Canada & Austria

Overview

Austria's membership in the European Union since 1995 and its strong ties to its Central and South-Eastern European neighbours make Austria a valuable interlocutor for Canada on a wide range of political, economic, trade, environmental and security issues. Canada and Austria share common interests and similar perspectives on many global issues and cooperate widely in international activities and organizations. Both countries are members of the Human Security Network and have been partners in the movement to ban anti-personnel landmines. Canada and Austria also cooperate on a range of human rights and human security issues, including human rights education, children in armed conflict and against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

The bilateral economic relationship is sound and there are no significant trade, technology or investment policy issues that inhibit business development. Click here for more information on business with Austria ...

Recent high-level visits includes:

Austrian Visits to Canada:

• Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Labour Martin Bartenstein to Ottawa and Toronto (June 2005)
• Secretary General of the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs Johannes Kyrle visited Ottawa for the Human Security Network Ministerial (May 2005)
• Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology Hubert Gorbach to Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa and Vancouver (Sept-Oct 2004)
• Minister for the Interior Ernst Strasser (July 2002)

Canadian Visits to Austria:

The Honourable Jean Charest, Premier of Québec, visited Linz and Vienna (July 2006)

• Manitoba Deputy Premier Rosann Wowchuk visited Vienna, Lower Austria and Styria (September 2005)
• The Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources visited Vienna (September 2005)
• Quebec Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Parks, Thomas Mulcair, visited Vienna and Lower Austria (July 2005)
• Nova Scotia Minister of Natural Resources Richard Hurlburt visited Güssing/Burgenland (June 2005)
• Prince Edward Island Premier Patrick Binns headed a delegation that visited Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland (March 2005)
• Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Joe Cordiano visited Vienna and Lower Austria (January 2005)
• Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik to Vienna and Innsbruck (October 2004)
• Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) Jean Augustine for the OSCE Meeting on Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, as well as bilateral meetings (September 2003)
• Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham for the Human Security Network Ministerial Meeting in Graz (May 2003)
• Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Milliken and an all-party delegation of Members of Parliament (March 2003)
• Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien paid a visit to Austria in June 1999, the first by a Canadian Prime Minister. In addition, Prime Minister Chrétien and Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel met in Prague in June 2003.