Business support - Austria

Updated 01/2011

Business support

Private organisations

The Consumers’ Association of Austria (VKI) represents the interests of Austrian consumers, publishes the test journal ‘Konsument’ and other publications and provides personal and telephone consulting services.

Consumers’ Association of Austria (VKI)

Public-private organisations

The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber campaigns for business-friendly policies and makes sure that there is equality and balance between the interests of various sectors. The organisation deals with the concerns of companies and provides a bespoke service. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber portal includes information about the following subjects:

Labour and social affairs;
E-Business;
Founders and young entrepreneurs;
Taxation;
Environment and energy;
Economic law;
Business location.
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

As part of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Young Enterprise Austria (Junge Wirtschaft) represents the interests of young entrepreneurs in Austria. It strives to ensure that young, self-employed people are in the best possible position to succeed in their activities. The organisation provides various services as well as useful contacts.

Young Enterprise Austria

The Business Start-Up Service of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber is designed to provide professional business start-up support for founders, successor establishments and franchisees. This service incorporates general information required for founding a company or successor establishment as well as personal advice.

Business Start-Up Service
Founder guide
Successor establishment guide

State organisations

The key governmental body for promoting and financing companies is Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS). It supports companies throughout all phases of growth.

AWS’s promotional activities are aimed towards small and medium-sized enterprises, start-up companies, innovative, technology-oriented companies, production-related service providers, industrial firms, investors and equity capital seekers.

Support is provided to companies throughout all phases of growth: from foundation via growth to international expansion. Promotion takes the form of assumption of liabilities, procurement of low-price ERP loans, various subsidies as well as consulting.

Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS)

The Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) provides free recruitment support for entrepreneurs and also advises them about grants for their businesses. The AMS website has a separate service area for entrepreneurs.

Service for employers
Austrian Public Employment Service

One of the main tasks of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth (BMWFJ) lies in setting framework requirements that aid the structural enhancement, development and growth of companies, promote innovation and new technologies, simplify enterprise start-up and guarantee open market access. The BMWFJ strives to create a business-friendly environment, thereby continuing to improve the international competitiveness of companies located in Austria. A comprehensive range of information for companies is provided on the BMWFJ website.

Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth
Businesses

The Service Centre of the Federal Ministry for Economy, Family and Youth (BMWFJ) functions as a central contact point for any queries that citizens have which are relevant to the Ministry’s sphere of influence.

Service Centre

The website of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection (BMASK) contains comprehensive information.

Federal Ministry of Social Affairs and Consumer Protection
Consumer protection
Citizens’ service

The Austrian Business Agency (ABA) is the Federal Republic of Austria’s consultancy for companies investing on a transnational scale. It provides comprehensive information about Austria as a centre of commerce, arranges the necessary contacts and assists in the completion of formalities such as submitting grant applications.

Austrian Business Agency

The Austrian Ombudsman Board is tasked with investigating alleged or suspected administrative grievances. It is the first port of call for people who suspect a deficient or unfair approach on the part of the authorities. A key role of the organisation is to improve the overall quality of the Austrian administration.

Austrian Ombudsman Board

HELP is a cross-authority Internet platform that provides information about official channels in Austria — based on actual situations, such as pregnancy, birth, marriage or housing. It also allows users to access some of these official channels online.

HELP

The Business Service Portal (USP) is an online service provided by the government for entrepreneurs in Austria. The portal provides information about subjects such as setting up a new business, taxation or the Commercial Register.

The Legal Information System of the Republic of Austria (RIS) is an electronic database operated by the Austrian Federal Chancellery. It is used to announce laws to be disclosed in the Federal Law Gazette and provides information about the law of the Federal Republic of Austria.

Legal Information System

Access to finance is crucial for setting up and running a business.

Access to finance — Austria

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Business support - Austria

Business support

Private organisations

Public-private organisations

State organisations

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