Socialism was addressed at the event “’Dachaureif’ – der Österreicher-Transport aus Wien in das Konzentration- slager Dachau: Biografische Skizzen der Opfer (‘Dachaureif’/ready for Dachau – the transport of Austrians from Vienna to the Dachau concentration camp: biographi- cal documentation of the victims) on 2 April. The project “Digitaler Medienkoffer – Zeitgeschichte aus verschiedenen nationalen multimedialen Perspektiven und zum Selberschreiben – Entdeckung der eigenen Identität im Kontext des Unbekannten” (Digital media kit – Contemporary History from Different National Multimedia Per- spectives and for you to write – Discovery of One’s Own Identity in the Context of the Unknown) that is particularly aimed at young people was presented on 12 November. This year’s closing event on 3 December focused on the topic of “100 Jahre Demokratie – Von der Gründung der Republik bis zur Demokratie des 21. Jah- rhunderts (100 Years of Democracy – From the Founding of the Republic to the Democracy of the 21st Century), a Demokratie MOOC (www.demooc.at) project aimed at strengthening democratic-political training in adult education.

209 7. Integration

7.1 Key Issues Although the year was once again marked by a decline in the number of people who immigrated to Austria, Austrian integration work continues to be confronted with comprehensive tasks due to the high number of people who had been admitted and were granted asylum and subsidiary protection in previous years. Within the European Union, Austria is one of the countries with the highest share of migrants. Only two EU states have more first-generation immigrants (in Austria the figure amounts to 19.2 %) and almost every fourth person in Austria has a migration background (meaning that both parents were born abroad). In particular the integration structures established under the 2017 Integration Act have proven viable and robust and are widely acclaimed and considered exemplary within the EU. As an essential basis for a swift and successful integration process, necessary initial integration measures, i.e. German language courses as well as value and orientation courses were enshrined in the law and provided nationwide by the Austrian Integration Fund (Österreichischer Integrationsfonds, ÖIF). The Integra- tion Act was amended with a view to harmonisation with relevant provisions of the Fundamental Law on Social Assistance. Accordingly, a new, adapted Integra- tion Act implementing regulation had to be adopted, which led to amendments to the Integration Agreement for legally resident third-country nationals, as well as – due to changes in the integration obligations – with regard to German language acquisition and proof of required level of attainment. As already stated in previous years’ reports, Austria offers comprehensive opportunities for integration and at the same time calls for making active use of these opportunities (“rights and responsibilities”). Alongside measures aimed at promoting integration and launched by the government, it is necessary that all those who have immigrated also contribute, participate and assume co-responsibility by actively working towards integrating themselves into Austrian society and progressing in society. In accordance with recent OECD recommendations, it is important to facilitate migrants’ ability to achieve financial independence as soon as possible while empowering them to participate actively and comprehensively in social life in Austria. At present, the economic and cultural integration of the recent refugee cohorts is an intensive process that is far from complete. As a long-term task, this effort requires not only the immigrants’ will and commitment and the support of the majority population, but – most of all – time.

Implementation of the Integration Act With the entry into force of the Integration Act in June 2017, effective integration structures were for the first time ever legally enshrined in Austria. The law cre-

210 Key Issues ated a consistent and binding system for German language and values courses, a standardised nationwide integration test, higher quality standards, sanctions and better controls. As one of the most important keys to successful integration, the acquisition of German language skills is an essential prerequisite for participation in society and the labour market. With the introduction of an integrated language support programme for persons entitled to asylum and subsidiary protection under the Integration Act, the MFA made available places on German language courses up to language level A1. Successful integration means more than just German language courses: it also includes emotional allegiance to the host country, an understanding of life in Austria as well as acceptance and identification with Austrian and European values, which apply equally to all people living in Austria. Those individuals who reside legally and permanently in Austria are required to undertake an active effort towards integrating into society, towards progressing and advancing as well as to upholding Austrian values as enshrined in the Austrian constitution. In the mandatory value and orientation courses, central basic values for harmoni- ous coexistence are shared with participants as well as useful knowledge about important areas of everyday life. In addition, knowledge and awareness of fundamental values of Austria’s legal and social order constitute a mandatory component of all German language courses, in order to enable the early and continuous communication of values.

Integration of Women Sharing Austrian and European fundamental values contributes towards promoting equal opportunities and especially towards strengthening gender equality and equal rights for women. Women play a key role in all integration processes; they are considered multipliers, usually act as driving forces for the entire family when it comes to education and assume a very important role as mediators in sharing and passing on values. Initial results show that women in particular benefit from the mandatory regulations introduced by the Integration Act: a gender-specific analysis of participants in the mandatory values and orientation courses shows a clear and continuous increase in the share of female participants since the entry into effect of the Integration Act, rising by +12.8 % from 32.5 % in 2017 and to 45.3 % in 2018 – and this trend is ongoing. In order to further support the integration of women in Austria, the range of courses that promote women has been expanded. To this end, special in-depth courses as well as customised counselling formats directed specifically at women and specifically at men were established. In this context, information is shared on topics such as equal rights, self-determination and the rule of law, counselling on educational and career opportunities, and participants

211 Integration are informed of contact points for victims of violence or female genital mutilation (FGM). The programme seeks to encourage participants to take an active interest in their life and integration in Austria, their rights and responsibilities, but also their wishes and goals.

Funding for Integration The MFA also provides funding to a wide range of sustainable and innovative integration projects in the context of national promotion of integration and also allocates EU funding from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). National and European funding totalling 12,929,443.44 euros was made available to a total of 132 funded integration projects focusing on the following priorities: labour market, acquisition of German language skills, integration of women, community and identity, children and youth.

Integration Report and Integration Monitoring Integration monitoring introduced by the Integration Act and the competent research coordination office not only contributes to gaining comprehensive scientific insights and knowledge, but also provide the basis for evidence-based policy development. Nationwide integration monitoring, which is being conducted for the second time now, provides the large number of statistics from the areas of asylum and residence, school and adult education, apprenticeship training, social benefits and services, the labour market, German language courses, value and orientation courses as well as science and academia, which, as a solid data basis, makes an important contribution to recording structural integration of migrants and individuals entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection in Austria. This ensures that data is successively collected and recorded and that developments are observed and evaluated over longer periods of time. For the first time, it thus became possible to compare the 2018 data with that of 2017, which makes it possible to identify emerging initial trends that can be used as an evidence- based basis for integration policy measures (for further information, please see the 2018 Integration Report). This facilitates discussion of integration in its thematic breadth. The related overview of integration-relevant government data and statistics in Austria was published in the Integration Report 2019. Together with the national integration indicators of the Statistical Yearbook “migration & integration”, this enables provision of a tangible and informative comprehensive view of developments in the field of integration.

212 Integration Bodies 7.2 Integration Bodies

Advisory Board on Integration The Advisory Board on Integration, which is enshrined in Articles 19 and 20 of the Integration Act, is composed of representatives of the Federal Government, the federal provinces, social partners, stakeholders and NGOs. It aims to foster interdisciplinary exchange and coordination across the respective areas, thus taking account of the fact that integration is a cross-cutting issue that affects many different public actors. As set out in the law, the Advisory Board met twice this year, focusing on the topics of education and further training opportunities for individuals entitled to asylum and subsidiary protection, antisemitism in Austria, men’s work in the context of integration and the Fundamental Law on Social Assistance. The integration measures and projects, the members of the Integration Advisory Board are responsible for, are included in the annual Integration Report and saved in the online database “Integration Projects in Austria”, which can be accessed at: www.bmeia.gv.at/ integration/datenbank-integrationsprojekte/ (in German only).

Expert Council for Integration The independent Expert Council for Integration is composed of experts from academia and practice. The Expert Council is legally enshrined in the Integration Act, Articles 17 and 18. The Council is the competence centre for integration matters, and advises on integration policy issues and challenges related to the integration process. One of the Expert Council’s main tasks is the preparation of the annual Integration Report, which places a special focus on addressing and contextualis- ing developments, based on integration monitoring, and contains recommendations for action. The thematic priorities addressed in the 9th Integration Report deal with different gender roles in family and society, the integration of young people, dealing with religious diversity and secularity and the possible effects of family reunification and marriage migration on the integration process.

213 8. The Austrian Foreign Service With its worldwide diplomatic and consular representation network, the Austrian Foreign Service safeguards the interests of the Republic of Austria in the world and protects and supports Austrian citizens abroad. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations form the basis for international diplomacy under international law. The provisions governing the Foreign Service of the Republic of Austria are laid down in the Federal Law on the Organisation and Tasks of the Foreign Service (“Statut” law) and the Federal Act on the Exercise of Consular Func- tions. The alternating domestic and foreign posting of staff and posting across all foreign policy and consular functions as well as the use of modern state-of-the-art information and communication technologies (ICT) ensure that the Foreign Ser- vice’s comprehensive foreign policy mandate is fulfilled and enable the provision of a wide range of services to Austrian citizens worldwide.

8.1 Working at the MFA For staff working at the MFA, the system of rotation means regular transfers between headquarters in Vienna and the representations abroad. Being an essential part of professional life, this system not only requires a high level of flexibility on the part of the individual employees and their families but also comprehensive organisational and logistical planning. Every year, several hundred MFA staff are transferred between headquarters and abroad and/or to new positions. At the end of 2019, the MFA employed a total of 1,113 staff, of whom 574 (51.6 %) worked at headquarters and 539 (48.4 %) abroad.

214 Working at the MFA

Staffing levels at the MFA as of 20 November 2019 by career scheme and gender (excl. maternity leave, leave of absence and assignments):

Men Women Share of Career scheme Total women Austria Abroad Austria Abroad in % Diplomatic staff 125 133 90 78 426 39.4% Consular and 48 79 55 48 230 44.8% administrative staff Technical, clerical and 84 82 150 119 435 61.8% support staff IT specialists 16 0 6 0 22 27.3% Subtotal 273 294 301 245 1.113 49.1% Total 567 546

Austrian diplomatic representations employed a further total of 844 local employees who were employed in accordance with the labour laws of the respective host country. Of the 844 local employees, 541 (64.1 %) were female and 303 (35.9 %) male. As at the end of 2019, the MFA employed 45 persons with disabilities. In the diplomatic service, from which the largest number of senior functions is recruited, the share of female employees reached 39.4 %.

Share of female employees at the MFA in %

48,8 49 49,4 49,1 45 47,7 48 48,6 48,4 48,5 48,2 47,7 48,3 48,3 48,2

40 41,5 Total 39,4 35 Diplomatic staff 36,6 37,2 35,6 34,8 34,3 30 33,6 32,7 33,3 33,6 33,1 29,7 30,2 25

20 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

215 The Austrian Foreign Service

The number of staff in the Foreign Service has been declining for several years. Furthermore, MFA staff also work in the European External Action Service (EEAS), in international organisations and in international functions in other departments. Following a reform of the statutory selection procedure for the Foreign Service (“Préalable”) in 2016, this procedure is now being conducted in cooperation with the HR department of the Austrian Federal Armed Forces and other experts, based on a comprehensive set of updated new methods that also enable assessment of the candidate’s personal suitability. This rigorous selection of candidates is to ensure that in future Austrian diplomacy will continue to live up to the highest quality standards. Students and recent university graduates are offered internships of up to 12 months to support MFA staff. In 2019, a total of 241 young people made use of this opportunity and completed internships in Austria and abroad. Furthermore, 30 students, high school graduates and university graduates completed a one-month internship (trial internship) to gain insights and some first- hand experience of the MFA’s tasks and working methods.

Internships Male Female Total Austria 15 31 46 Abroad 62 133 195 Short-term internships 15 15 30

Since 2009, the MFA has trained apprentices as administrative assistants. At the end of 2019, a total of ten young people were participating in such an apprenticeship programme. Two further apprentices were undergoing training as IT specialists. Overall, a total of 12 apprentices were thus undergoing training at the MFA. Those apprentices who successfully complete their final apprenticeship examination will be invited to an internal admissions procedure at the MFA. In 2019, the actual average retirement age of public officials at the MFA was 63.71 years, which is significantly above the Austrian average.

216 The Foreign Ministry’s Budget

Retirement age of public officials 65 64 63 62 61 Age in years 60 59 58 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

8.2 The Foreign Ministry’s Budget The budget estimate for the MFA was set at 508.4 million euros, with some 76.3 million euros budgeted for head office expenses, 169.4 million euros for operating the Austrian diplomatic representations, 5.5 million euros for cultural projects, 1.7 million euros for international conferences, 87.9 million euros for contributions to international organisations, 117.5 million euros for the Austrian Development Agency GmbH and the Foreign Disaster Fund, as well as 50.1 million euros for funding integration activities.

Funding Integration 10.0% Head office 15.0%

ADA and Foreign Disaster Fund 23.0%

Contributions to international organisations 17.2% Austrian representations abroad 33.3%

International conferences Cultural projects 0.4% 1.1%

217 The Austrian Foreign Service

Budget 2009–2019 in million euros

Share of MFA budget in federal Year MFA budget budget in % 2009 435.675 0.56 % 2010 440.902 0.62 % 2011 427.100 0.61 % 2012 409.361 0.56 % 2013 402.654 0.54 % 2014 418.777 0.55 % 2015 409.141 0.55 % 2016 427.993 0.56 % 2017 551.914 0.71 % 2018 502.628 0.64 % 2019 508.417 0.64 %

To cover the higher payments to international organisations due to the US dollar exchange rate, 15 million euros were made available from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

8.3 Global Infrastructure and Information Technology Infrastructure: The MFA’s real estate portfolio includes some 220 properties and more than 300 premises, used as offices for embassies, consulates-general, Cul- tural Fora and representations at international organisations as well as for resi- dential purposes. Just over half of these properties are owned by the Republic of Austria and the rest is either rented or leased. Real estate management covers all related management aspects, including questions relating to housing and accommodation, real estate acquisition and sale, adaptations as well as refurbishments. The MFA’s facility management strategy focuses on the principles of functionality, safety and economic efficiency. Great importance is attached to energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and ecological aspects, which holds particularly true for refurbishment and construction projects as well as for new buildings. The MFA strives to constantly optimise its real estate portfolio and to reduce costs. Real estate controlling and ongoing cost monitoring build on a digital database covering all of the MFA’s properties.

218 Global Infrastructure and Information Technology

With a view to tapping into synergy effects and to realising better utilisation rates for the existing space, the MFA undertakes ongoing efforts towards implementing joint accommodation and sharing premises both with other Austrian entities and with representations of other European states and the EEAS. In this spirit, there are currently five active co-locations with other states. In 59 locations worldwide a total of 107 co-users – such as other ministries, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the Austria Institutes – are being accommodated. Information and communication technology (ICT): The CODO (Contemporary Digital Office – re-equipment of the representations) project was launched to renew the client-server systems implemented at the diplomatic representations abroad between 2013 and 2016. The aim is to ensure maximum availability, high IT security and smooth, future- proof ICT operations by using cutting edge technologies. In order to live up to efficiency requirements, the MFA will continue to consistently apply a uniform concept and extensive ICT standardisation. By centralising as many applications as possible and using innovative solutions, the MFA seeks to fully tap into the benefits of easy scalability and location-independent use, enabling for instance the provision of efficient assistance in the event of a crisis or disaster. The worldwide contact data management (CDM, Kontaktdatenverwaltung KDV) of Austrians living abroad will be expanded to include event management features. Meeting the provisions set out in the General Data Protection Regulation, the goal is to reach out both to Austrians living abroad and to individuals registered with the local diplomatic representations as well as to individuals entered in the contact data management system at headquarters. The extension of the CDM software also enables private individuals to register online and allocates them to the relevant diplomatic representations. In order to enable the digital handling of work processes related to citizens’ concerns and visa applications, a digitalisation offensive was launched. The following concrete steps have already been implemented: online application form for visas (excl. biometric data) and link to the appointment reservation system, consistent digital process support using application tracking, digital supporting documents and feedback function. However, as the general conditions are based on the current legal framework, full and exclusively electronic processing is not yet feasible. Digital workplaces, making information and services available at any time, are already in use. Since mobility has become an increasingly essential factor, users may work independently of the accessing platform and regardless of their location. Working anywhere, anytime, on any device has thus already been implemented at the MFA. The Unified Communication Tool used by the MFA enables, for instance, direct informal communication within the MFA and with external parties via chat, phone, video and document sharing.

219 The Austrian Foreign Service 8.4 Austrian Missions Abroad and Honorary Consulates

Diplomatic and Other Missions of the MFA As of 31 Dec. 2019 Bilateral embassies 82 Permanent Representations at International Organisations 6 Consulates-General 10 Independent Cultural Fora 2 Other representations 1 Total 101

Following the opening of the new Austrian Embassy in Muscat and the Austrian Consulate-General in Krakow, the MFA now boasts 101 diplomatic representations worldwide. The MFA’s global presence also enables it to draw on the 12 foreign offices of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the agency for Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). In addition, the Austrian Foreign Service receives valuable support from some 340 honorary consulates worldwide. The honorary functionaries are eminent figures with close ties to Austria who work in their positions on an honorary basis, making available the necessary infrastructure for the provision of consular services from their own resources. Thanks to their commitment and dedication, they extend the network of Austria’s international consular presence and contribute to the promotion of economic and cultural relations between Austria and the respective host country.

220 Austrian Missions Abroad and Honorary Consulates

In 2019, eight new honorary offices were opened and ten honorary offices that had been temporarily closed were reopened: a) Newly opened honorary consulates (b) Reopenings –– Honorary Consulate Sapporo (Japan) –– Honorary Consulate Rhodes –– Honorary Consulate Bălţi (Moldova) (Greece) –– Honorary Consulate Bamako (Mali) –– Honorary Consulate Turin (Italy) –– Honorary Consulate Iquitos (Peru) –– Honorary Consulate Dar-es-Saalam –– Honorary Consulate Novosibirsk (Tanzania) (Russian Federation) –– Honorary Consulate Düsseldorf –– Honorary Consulate Parikia (Greece) (Germany) –– Honorary Consulate Tbilisi (Georgia) –– Honorary Consulate Corfu (Greece) –– Honorary Consulate Lamia (Greece) –– Honorary Consulate Lyon (France) –– Honorary Consulate Patras (Greece) –– Honorary Consulate Pittsburgh (USA) –– Honorary Consulate Porto Alegre (Brazil) –– Honorary Consulate San Pedro Sula (Honduras)

Three honorary consulates (Samsun, Nicosia and Tawau) were permanently closed.

221 The Austrian Foreign Service Christoph Integration Integration Controlling Integration, Help Desk - JACKWERTH Martin KIENL Discrimination Susanne RAAB Hotline against VIII. Integration and Intolerance VI.3 Budget and Michael GIRARDI VIII - Call Center VIII.3 Promotion of VIII.3 Promotion Issues - Integration VIII.1 General Policy VIII.1 General Directorate Directorate General VIII.2 Coordination of VIII.2 Coordination Deputy Head of Dept Bernadette ZSOLDOS including As of 17 December 2019 Relations Units Gregor KÖSSLER Gregor Strategic Planning and Public Strategic Cabinet of the Federal Minister Cabinet of the Federal BAUER Désirée Désirée Matters Deputy: Context Information I.3 Press and I.3 Press and Food Aid and Food Cooperation - Cooperation and Financing ‚SCHWEITZER Simone KNAPP United Nations Dorothea AUER Dorothea Strategy, Public Strategy, for Development for Peter GUSCHEL - VII. Development Wolfgang LAPUH Wolfgang Regional Planning VII.5 Bilateral and VII.5 Bilateral VII.1 Development VII.1 Development VII.4 Development VII.4 Development Cooperation in the Cooperation Bernhard WRABETZ Bernhard European Union and European Relations, Evaluation VII.2 Thematic Issues Thematic VII.2 Sylvia MEIER-KAJBIC Sylvia MEIER-KAJBIC VII.3 Humanitarian Aid and Programme-related and Programme-related General Affairs Directorate Affairs General

Affairs Affairs Affairs Human Deputy: Romana Romana Resource Resource Resource Resource Elisabeth Equipment Facility and Facility Legal Affairs VI.4 Property VI.4 Property Management Management Management Management VI.5 Building, BERTAGNOLI VI.5 and VI.7) Infrastructure KÖNIGSBRUN KÖNIGSBRUN Directorate VI.A Directorate VI.1 Operational VI.1 Operational Communications Nicole HABERLER VI. Administrative VI. Administrative I.2 Security Policy Technologies (ICT) Technologies (Departments VI.4, VI.6 Administrative VI.6 Administrative Wolf Dietrich HEIM Wolf Andrea IKIC-BÖHM Andrea Gerhard MILLETICH Gerhard VI.2 General Human VI.2 General VI.7 Information and VI.7 Information Policy Abroad eration; Deputy: Cultural Cultural BAUMER Peter MIKL Civilisations and Evaluation and Evaluation Policy, Cultural Cultural Policy, V. International V. of International Teresa INDJEIN Teresa Stephan VAVRIK Dialogue among V.1 Coordination, Coordination, V.1 Public Diplomacy Cultural Relations Cultural and Sports Affairs V.2 Organisation of Organisation V.2 Planning, Financing V.3 Scientific Coop - V.3 Marcus BERGMANN Marcus Ulla KRAUSS-NUSS - Marcus BERGMANN Marcus and Scientific Events and Scientific Events V.4 Multilateral Cultural Cultural Multilateral V.4 Johannes PETERLIK and Beings BAUER Abroad Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Foreign for General Secretary Combating SCHREIBER Abroad and Abroad Help Desk for Help Desk for STROHMAYER Residence and Alexander SCHALLENBERG Michael RENDI Petra SCHNEE - Petra Deputy: Hannes Wolfgang Lukas Lukas Wolfgang and Operational Asylum Matters; Asylum Matters; IV.5 Visa, Border, Border, Visa, IV.5 tive Cooperation; tive Consular Matters Ulrike RITZINGER Ulrike Business Services Consular Services IV. Consular Affairs Consular Affairs IV. Crisis Management Hannes SCHREIBER Trafficking in Human Trafficking IV.1 Citizens‘ Service Citizens‘ IV.1 General Legal Affairs General IV.4 Legal Protection; IV.4 IV.2 Business Services IV.2 - Legal and Administra Digital Applications in Thomas SCHLESINGER IV.3 Office for Austrians Office IV.3 - - - Affairs SORINJ Deputy: Engelbert Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Integration Europe, Minister for Federal III. EU and Alice IRVIN Multilateral III.1 General III.1 General (CoE); Inter- River (ICPDR) River Office of the Karin PROIDL Karin Disarmament, Organisations Marion GRATT THEUERMANN Harald STRANZL Harald Adelheid FOLIE Adelheid FOLIE Florian RAUNIG European European Affairs TONCIC- Yvonne III.7 International and Development Non-Proliferation, Non-Proliferation, egies; International Council of Europe Council of Europe Andreas RIECKEN Andreas mental Dimension Secretary General Secretary Disarmament Fora Multilateral Multilateral Affairs motion; Investitment III.3 Security Policy Thomas HAJNOCZI Financial Institutions; (OECD); the OSCE’s (OECD); the OSCE’s Parliamentary Union III.4 Mulitlateral Trade Trade III.4 Mulitlateral tection of the Danube III.6 Organization for for III.6 Organization III.2 EU Coordination III.5 Organisation for for III.5 Organisation Relations; EU Common III.8 Arms Control and III.8 Arms Control Commission for the Pro Commission for Protection; International Protection; tion in Europe (OSCE); tion in Europe Trade Policy; Export Pro Trade - Economic and Environ - Security and Co-opera EU Macro-Regional Strat EU Macro-Regional Economic Co-operation Economic Co-operation and and and (CFSP) Thomas Deputy: Gabriele dle East; Twinning Alexander MARSCHIK Partnership Policy; Eastern Security Policy Klaus WÖLFER Klaus WÖLFER - Internal Audit Thomas NADER Kornelia WEIHS Kornelia South Caucasia; bourhood Policy Andreas MELAN Andreas EU Enlargement; EU Enlargement; Northern Europe Southern Europe II.9 The Americas II. Bilateral Affairs II. Bilateral Hans Peter MANZ Elisabeth KEHRER II.6 Near and Mid - Katharina WIESER Katharina MEON-TSCHÜRTZ African Union (AU) II.4 South Tyrol and II.4 South Tyrol II.3 Eastern Europe; II.3 Eastern Europe; ern Neighbourhood II.8 Asia and Pacific EU Southern Neigh - II.1 Common Foreign II.1 Common Foreign Lucia KRONSTEINER II.2 Central, Western Western II.2 Central, Inspectorate General General Inspectorate WUNDERBALDINGER Central Asia; EU East - Central II.5 South East Europe II.5 South East Europe II.7 Sub-Saharan Africa; II.7 Sub-Saharan Organizational Chart Organizational and I.7 Officer Adviser I.5 Public Wolfgang Wolfgang I.1 - Protocol International Tünde FÜLÖP Tünde Helmut TICHY I. Legal Affairs Minority Issues to International ANGERHOLZER Data Protection Data Protection Konrad BÜHLER Konrad Matters relating Matters Enno DROFENIK Conferences and Conferences I.6 European Law I.6 European International Law I.7 Human Rights, Gerhard DOUJAK Gerhard Schools in Austria Organisations and Organisations Departments I.5, I.6 I.4 - Organisation of I.4 - Organisation I.A Office of the Legal Franz WIRTENBERGER Franz 8.5

222 Organizational Chart Christoph Integration Integration Controlling Integration, Help Desk - JACKWERTH Martin KIENL Discrimination Susanne RAAB Hotline against VIII. Integration and Intolerance VI.3 Budget and Michael GIRARDI VIII - Call Center VIII.3 Promotion of VIII.3 Promotion Issues - Integration VIII.1 General Policy VIII.1 General Directorate Directorate General VIII.2 Coordination of VIII.2 Coordination Deputy Head of Dept Bernadette ZSOLDOS including As of 17 December 2019 Relations Units Gregor KÖSSLER Gregor Strategic Planning and Public Strategic Cabinet of the Federal Minister Cabinet of the Federal BAUER Désirée Désirée Matters Deputy: Context Information I.3 Press and I.3 Press and Food Aid and Food Cooperation - Cooperation and Financing ‚SCHWEITZER Simone KNAPP United Nations Dorothea AUER Dorothea Strategy, Public Strategy, for Development for Peter GUSCHEL - VII. Development Wolfgang LAPUH Wolfgang Regional Planning VII.5 Bilateral and VII.5 Bilateral VII.1 Development VII.1 Development VII.4 Development VII.4 Development Cooperation in the Cooperation Bernhard WRABETZ Bernhard European Union and European Relations, Evaluation VII.2 Thematic Issues Thematic VII.2 Sylvia MEIER-KAJBIC Sylvia MEIER-KAJBIC VII.3 Humanitarian Aid and Programme-related and Programme-related General Affairs Directorate Affairs General

Affairs Affairs Affairs Human Deputy: Romana Romana Resource Resource Resource Resource Elisabeth Equipment Facility and Facility Legal Affairs VI.4 Property VI.4 Property Management Management Management Management VI.5 Building, BERTAGNOLI VI.5 and VI.7) Infrastructure KÖNIGSBRUN KÖNIGSBRUN Directorate VI.A Directorate VI.1 Operational VI.1 Operational Communications Nicole HABERLER VI. Administrative VI. Administrative I.2 Security Policy Technologies (ICT) Technologies (Departments VI.4, VI.6 Administrative VI.6 Administrative Wolf Dietrich HEIM Wolf Andrea IKIC-BÖHM Andrea Gerhard MILLETICH Gerhard VI.2 General Human VI.2 General VI.7 Information and VI.7 Information Policy Abroad eration; Deputy: Cultural Cultural BAUMER Peter MIKL Civilisations and Evaluation and Evaluation Policy, Cultural Cultural Policy, V. International V. of International Teresa INDJEIN Teresa Stephan VAVRIK Dialogue among V.1 Coordination, Coordination, V.1 Public Diplomacy Cultural Relations Cultural and Sports Affairs V.2 Organisation of Organisation V.2 Planning, Financing V.3 Scientific Coop - V.3 Marcus BERGMANN Marcus Ulla KRAUSS-NUSS - Marcus BERGMANN Marcus and Scientific Events and Scientific Events V.4 Multilateral Cultural Cultural Multilateral V.4 Johannes PETERLIK and Beings BAUER Abroad Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Foreign for General Secretary Combating SCHREIBER Abroad and Abroad Help Desk for Help Desk for STROHMAYER Residence and Alexander SCHALLENBERG Michael RENDI Petra SCHNEE - Petra Deputy: Hannes Wolfgang Lukas Lukas Wolfgang and Operational Asylum Matters; Asylum Matters; IV.5 Visa, Border, Border, Visa, IV.5 tive Cooperation; tive Consular Matters Ulrike RITZINGER Ulrike Business Services Consular Services IV. Consular Affairs Consular Affairs IV. Crisis Management Hannes SCHREIBER Trafficking in Human Trafficking IV.1 Citizens‘ Service Citizens‘ IV.1 General Legal Affairs General IV.4 Legal Protection; IV.4 IV.2 Business Services IV.2 - Legal and Administra Digital Applications in Thomas SCHLESINGER IV.3 Office for Austrians Office IV.3 - - - Affairs SORINJ Deputy: Engelbert Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Integration Europe, Minister for Federal III. EU and Alice IRVIN Multilateral III.1 General III.1 General (CoE); Inter- River (ICPDR) River Office of the Karin PROIDL Karin Disarmament, Organisations Marion GRATT THEUERMANN Harald STRANZL Harald Adelheid FOLIE Adelheid FOLIE Florian RAUNIG European European Affairs TONCIC- Yvonne III.7 International and Development Non-Proliferation, Non-Proliferation, egies; International Council of Europe Council of Europe Andreas RIECKEN Andreas mental Dimension Secretary General Secretary Disarmament Fora Multilateral Multilateral Affairs motion; Investitment III.3 Security Policy Thomas HAJNOCZI Financial Institutions; (OECD); the OSCE’s (OECD); the OSCE’s Parliamentary Union III.4 Mulitlateral Trade Trade III.4 Mulitlateral tection of the Danube III.6 Organization for for III.6 Organization III.2 EU Coordination III.5 Organisation for for III.5 Organisation Relations; EU Common III.8 Arms Control and III.8 Arms Control Commission for the Pro Commission for Protection; International Protection; tion in Europe (OSCE); tion in Europe Trade Policy; Export Pro Trade - Economic and Environ - Security and Co-opera EU Macro-Regional Strat EU Macro-Regional Economic Co-operation Economic Co-operation and and and (CFSP) Thomas Deputy: Gabriele dle East; Twinning Alexander MARSCHIK Partnership Policy; Eastern Security Policy Klaus WÖLFER Klaus WÖLFER - Internal Audit Thomas NADER Kornelia WEIHS Kornelia South Caucasia; bourhood Policy Andreas MELAN Andreas EU Enlargement; EU Enlargement; Northern Europe Southern Europe II.9 The Americas II. Bilateral Affairs II. Bilateral Hans Peter MANZ Elisabeth KEHRER II.6 Near and Mid - Katharina WIESER Katharina MEON-TSCHÜRTZ African Union (AU) II.4 South Tyrol and II.4 South Tyrol II.3 Eastern Europe; II.3 Eastern Europe; ern Neighbourhood II.8 Asia and Pacific EU Southern Neigh - II.1 Common Foreign II.1 Common Foreign Lucia KRONSTEINER II.2 Central, Western Western II.2 Central, Inspectorate General General Inspectorate WUNDERBALDINGER Central Asia; EU East - Central II.5 South East Europe II.5 South East Europe II.7 Sub-Saharan Africa; II.7 Sub-Saharan and I.7 Officer Adviser I.5 Public Wolfgang Wolfgang I.1 - Protocol International Tünde FÜLÖP Tünde Helmut TICHY I. Legal Affairs Minority Issues to International ANGERHOLZER Data Protection Data Protection Konrad BÜHLER Konrad Matters relating Matters Enno DROFENIK Conferences and Conferences I.6 European Law I.6 European International Law I.7 Human Rights, Gerhard DOUJAK Gerhard Schools in Austria Organisations and Organisations Departments I.5, I.6 I.4 - Organisation of I.4 - Organisation I.A Office of the Legal Franz WIRTENBERGER Franz

223 The Austrian Foreign Service 8.6 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Dr. Christian Austrian Embassy ALBANIA STEINER, Chargé Tirana d‘affaires a.i. ALGERIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Peter Niger Algiers ELSNER-MACKAY ARGENTINA Austrian Embassy Mag. Christoph Paraguay, Uruguay Buenos Aires MERAN AUSTRALIA Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Austrian Embassy Dr. Bernhard Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Canberra ZIMBURG Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu Austrian Embassy Mag. Bernd AZERBAIJAN Baku Alexander BAYERL Austrian Embassy Mag. Aloisia BELARUS Minsk WÖRGETTER Austrian Embassy Dr. Elisabeth BELGIUM Brussels* KORNFEIND Austrian Embassy Dr. Ulrike BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA Sarajevo* HARTMANN BRAZIL Austrian Embassy MMag. Dr. Irene Suriname Brasilia GINER-REICHL Austrian Embassy Mag. Andrea BULGARIA Sofia WICKE CANADA Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Stefan Jamaica Ottawa* PEHRINGER Austrian Embassy Dr. Joachim CHILE Santiago de Chile ÖPPINGER Dr. Friedrich STIFT Austrian Embassy Karl ERNST Beijing* Consulate- Brigitte CHINA General Hong Kong ROBINSON- Mongolia Consulate-General SEYRLEHNER Shanghai Consulate- Dr. Martin General Chengdu ALLGÄUER

224 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

COLOMBIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Marianne Barbados, Ecuador, Guyana, Bogotá FELDMANN Panama, Trinidad and Tobago Austrian Embassy Dr. Markus Josef CROATIA Zagreb* WUKETICH CUBA Dominican Republic, Haiti, Antigua Mag. Stefan and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Austrian Embassy WEIDINGER, MIM Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Havana (CEMS) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela Austrian Embassy Dr. Eva Maria CYPRUS Nicosia ZIEGLER Austrian Embassy Dr. Alexander CZECH REPUBLIC Prague* GRUBMAYR, LLM Dr. Maria DENMARK Austrian Embassy ROTHEISER- Iceland Copenhagen SCOTTI EGYPT Austrian Embassy Dr. Georg Eritrea, Sudan Cairo* STILLFRIED Austrian Embassy Dr. Julius ESTONIA Tallinn LAURITSCH ETHIOPIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Roland Djibouti, Congo, Uganda, South Addis Ababa HAUSER Sudan Austrian Embassy Mag. Maximilian FINLAND Helsinki HENNIG Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Michael FRANCE Paris* LINHART Monaco Consulate-General Dr. Alexander Strasbourg WOJDA, MA Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Arad GEORGIA Tbilisi BENKÖ Austrian Embassy Dr. Peter HUBER Berlin* GERMANY Josef SAIGER, BA, Consulate-General MA Munich

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 225 The Austrian Foreign Service

Austrian Embassy Mag. Hermine GREECE Athens POPPELLER Dr. Franziska HOLY SEE Austrian Embassy HONSOWITZ- San Marino, Order of Malta Holy See FRIESSNIGG Austrian Embassy Mag. Elisabeth HUNGARY Budapest* ELLISON-KRAMER INDIA Mag. Brigitte Austrian Embassy Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, ÖPPINGER- New Delhi* Nepal, Sri Lanka WALCHSHOFER INDONESIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Helene Singapore, Timor-Leste Jakarta STEINHÄUSL Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Stefan IRAN Teheran* SCHOLZ Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Helmut IRELAND Dublin FREUDENSCHUSS Austrian Embassy ISRAEL Dr. Hannah LIKO Tel Aviv* Dr. René Austrian Embassy POLLITZER ITALY Rome* Consulate- Mag. Clemens General Milan* MANTL Austrian Embassy JAPAN Dr. Hubert HEISS Tokyo* JORDAN Austrian Embassy Dr. Oskar Iraq Amman WÜSTINGER KAZAKHSTAN Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Gerhard Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan Astana SAILLER KENYA Burundi, Comores, DR Congo, Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Christian Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Nairobi FELLNER Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi KOREA Austrian Embassy Dr. Michael DPR Korea Seoul SCHWARZINGER

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 226 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Austrian Embassy Mag. Christoph KOSOVO Pristina WEIDINGER KUWAIT Austrian Embassy Dr. Sigurd PACHER Bahrain Kuwait Austrian Embassy Mag. Marian LEBANON Beirut WRBA Austrian Embassy Mag. Christoph LIBYA Tripoli MEYENBURG Austrian Embassy Mag. Melitta LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg SCHUBERT MALAYSIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Michael Brunei Darussalam Kuala Lumpur POSTL MEXICO Austrian Embassy Dr. Franz Josef Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico* KUGLITSCH Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua Austrian Embassy Mag. Christine MOLDOVA Chisinau FREILINGER Austrian Embassy Dr. Anna MONTENEGRO Podgorica JANKOVIC MOROCCO Austrian Embassy Mag. Klaus Mauritania Rabat KÖGELER Austrian Embassy Dr. Heidemaria NETHERLANDS The Hague GÜRER NIGERIA Equatorial Guinea, Benin, Gabon, Austrian Embassy Mag. Werner Ghana, Cameroon, Togo, Chad, Abuja SENFTER São Tomé and Príncipe, Central African Republic Austrian Embassy Dr. Georg NORTH MACEDONIA Skopje WOUTSAS Austrian Embassy Mag. Wilhelm NORWAY Oslo DONKO Austrian Embassy Mag. Christian OMAN Muscat BRUNMAYR

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 227 The Austrian Foreign Service

PAKISTAN Austrian Embassy Mag. Nicolaus Afghanistan Islamabad KELLER PERU Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Gerhard Bolivia Lima ZETTL PHILIPPINES Austrian Embassy Mag. Bita Palau Manila RASOULIAN Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Werner Warsaw* ALMHOFER POLAND Consulate-General Mag. Philipp Krakow CHARWATH PORTUGAL Austrian Embassy DDr. Robert Cabo Verde Lisbon ZISCHG Austrian Embassy QATAR Dr. Willy KEMPEL Doha Austrian Embassy Mag. Isabel ROMANIA Bucharest* RAUSCHER Austrian Embassy Dr. Johannes RUSSIA Moscow* EIGNER SAUDI ARABIA Austrian Embassy Mag. Georg Oman, Yemen Riyadh PÖSTINGER SENEGAL Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Austrian Embassy Dr. Gerlinde Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Dakar PASCHINGER Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone Austrian Embassy Mag. Nikolaus SERBIA Belgrade* LUTTEROTTI Mag. Karin Austrian Embassy SINGAPORE FICHTINGER- Singapore GROHE Mag. Margit Austrian Embassy SLOVAKIA BRUCK- Bratislava* FRIEDRICH Austrian Embassy SLOVENIA Mag. Sigrid BERKA Ljubljana*

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 228 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

SOUTH AFRICA Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Austrian Embassy Dr. Johann Mauritius, Namibia, Eswatini, Pretoria BRIEGER, MBA Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola SPAIN Austrian Embassy Mag. Christian Andorra Madrid* EBNER Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Gudrun SWEDEN Stockholm GRAF, MSc Austrian Embassy Dr. Ursula SWITZERLAND Bern* PLASSNIK Austrian Embassy Dr. Hans Peter SYRIA Damascus GLANZER THAILAND Austrian Embassy Dr. Eva HAGER Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar Bangkok Austrian Embassy Mag. Dr. Herbert TUNISIA Tunis KRAUSS Austrian Embassy Dr. Johannes Ankara WIMMER TURKEY Consulate-General Gerhard LUTZ Istanbul Mag. Gabriele CF Istanbul JUEN, LLM Austrian Embassy Mag. Gernot UKRAINE Kyiv* PFANDLER Mag. Dr. Andreas Austrian Embassy UNITED ARAB EMIRATES LIEBMANN- Abu Dhabi HOLZMANN UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT Austrian Embassy Dr. Michael BRITAIN and NORTHERN IRLEAND London* ZIMMERMANN Channel Islands and Isle of Man

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 229 The Austrian Foreign Service

Austrian Embassy Mag. Martin Washington* WEISS Consulate-General UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Mag. Andreas Los Angeles Bahamas LAUNER Consulate-General Dr. Helmut BÖCK New York Dr. Michael HAIDER CF New York Mag. Thomas Austrian Embassy VIETNAM SCHULLER- Hanoi GÖTZBURG

Austrian Embassy ARMENIA (based in Vienna) Armenia Dr. Alois KRAUT UZBEKISTAN (based in Vienna) Austrian Embassy Uzbekistan Austrian Embassy Mag. Stella LATVIA (based in Vienna) Latvia AVALLONE Austrian Embassy Dr. Elisabeth LIECHTENSTEIN (based in Vienna) Liechtenstein BERTAGNOLI Austrian Embassy Mag. Yvonne LITHUANIA (based in Vienna) Lithuania TONCIC-SORINJ Austrian Embassy Mag. Andreas MALTA (based in Wien) Malta STADLER

Permanent Mission to the UN in New York Mag. Jan KICKERT Permanent Mission to the UN Office and MMag. Dr. Elisabeth TICHY- Specialized Agencies in Geneva FISSLBERGER Permanent Mission to the UN, IAEA, UNIDO Mag. Dr. Gabriela SELLNER and CTBTO in Vienna Permanent Representation to the EU in Mag. Dr. Nikolaus MARSCHIK Brussels Permanent Representation to the EU in Mag. Christina KOKKINAKIS Brussels (Political and Security Committee)

As of 31 Dec. 2019 * with Cultural Forum (CF) 230 Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Austrian Diplomatic Representations and their Heads

Permanent Representation to the Council of Mag. Dr. Gerhard JANDL, BA Europe in Strasbourg Permanent Representation to the OECD in Mag. Thomas SCHNÖLL Paris Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris Mag. Dr. Michael LINHART Permanent Representation to the OPCW in Dr. Heidemaria GÜRER The Hague Permanent Mission to NATO in Brussels Dr. Elisabeth KORNFEIND Permanent Representation to the Danube Mag. Elisabeth ELLISON- Commission in Budapest KRAMER Permanent Mission to UNWTO in Madrid Mag. Christian EBNER Permanent Mission to UNEP and HABITAT in Mag. Dr. Christian FELLNER Nairobi Branch Office of the Trade Consulate-General Guangzhou (China) Delegate (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) Office of the Trade Delegate Consulate-General Sao Paulo (Brazil) (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) under the authority of the Permanent Mission to the WTO in Geneva Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs under the authority of Permanent Mission to FAO in Rome the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism

231 The Austrian Foreign Service 8.7 Excursus: The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna Established in 1754 during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa as the Oriental Academy, the Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies (DA) is the oldest school of its kind in the world. After having been closed down during the Second World War, it was re-established in 1964 under its current name as a postgraduate training institution. Having until then been run and funded by the Austrian federal administration, it was granted the status of independent public institution in 1996 with a mandate as a centre for graduate and post-graduate studies. In the academic year 2019/20, a total of 204 students from 48 countries and all continents were enrolled at the DA. The following postgraduate academic programmes were offered in 2019:

Programme Number of thereof Austrians participants 55th Diploma Programme 22 (21 graduates; 17 1 student died in the academic year) 56th Diploma Programme 28 14 22nd Master of Advanced Interna- 70 (67 graduates; 26 tional Studies (MAIS programme); 3 eligibility period joint degree of the DA and the extensions) University of Vienna 23rd MAIS programme 67 28 24th MAIS programme (1st year) 64 19 11th ETIA study programme- 22 (18 graduates, 14 Master of Science in Environmen- 4 eligibility period tal Technology and International extensions) Affairs (ETIA); conducted in collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) 12th ETIA programme 15 10 13th ETIA programme (1st year) 16 8 1st PhD programme (2015–2019) 1 0 2nd PhD programme (2017–2021) 3 1 3rd PhD programme (2018–2022) 2 1 4th PhD programme (2019–2023) 1 1

232 Excursus: The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

Alongside cooperation agreements with Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Europe and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the MAIS programme offers exchange programmes that extend over several months with Stanford Univer- sity, MGIMO University (Moscow), Korea University’s Graduate School of Interna- tional Studies, China Foreign Affairs University and Hebrew University of Jerusa- lem. Study trips were arranged for students to the European institutions in Brus- sels. Furthermore, a 3,000 km bus trip took students through the Western Bal- kans (with stops for meetings inter alia in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Pristina and Tirana). Visits were also made to Ukraine and – organised by the diplomatic mission in Vienna – a trip was made to the Autonomous Region Kurdistan-Iraq. In the context of diplomatic training and further training programmes, the DA offered special courses (Executive Training Programmes) and training modules tailored to the needs of diplomats and other civil service officials from the following country groups: South East Europe, Black Sea region/South Caucasus, EU Front- runner States and Central Asia, Africa, Indonesia and the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan/Iraq. In Vienna and Paris, seminars were organised for the International School of Youth Diplomacy of MGIMO, and the DA also conducted training modules for the MFA. Furthermore, the DA also supported the MFA in organising and implementing the Austrian Leadership Programme (ALPS) and conducted visiting programmes on behalf of the MFA under the Journalists in Residence Pro- gramme. In cooperation with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a seminar on technical French was held in Andorra and preparatory courses and examinations for the Diploma in French for International Relations were conducted. In cooperation with the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the DA organised training seminars directed at “Female Global Citizen Leaders” from Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council member states. The Summer Course in German Language and Austrian Studies was attended by 45 participants from 26 countries. Furthermore, Summer Schools were organised for the Free Univer- sity of Brussels, the University of North Carolina, the China Foreign Affairs Uni- versity and for Rong Chang Scholars of Fudan University/Shanghai. In the lead- up to the elections to the European Parliament, a series of training seminars was held for Municipal Councillors for European Affairs and Europe-Direct information centres. Under the Horizon2020 research project “S4D4C – Using Science Diplo- macy for Addressing Global Challenges”, in which the DA is a partner, a three-day workshop was held at the DA. The DA is also a very popular conference venue. In 2019, it hosted more than 100 public events involving inter alia the President of North Macedonia, the Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein, the acting Foreign Minister of Albania, the President of the Georgian Parliament, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the former Prime Minister of Italy, the former Vice President of the EU Commission, numerous ambassadors and representatives of the EU and international organisa-

233 The Austrian Foreign Service tions, as well as renowned scientists. Particularly noteworthy is the conference organised by the DA under the heading of “1919: The Politics of the Peacemak- ing”, the DASICON “Towards Global Citizenship: Home without borders”, the 23rd AIES European Forum and a discussion involving Austria’s top candidates for the elections to the European Parliament. The 2019 Milton Wolf Seminar dealt with “The New Global Media (Dis)Order in International Relations: Agonizing Strug- gles and Elusive Solutions”. The series of Werkstattgespräche (“workshop talks”, public debates and presentations on selected topics) with the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria was also continued. The International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT; annual meeting of the Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations chaired by the DA and the ISD at Georgetown University) was held in Geneva from 18 to 21 September at the invitation of the Graduate Institute Geneva, DiploFoundation, UNITAR and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. The meeting was attended by some 90 representatives from more than 60 institutions and some 40 countries. Celebrating the graduation of the students of the academic year 2018/19, the 54th Yearbook of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna was published. Address- ing the topic “Why History Matters”, the first issue of the new seriesDIPLOMACY – Austrian Journal of International Studies was published in December. With a view to strengthening the DA’s international competitiveness and raising its international profile, further activities were undertaken in connection with the planned extension to the DA’s building.

234 Index

Austrian German Language Diploma 205–206 Index Austrian representations abroad 129, 196 2030 Agenda 86, 91–92, 102, 107, 164, 172, Austrian Schools abroad 205 174 Azerbaijan 43–45, 108, 111, 142–143, 224 A4P 96 Bahamas 182, 186, 230 Abkhazia 46, 104 Bangladesh 75, 80, 82–83, 140, 142, 144, 175, Accession negotiations 8–12, 38–40 177, 226 ADA 68–69, 95, 125, 129, 164–167, 170–172, Belarus 41, 43, 45, 105, 133, 136, 142, 152, 175–177, 220 182, 198–199, 224 ADC 36–37, 83, 120, 127, 129, 164–172, 220 Belgium 59, 93, 98, 101, 135, 165, 224 Afghanistan 75, 82, 105, 108, 132, 137, 142, Bhutan 75, 83, 137, 146, 169, 226 144, 158, 162–163, 175, 178, 193, 228 Biodiversity 91, 99, 118, 146–147, 202 African Union 53, 61–62, 68, 96, 140, 167– Black Sea 170, 206, 233 168, 223 Bolivia 74, 137, 176, 186, 228 Agriculture 1, 10, 31, 44, 84, 91, 99–100, Border management 26, 63, 105, 193 168–170 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6, 8–10, 12–13, AIA 32 35–37, 58, 104, 137, 199, 224 AJC 71 Botswana 67, 69, 229 Albania 8–11, 13, 35–36, 38, 104–105, 110–111, Brazil 74, 93, 119, 136–137, 142, 182, 188, 129, 137, 165, 169–170, 176, 199, 205, 224, 202–203, 221, 224, 231 233 Brexit 16–17, 183 Algeria 52, 54, 68, 108, 142, 224 Brunei 79, 132, 227 Alpine Convention 121, 147 BTWC 157 Alps 147, 184, 233 Budget 3, 19, 26, 30, 47, 55, 87, 101, 108, 110, Al-Qaida 95–96 123, 128, 138, 145, 150, 156, 164, 171, 173, AMIF 212 177–178, 202, 217–218, 223 Angola 66, 69, 137, 229 Bulgaria 35, 110–111, 114, 143, 198–199, 203, Anti-Corruption Academy 121 224 Anti-personnel mines 157–158 Burkina Faso 63–64, 123, 127, 166–168, 175, APEC 75 178, 228 APPEAR 167 Burundi 65, 68, 136, 144, 226 Architecture 174, 197–198 Business Services 180, 183–184, 223 Argentina 74, 122, 132, 136, 142, 182, 188, CAAC 95 191, 224 Cambodia 80, 137, 229 Armenia 40–41, 43–44, 111, 142, 166, 170, 230 Cameroon 135, 227 Arms Control 90, 106, 152, 223 Canada 69–73, 126, 128, 191, 205, 224 ASEAN 79, 81, 142 ASEF 75 Caribbean 74–75, 119, 139, 166, 174 ASEM 75 Caucasus 6, 42, 44, 104, 129, 166–167, 170– Asia 6, 14, 41, 49, 51, 75, 77, 79, 99–100, 105, 171, 206, 233 108, 119, 121, 125, 146, 166, 171, 206, 223, CCPCJ 124 233 CELAC 75 Association Agreement 11, 46–47, 49, 55, 74, Central America 166 182 Central Asia 6, 41, 49, 51, 100, 105, 121, 146, Asylum 21, 27, 40, 101, 141, 192–194, 210–213, 166, 206, 223, 233 223 Central Europe 71, 195, 199 Auslandsösterreicher-Fonds 189 CERN 207 Auslandsösterreicher-Weltbund 189 CETA 73, 182 Australia 58, 79, 82, 85, 108, 135, 160, 182, CFSP 6, 16, 139, 193, 223 188, 191, 224 Chad 63, 65, 227 Austria Institute 204 Chemicals 147–149, 156 Austria Libraries 195, 202, 206–207 Chemical Weapons Convention 155–156 235 Index

Children 95, 113, 126–127, 134–135, 138–141, CSW 92 175, 212 CTBT 91, 154–155 Chile 74–75, 137, 142, 182, 186, 191, 224 CTBTO 120, 123, 155, 230 China 20, 25, 29, 41, 61, 70, 72, 75–81, 85, CTBT Preparatory Commission 155 91–93, 99, 114, 119, 123, 135, 139, 142, 147, Cuba 70, 74, 140, 142, 225 150, 154–155, 182, 190, 203–204, 224, Cultural diplomacy 71, 204 231–233 Cultural Forum 71, 201, 209, 225–231 Citizens’ Desk 17, 185–186 Cultural heritage 27, 98–99, 201–202 Civilians 48, 66, 86, 94, 145, 153, 157–159, Customs Union 11 178–179 CWC 155–156, 160 Civil society 21–22, 41–42, 54–55, 73, 90–91, Cyber security 7, 14–15, 102, 108, 162 94–95, 104, 106, 112, 116, 127, 129–130, Cyprus 11, 16, 40, 97, 225 133, 141, 145, 150, 159, 166, 171, 174, 198, Czech Republic 20–23, 152, 198–199, 205, 200 225 CJEU 4, 27, 143, 181–182 DAC 119–120, 165, 167 Climate change 7, 10, 19, 75, 77, 85–86, 93, DACH 165 99–102, 120, 136, 145–148, 151, 166, 169, Data Protection 77, 108, 219, 223 173 Death penalty 45, 70, 79–80, 126, 132–133, Climate conference 146 137, 140–141 Climate Policy 20, 145 Democracy 2, 31, 61, 69, 76, 99, 103–104, CLRAE 111–114 108–109, 111, 132, 139–141, 209 Cluster munitions 157–158 Democratic Republic of the Congo 93, 137 CND 124 Denmark 59, 135–136, 225 CoE 108–113, 133–134, 142–143, 223 Development 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 30, 34, Cohesion 26, 31 36–37, 41, 43–45, 47–48, 50–52, 55, 59, COHOM 139 63–64, 68–69, 71, 74, 76, 78, 81, 83, 86–88, Colombia 74, 114, 142, 182, 225 90–92, 94, 98, 102–103, 107, 109, 114, 116– Commission on the Status of Women 92, 121, 123–125, 127, 129, 134–137, 139–141, 128, 140 147–148, 152, 155, 157–158, 160–162, 164– Committee of Ministers 109, 111, 133, 142 174, 177, 179–180, 183, 191–192, 197–198, Conflict prevention 104–105, 166 200–202, 204–205, 212, 217, 220, 223 Congo 65, 69, 93, 132, 137, 144, 225–226 Development Cooperation 3, 36–37, 44, Consulate 42, 47, 186, 221 47–48, 81, 83, 120, 127, 140, 164–168, 171, Consulate-General 220, 224–226, 228–231 173, 205, 220, 223 Consumer Protection 5, 116–117 Digital 70, 102, 107, 110, 113–116, 118, 127, Convention on Cluster Munitions 158 134, 136–137, 161, 180, 187, 190, 198, 209, Convention on Human Rights 108, 111, 142 218–219, 223, 231 COP 146–147, 149 Diplomatic Academy 231, 234 Corruption 10, 22, 48, 50, 53–54, 57–58, 63, Disabilities 127, 134–135, 138, 166, 169, 215 65, 67, 72, 86, 105, 107, 110, 112, 124–125, Disarmament 81, 86, 90, 120–121, 152–156, 136, 161 159, 178, 223 Council of Europe 33, 43, 45, 108–110, Donbas 23, 48, 104 112–113, 131, 133–134, 142–143, 200, 223, Donor 61, 170–171, 173, 177–179 231, 233 DPO 87, 94 Council Presidency 1, 7 DPR of Korea 138 CPT 112, 143 Drugs 12, 63, 75, 120, 124 CPTPP 75 EAC 167 Crisis Management 103, 185–186, 223 EAPC 162 Croatia 27, 35, 114, 185, 199, 203, 225 Eastern Partnership 21, 43, 223 CSDP 6–8, 16, 37 EC 4, 29, 61 CSocD 92 ECHO 178 CSOs 171–172 ECHR 108, 142–143

236 Index

ECOSOC 92, 124 EUMM 8, 46 ECOWAS 64, 68–69, 166–167 EUNAVFOR 8 ECRI 112, 143 EUNIC 201 ECRML 112 EU Parliament 39, 173 ECSR 112, 143 EUPOL COPPS 8 ECtHR 43, 108, 110–111, 113, 142–143 Eurasian Economic Union 39, 41 Ecuador 74, 182, 186, 225 EURATOM 152 Education 25, 32, 42–43, 61, 71, 98–99, 110, European Commission 3, 5–6, 8–12, 16, 19, 21, 113–114, 117, 124, 131–132, 148, 158, 167– 27, 30, 35, 38–39, 49, 61, 112, 131, 141, 143, 172, 174, 177, 196, 202–209, 211–213 151, 173, 176, 178, 182, 201 EEAS 3, 15, 200, 216, 219 European Committee for the Prevention of EEF 107 Torture 112, 143 EFTA 33 European elections 19 Egypt 52–53, 62, 68, 108, 123, 132, 137, 142, European Union 1, 3–4, 6–8, 10–11, 13–14, 20, 155, 225 27–28, 40, 43, 52, 61, 64, 68, 81–82, 108, EIDHR 141 121, 126–128, 139–141, 143, 145, 173, 177– El Salvador 137, 141, 227 179, 182–183, 190, 201–202, 208, 210, 223 Embassies 133, 180, 187–188, 191, 195, 197, EUSR 6, 140, 145 200–201, 205–206, 218, 220 EUTM 8, 64 Emissions 102, 145, 149–150 EWIPA 90, 94, 153, 158–159, 178 Employment 3, 17, 25, 77, 116, 148, 169, 172, Extremism 12, 99, 105, 202 191, 193, 207 FAO 99–100, 231 Energy 15, 23–24, 26, 35, 40, 51–52, 59, 70, FDF 175 107, 117–118, 120–125, 145, 150–152, 154, Federal Administrative Court 192 165–166, 168–170, 218 Federal Chancellery 1–2, 99, 131, 198, 206 Energy Community 121 Federal Chancellor 2, 35, 44–45, 60, 71, Energy efficiency 52, 121, 124, 150, 165, 76–78, 80, 86 168–169, 218 Federal Council 17, 27, 32, 50, 52, 113, 209 Energy sector 24, 121, 151, 166, 169 Federal Economic Chamber 1, 180, 183, 219, Energy supply 125, 169 231 Enlargement 8–9, 11, 28, 93, 114, 223 Federal Government 1–3, 17, 33–34, 40, 128, Environment 10, 23, 44, 77, 88, 102–103, 107, 189, 195, 213 114–115, 118, 120, 123, 145–147, 149–150, Federal Ministry 1, 4, 17, 19, 50, 94, 116, 161, 162, 164, 166–167, 181–182 164, 166–167, 174–177, 180, 191, 193, 207, Environmental Protection 135, 146 218, 231 Equality 47, 91–92, 105, 116, 123, 129, 140, Financial Framework 173 165, 167–168, 174, 211 Finland 3, 59, 145, 225 Equal opportunities 63, 211 Food aid 175–177, 223 Erasmus+ 205 Food security 63, 91, 100, 165–166, 168–169 Eritrea 62, 68, 135, 137, 140, 225 Foreign Disaster Fund 49, 175, 217 ESPI 207 Foreign trade 20, 61, 160–161, 180–182 Estonia 94, 225 FRA 121, 141 Ethiopia 53, 61, 68, 127, 129, 136–137, 140, France 29, 35, 48, 58, 64, 104, 111, 135, 143, 166–168, 171, 175–178, 225 154, 156, 188, 221, 225 EUAM 7–8, 49 Freedom of religion 106, 126, 134–135, 138, EUBAM 7–8 140–141, 200 EUCAP 8, 64 Freedom of the Media 38, 103–104, 106, 126, EU Council 11 129 EUFOR 8, 37 Freedom of the press 80, 109 Eu HR 3 Free Movement 10, 31, 139 EU-LAC 75 Free trade agreement 39, 56, 74, 77, 79, EULEX 8, 37, 162 81–82, 85, 182

237 Index

FREMP 139 Human rights 6, 10, 14, 19–20, 22, 28, 33, 39, Fundamental Rights 8–9, 121, 139–141 42, 44–45, 53, 59, 64–66, 69, 71, 73, 79, Future Fund 208–209, 234 81, 84, 86, 91, 99, 103, 105, 108–111, 124, G7 19, 29 126–128, 131–132, 134–143, 145, 161, 166, G-77 92 170, 179, 181, 198, 202, 208, 223 G20 19, 76–77, 117, 119 Human rights defenders 134–135, 138, 140, Gabon 227 143 Gambia 64, 98, 228 Human Rights Dialogue 45 GDP 29, 42, 66, 70, 180 Human rights education 99, 132, 202 Gender 59, 91–92, 102, 105, 107, 116, 123, 129, Human trafficking 63, 101, 124–125, 127, 136, 138, 140, 165, 167–169, 197, 207, 211, 133–134, 139, 192 213, 215 Hungary 24–26, 108, 110, 143, 152, 186, 198– General Assembly 20, 46, 50, 55, 58, 86–88, 199, 203, 205, 226 101, 126, 130, 137, 145, 192 IACA 121 Geneva Conference on Disarmament 155 IAEA 24, 120, 122–123, 230 Georgia 6, 8, 43, 46–47, 104, 106, 111, 135, IBRD 121 142, 144, 166, 170, 176, 221, 225 ICAO 102–103 Germany 18–23, 29, 32–35, 48, 55, 58, 64, ICC 89, 143–145 93, 95, 104, 129, 135, 137, 152, 165, 185– ICIMOD 169 186, 188, 199, 221, 225 ICJ 89, 97–98 Ghana 166, 227 ICPDR 120, 223, 231 Globalisation 19, 91, 101 ICRC 90, 94, 145, 175–176, 178–179 Global Pact for the Environment 147 IEA 117–118 Governance 8, 43, 69, 74, 104, 107, 118–119, IFRC 178 147, 168–170 IGAD 68, 167–168 Great Lakes Region 65 IHRA 208 GRECO 112 IIASA 121, 203–204, 207 Greece 11, 35, 38, 40, 76, 129, 221, 226 ILC 88–89, 101 GRETA 112, 134, 143, 170 ILO 80, 101, 134 GREVIO 112, 143 IMF 42, 66, 84, 119, 121 Growth 25, 29, 42, 53, 55, 59, 69, 82, 148, IMO 102 167, 174, 181 Inclusion 43, 92, 101, 118, 127, 131, 166 Guatemala 98, 101, 205, 227 India 75, 79, 83–85, 93, 97, 117, 119, 123, 149, Guidelines 6, 96, 116, 126, 132, 140–141, 154–155, 196, 202, 226 147–148, 160, 164–165, 181, 201 Indonesia 79, 82, 119, 136, 142, 182, 204, 226, Guidelines on Human Rights 140–141 233 Hague 91, 97, 106, 121, 140, 143–145, 155–157, Information Technology 50, 218 187, 227, 231 Infrastructure 13, 15, 24, 35, 40, 51, 59, 69, Haiti 96, 225 78, 80, 92, 100, 118, 158, 218, 220, 223 HCCA 187 Innovation 32, 50, 71, 107, 113, 116–117, 168, HCoC 121, 157 173, 184, 195, 204 Headquarters 3, 17, 86, 100, 120–123, 125, Integration 4, 9, 17, 29, 36, 40, 59, 69, 75, 150–151, 153–154, 177–178, 214, 219 100, 113, 131, 139, 141, 167, 195, 200, 205, Health 10, 15, 25, 34, 54, 86, 101–102, 116– 210–213, 217, 223 117, 129, 133, 138, 147, 168, 171, 175 Internally displaced persons 46, 57, 62, 66, Holocaust 56, 71, 138, 208–209 68, 92, 136, 139, 175, 177 Honorary Consulate 42, 47, 221 Internal market 4, 16, 181, 183 Horn of Africa 6, 8, 61, 68, 166, 171 International Commission for the Protection HRC 127 of the Danube River 120 Humanitarian aid 57, 73, 92, 120, 166, 168, International Cultural Policy 195–196, 201, 174–175, 177–178, 223 206 Interreligious Dialogue 199

238 Index

IOM 73, 100–101, 121 Luxembourg 4, 146, 208, 227 IPA 10 Macedonia 8–13, 35–36, 38, 104–105, 111, Iran 41, 58–60, 70, 82, 97, 122–123, 132, 135, 137, 199, 227, 233 137–138, 142, 155, 176, 183, 204, 226 MADAD Fund 170, 175 Iraq 8, 13–14, 42, 58, 95, 137, 158, 171, 193, Madagascar 69, 229 226, 233 Malawi 66–67, 69, 141, 226 Ireland 16, 18, 119–120, 140–141, 143, 226 Malaysia 80, 144, 227 ISIL 95, 171 Maldives 75, 83, 226 Israel 40, 52–53, 56–57, 70, 108, 123, 135, Mali 8, 63–64, 72, 97, 135, 144, 166, 175, 178, 154–155, 188, 191, 203, 205, 226 221, 228 Italy 22, 29–30, 33–35, 137, 152, 185–186, Malta 29, 226, 230 188, 190, 206, 221, 233 Mauritius 69, 97, 229 ITF 208 MDC 109, 111 Jamaica 224 Media 25, 38, 42, 45, 54, 58, 73, 96, 103–104, Japan 23, 41, 58, 70, 75, 77–79, 81, 85, 93, 106, 123, 126, 129–130, 189, 197–200, 202, 108, 117, 155, 191, 196, 199, 206, 221, 226 206–207, 209, 233 JCPoA 58, 122–123 Mediterranean Region 55, 170 Jordan 52, 57, 108, 127, 178, 226 MERCOSUR 74, 182 Journalists 92, 98, 126, 129–130, 135, 138– Mexico 69–72, 74, 127, 137, 182, 205, 227 140, 202, 233 MFA 1, 5, 17, 99, 115–116, 122, 133–134, 140, Judiciary 10, 12, 39, 83, 132 161, 164–167, 174, 176, 179–181, 183–185, Justice 4, 10, 13, 19, 27, 47, 80, 89, 97, 101, 187–193, 196–197, 199–200, 203, 206–209, 110–111, 124, 127, 129, 132, 135–136, 141, 211–212, 214–220, 233 143–144, 168, 174, 187 Middle East 6, 14, 20, 29, 41, 56, 58, 70, 86, Justice and Home Affairs 10, 13, 141 90, 93, 96, 119, 125, 155, 166, 170, 223 JVI 121 Middle East Peace Process 6 KAICIID 121, 200 Migrants 29, 34, 100–101, 192–193, 210, 212 Katowice 146 Migration 10–11, 21, 29, 34, 38, 40, 73, 100, Kazakhstan 41, 49–50, 105, 132, 137, 142, 104, 117, 121, 134, 140–141, 158, 168, 171, 160, 182, 226 173, 192–193, 199, 210, 212–213 Kenya 63, 68, 144, 146–147, 167, 226 Migration policy 29, 38, 121, 134, 192–193 KFOR 37, 162–163 Minamata Convention 150 Korea 23, 70, 75, 77–79, 82, 102, 108, 123, Minorities 37, 103, 105, 110, 112, 126, 130–131, 135–138, 142, 154–155, 191, 202, 226, 232 134, 137, 139 Kosovo 6, 8–10, 12–13, 35–37, 97, 104, 141, Minority Languages 112, 131, 143 162, 169–170, 172, 199, 227 Minority rights 43, 104, 131, 141 Kuwait 60, 93, 227 MINURSO 96 Kyrgyzstan 41, 50, 105, 142, 226 MINUSMA 64, 72, 97, 166 Latin America 73–74, 119, 125, 171, 193 Mobility 7, 43, 56, 71, 162, 168, 193, 203, Latvia 72, 230 205–206, 219 Law enforcement 22, 37–38, 133 Moldova 43, 47–48, 105, 111, 142, 165, 167, Laws 79–80, 90–92, 153, 179, 215 170, 221, 227 LDCs 91 Monaco 112, 225 Lebanon 50, 52, 57, 96, 178, 227 Mongolia 78–79, 132, 142, 224 Lesotho 68–69, 229 Montenegro 8–10, 13, 35–36, 38–39, 104, 111, Libya 7, 29, 40–41, 52, 54–55, 93, 135, 144, 199, 227 175, 178, 227 Montreal Protocol 149 Liechtenstein 32–33, 137, 144, 199, 205, 230, Morocco 52, 55, 108, 136, 193, 227 233 Mozambique 66, 69, 141, 165–167, 169, Literature 195, 197–199, 206 175–177, 229 Lithuania 230 Multilateralism 19, 23, 75, 86, 106, 135 LLDCs 91

239 Index

Myanmar 80, 98, 101, 135–136, 138, 140, 142, PKO 86–87, 95–96 144, 229 PNR 13 Nagorno-Karabakh 43–44, 104, 106 Poland 35, 93, 95, 103, 111, 117, 136, 143, 152, Namibia 68–69, 229 198–199, 228 NASOM 196 Portugal 100, 137, 228 National Council 17, 21–23, 25–27, 32, 46, Poverty 63, 67, 69, 91, 150, 164, 168, 174 49–51, 71, 113–114, 174, 182, 190–191, 200 Presidency of the Council of the European National Fund 208 Union 7, 10, 13–14, 20, 127–128, 139, 145, NATO 7, 15, 19–21, 40, 70, 72, 82, 162–163, 201, 208 231 Procurement 87–88, 180, 183 Neighbourhood Policy 52, 54, 223 Protection of civilians in armed conflict 86, NEPAD 92 94, 157 Nepal 75, 84, 226 PSC 6 Netherlands 24, 59, 68, 130, 135, 165, 188, Qatar 59, 98, 125, 137, 142, 228 194, 227 Racism 85, 112, 138, 141, 143, 208 New Zealand 79, 85, 161, 182, 191, 224 RCEP 75, 79 Nicaragua 70, 73–74, 135, 137, 227 Readmission 40, 45, 56, 193 Niger 8, 63–64, 94, 224 Readmission agreement 40, 56, 193 Nigeria 65, 68, 141, 151, 227 Reconciliation 53–54, 56, 62, 64, 208 Non-Proliferation 90, 107, 122, 152, 154, 223 REEECH 169 North Macedonia 8–13, 35–36, 38, 104–105, Refugees 46, 57, 62, 68, 82–83, 92, 101, 120, 111, 137, 227, 233 170–171, 174–175, 177, 192, 194 Norway 59, 128, 157, 198, 227 Religion 38, 42, 106, 126, 134–135, 138, NPT 90, 122, 154 140–141, 200 Nuclear energy 122, 151–152, 154 ReNuAL 122 Nuclear safety 45, 122, 151 Research 25, 71, 99, 132, 146, 152, 162, 167– Nuclear Weapons 90–91, 122, 153–155, 179 168, 180, 198, 203–208, 212, 233 OCHA 177 Resilience 7, 14–15, 41, 43, 49, 148, 162, 166, ODA 120, 164, 173 168–169, 171, 175, 183 ODIHR 45, 103, 105 Rights of the child 126–127, 135, 137–141 OeAD GmbH 205 Rohingya 80, 83, 98, 138 OECD 31–32, 114–119, 164–165, 167, 181, 210, Roma Dialogue Platform 131 223, 231 Romania 3, 108, 110, 114, 127, 145, 199, 228 OFID 121, 125 Rome Statute 80, 143–145 OIC 126, 138 Rule of law 7–10, 12, 33, 37–38, 43, 47–48, Oman 59, 227–228 88–89, 91, 95, 103–105, 108–109, 111, 126, OPCW 155–156, 231 135, 139, 141, 145, 170, 211 OPEC 121, 125 Russian Federation 93, 97–98, 108, 111, 221 OSCE 12, 14, 19, 23, 33, 43–46, 50–52, 103– Rwanda 66, 68, 146, 151, 226 108, 121, 130, 134, 200, 223 SAARC 75 Oslo Convention 158 SADC 69, 167 OSTA 71 Safe Schools Declaration 127 Österreich Institut 204 Safety 10, 24, 45, 92, 98, 101, 103, 122, 126, Ottawa Convention 157 129–130, 135, 138–140, 149, 151–153, 169, Pakistan 75, 82, 84, 97, 123, 142, 154–155, 202, 218 228 Sahel 6, 8, 14, 63–64, 68, 93, 193 Palestinian territory 135 Sanctions 14, 40–41, 45, 49, 58–59, 64, 70, Paris Agreement 117, 146, 150 78, 95–97, 109, 211 Peru 74, 93, 142, 182, 221, 228 Saudi Arabia 59–60, 228 PESCO 7, 20 Schengen states 191 PfP 162 SDGs 92, 116, 150, 164, 172–174, 198, 204 Philippines 81, 136, 144, 228

240 Index

Security Council 19, 37, 50, 57, 60, 64, 68, 79, TAIEX 9 82, 86, 93–94, 128 Tajikistan 50–51, 105, 142, 226 SEforALL 121, 150–151, 166 Tanzania 69, 221, 226 Senegal 65, 141, 228 Terrorism 7, 12–14, 51, 53, 63–64, 68, 83, Serbia 8–10, 12–13, 35–39, 104, 111, 199, 228 88–89, 97, 105, 120, 124, 137, 140, 163 Seychelles 69, 226 Thailand 79, 81–82, 108, 149, 196, 229 SIDS 91, 145 Timor-Leste 82, 226 Singapore 75, 81, 135–136, 226, 228 Torture 112, 132, 134, 136, 140–141, 143 Slovakia 21–24, 120, 137, 198–199, 203, 228 Tourism 26, 51–52, 55, 59, 164, 170, 174–177, Slovenia 26–29, 35, 137, 152, 198–199, 203, 180, 231 228 TPNRD 200 Small Arms and Light Weapons 107 TPNW 90–91, 153–154, 179 SMEs 118, 180 Traduki 199 SMM 103–104, 106 Tunisia 52, 55–56, 94, 108, 141, 182, 190, 229 Social Policy 91 Turkey 8–11, 20, 23, 25, 35, 39–40, 57, 108– Somalia 8, 62–63, 68, 136, 226 111, 143, 162, 186, 193, 205, 229 South Africa 67, 69, 95, 119, 140, 142, 188, Turkmenistan 51, 105, 142, 226 229 Twinning 9, 223 South Caucasus 6, 44, 104, 166–167, 170–171, Uganda 66, 68, 95, 129, 136, 144, 146, 165, 233 167–169, 175, 178, 225 South East Europe 9, 13, 21, 29, 35–36, 71, Ukraine 7, 41, 43, 48–49, 72, 97, 103–106, 100, 104, 119–121, 129, 171, 195, 198, 206, 108–111, 138, 142, 152, 158, 175, 178, 195, 223, 233 198–199, 202, 229, 233 Southern Africa 66, 69, 166 UNAIDS 124 Southern Neighbourhood Policy 52, 223 UNAMA 82 South Sudan 62, 68, 93, 135, 182, 225 UNCITRAL 88–89, 120 South Tyrol 30, 33–35, 223 UNCTAD 102 SPA 73 UNDP 102, 124, 171 Spain 127, 156, 186, 188, 193, 229 UNEP 121, 146, 231 Special Envoy 57, 101, 200 UNESCO 27, 37, 98–99, 102, 129–130, 201– Special Representative 37, 46, 51, 54, 94, 103, 202, 209, 231 134, 140, 151, 179 UNGA 86–92, 94, 96–97, 125–130, 132, 137– Sri Lanka 75, 84, 135, 141–142, 175, 178, 186, 139, 147–148, 155, 161, 179 226 UNHCR 73, 120, 124, 175, 177, 192 Strategic partnership 26, 60, 73, 76, 79, 117 UNICEF 127 Sudan 62–63, 68, 93, 125, 135–136, 144, 182, UNIDO 120, 122–123, 169, 230 225 UNIFIL 96 Sustainability 79, 99, 107, 142, 164, 168, United Arab Emirates 60, 98, 123, 229 174–177, 181, 198, 231 United Nations 12, 46, 49–50, 54–55, 60, 64, Sustainable Development 45, 86, 91, 102, 76, 82, 86, 88–89, 97–99, 118, 120, 122–127, 107, 114, 119–120, 135, 147–148, 164, 170, 129, 134, 137, 145–146, 148–149, 164, 166, 172–174, 198 174, 176–177, 179, 192, 223 Sustainable Development Goals 86, 102, 148, UNMIK 97 164, 198 UNO City 122 Sustainable energy 117, 120–121, 123, 125, UNOCT 12 150–151, 165–166, 168–169 UNODA 120 Sweden 59, 68, 103, 208, 229 UNODC 12, 120, 124, 134 Switzerland 30–33, 130, 142, 145, 152, 165, UNOOSA 120 186, 188, 199, 203, 229 UNOV 120 Syria 13–14, 40–42, 50, 52, 57, 86, 93, 127, UNRWA 90, 177 129, 135–136, 138, 156, 158, 170–171, 174– UNSG 54, 86–87, 90, 94, 96, 145–146, 175, 177–178, 229 150–151, 159 241 Index

Uruguay 182, 224 West Bank 56–57, 70, 177 USA 13–14, 20, 29, 40–41, 53, 56–58, 61, 66, Western Balkans 8, 13, 35, 121, 127, 166–167, 69–72, 76–79, 81–82, 85, 91, 97, 122–123, 169, 193, 233 140, 144, 154, 182–183, 188, 205, 221 WMO 102 Uzbekistan 51–52, 105, 142, 182, 230 Women 19, 29, 44, 59, 71, 77, 83, 92–96, Venezuela 41, 70, 73, 93, 101, 136, 175, 186, 102, 112, 123, 126, 128–131, 133–136, 138, 225 140–141, 143, 168, 171, 196–198, 202, Venice Commission 43, 110, 114 211–212, 215 Vietnam 82, 94, 132, 137, 142, 182, 230 WTO 33, 51, 70, 80, 182–183, 231 Visa 12, 16, 41, 45, 51, 56, 144, 185, 191–192, Yemen 59–60, 129, 132, 136–137, 158, 175, 219, 223 228 Weapons of mass destruction 90, 107, 152– Zambia 69, 226 154, 157, 160 Zimbabwe 66, 69, 229 West Africa 63, 129, 166

242