Estonia and Austria

19.12.2011

Austria recognised the Republic of Estonia on 26 June 1921 and again after the restoration of Estonia’s independence on 28 August 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were re-established on 8 January 1992. The formal opening of the Austrian Embassy in Tallinn in October 1997 was attended by Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schüssel.

Bilateral relations between Estonia and Austria are very good and co-operation is extensive, covering close communication in political relations as well as in the areas of economy, education, and culture. Estonian Ambassador to Austria Eve-Külli Kala presented her credentials to the president of Austria on 11 January 2010. Previously Estonia has been represented in Vienna by ambassadors Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi (2003-2009), Mart Laanemäe (1999-2003), and Toivo Tasa (1995-1999).

Estonia has four honorary consuls in Austria: Sirje Winding-Frauenlob in Salzburg, Michael Friedrich Seidl in the states of Styria and Carinthia, Rainer Henn in the area of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, and Honorary Consul Klaus Schmied in the state of Upper Austria.

Ambassadors of Austria to Estonia:

since 08.02.2007 Angelika Saupe-Berchtold
04.12.2001 – 15.12.2006 Dr. Jakub Forst-Battaglia
30.10.1997 – 28.11.2001 Michael Miess
15.12.1994 – 30.10.1997 Wendelin Ettmayer (residing in Helsinki)
08.01.1992 – 15.12.1994 Manfred Ortner (residing in Helsinki)

The honorary consul of Austria in Estonia since 24 November 1992 is Enn Vels.

The Austrian defence attaché in Estonia is Brigadier General August Reiter, who resides in Stockholm. Estonia has not appointed a defence attaché to Austria.

In October 2004, the Estonian-Austrian Parliamentary group was re-established in the Riigikogu.

Visits

Agreements

Following agreements have been concluded between Estonia and Austria:

• Loan Agreement (came into force 05.07.93);
• Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (came into force 01.10.95);
• Agreement on the International Route Bus Carriage of Passengers (came into force 01.05.97);
• Agreement on Non-Regular International Carriage of Passengers (came into force 01.05.97);
• Agreement regarding the exemption from visa requirement (came into force 20 July 1999);
• Agreement regarding the readmission of persons (agreement on readmission) (came into force 1 September 2001);
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Income Tax and the Hindrance of the Evasion of Taxes (came into force 12.11.02);
• Agreement on the exchange and reciprocal protection of classified information (came into force 01.02.2010)
• Agreement addressing reciprocal diplomatic and consular representation for the issuing of visas, according to which Austria will begin to represent Estonia for visa matters in Saudi Arabia and Qatar (came into force 01.11.2009).

Economic Relations

Estonia's economic contacts with Austria have been relatively modest, but growing. Although Austrian companies are primarily interested in Central Europe, and recently also the Balkan region, during the last decade Austrian businesses have also shown interest in markets further abroad.

Austria covers Estonia economically and commercially through its Commercial Agency in Helsinki. Its office in Tallinn primarily organises the visits of Austrian business delegations to Estonia. The exchange of business delegations over the past few years has had a positive impact on the development of trade between the two countries and on advanced direct contacts between companies.

TRADE

* Pre and Post 1 May 2004 data are incomparable. After accession to the EU, the import is calculated on the basis of the sending country, earlier this was based on the country of origin.

Austria has maintained its position around the 20th-24th foreign trade partner of Estonia, making up about 0.6-1% of the total trade volume. Although there has been a marked rise in the export of Estonian goods to Austria, which increased by a factor of four over the last ten years, Estonia’s trade with Austria has always resulted in a negative balance for Estonia.

The global economic crisis has also had an effect on Estonia-Austria trade, bringing a decrease in trade volumes over the past few years. Total turnover for bilateral trade in 2009 was 80.4 million EUR, of which Estonian export to Austria totalled 25.9 million EUR (0.4% of total export, 26th place) and import from Austria totalled 54.9 million EUR (0.8% of total import, 20th place).

In 2010 both export and import with Austria grew compared to the same period in 2009. Total trade turnover was 104.7 million EUR, of which export made up 33.6 million EUR and import 71.2 million EUR. The three major articles of export were wood and wood products (24.5%), machinery and equipment (19.9%), and chemical products (19.4%). Among imports the main articles were machinery and equipment (28.8%), chemical products (20.5%), and plastic and rubber products (12%).

Estonia-Austria trade 2000-2010 (in millions of EUR):

* Imports according to sending nation      
Source: Statistical Office of Estonia
 

Main export articles in 2010:

• Wood and wooden products - 24.5%
• Machinery and equipment - 19.9%
• Chemical products – 19.4%
• Other manufactured goods - 11.8%

Main import articles in 2010:

• Machinery and equipment - 28.8%
• Chemical products - 20.5%
• Plastic and rubber products – 12%
• Ready-made foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco - 10.2%

INVESTMENTS

According to Bank of Estonia data, Austria's direct investments in Estonia as of 31 December 2010 made up 1.1% of investments in Estonia and amounted to 137.4 million EUR, which placed it in 14th place among investing nations. Close to half of investments have been made in the manufacturing industry, a fifth in professional and research activity, 17.7% in wholesale and retail trade, and 12% in financial and insurance activity.

According to the Estonian Commercial Register, as of 24 March 2011 there were 76 businesses with Austrian participation registered in Estonia, 35 of them with 100% Austrian capital. The major enterprises with Austrian participation are NOVOLOTO AS (gambling organiser), Wienerberger AS (ceramic bricks, roof tiles), AS Estonian Cell, Henkel Macroflex AS, AS Silmet, and ECE Capital OÜ.
The total value of Estonian investments in Austria as of 31 December 2010 was 853 thousand EUR. Investments have been made in real estate, financial intermediation, wholesale and retail trade, and the information and communication sector.

TOURISM

Tourism contacts between Estonia and Austria have grown remarkably since Estonia joined the EU. In 2008, about 8 600 visitors from Austria stopped in Estonian accommodation establishments. In 2009 the number was about 6 800. Austria has also become more and more popular as a destination for Estonian travellers. In 2008, 11 400 people visited Austria with the help of travel agencies, and in 2009 nearly 8 000 Estonians did so.

Cultural and educational co-operation

In bilateral co-operation in education, one of the most successful areas has been working together to provide supplementary training for German language teachers. In addition, for years now there has been an Austrian guest teacher exchange programme, within the framework of which a teacher from Austria spends four weeks in various Estonian schools. Every year since 2003, two Estonian teachers have had the opportunity to participate in an equivalent programme in Austrian schools. The Estonian language has been taught at the University of Vienna since 1978.

Nearly every large Estonian institute of higher education has direct contacts for advancing co-operation with Austrian universities. Partnership agreements for the exchange of students and instructors through the Socrates-Erasmus programme are very common, and co-operation also takes place within the framework of various joint projects and networks.

Close cultural contacts between the two nations developed immediately after Estonia's re-independence; along with contacts in literature and art, especially close contacts have been created in the fields of theatre and music.

On the initiative of Honorary Consul Henn-Jüri Uibopuu, Austria donated over 3 000 books to the Estonian National Library in 1991. Thanks to the further co-operation between the Austrian Embassy in Tallinn, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian National Library, in 1993 an Austrian Reading Room was opened in the National Library.

The works of many Estonian authors (Jaan Kross, Jaan Undusk, Ene Mihkelson) have been recognised with the Herder Prize given out by the University of Vienna. Translator Rita Tasa earned the First Class Honour Cross of Austrian Science and Art in 2000.

Contacts between theatre and music people have grown especially close. Many Estonian performers are active in Austria, for example Ain Anger is a soloist at the Staatsoper Wien and Annely Peebo is working at the Volksoper Wien (as a mezzo-soprano).

Many contacts between Estonia and Austria have been created by the music of Arvo Pärt. The year 2005 in Austria could have been called The Year of Pärt, since many concerts took place that included his works. In addition to the Herder Prize, which Pärt had won earlier, in 2008 he was presented at Kadriorg Art Museum with the First Class Honour Cross of Austrian Science and Art.

Copious cultural events have become one of the most important tools for introducing Estonia. The following are some highlights from the eventful cultural calendar of 2010: Arvo Pärt’s 4th Symphony premiered in Vienna’s Konzerthaus on 4 May 2010; and the Tallinn Philharmonic directed by Andres Mustonen gave a successful concert on 8 October in the gold hall of the Musikverin, the location for the traditional New Year’s concert.

At the Urania Nordic film festival held in Vienna in April 2010, it was possible to become acquainted with newer Estonian cinema. Estonian theatre in the form of productions by NO99 was enjoyed by the theatre-going public of Vienna on two occasions: the production “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Rabbit” in the main programme of one of the world’s most important theatre festivals Wiener Festwochen and the production “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” during the Estonian mini-festival at Vienna’s Volkstheatr.

Estonian societies in Austria

When then-Estonian President Lennart Meri visited Salzburg in 2000, the Salzburg Estonian Society was informally founded. The formal establishment of the society took place in 2002 (with 14 founding members). The society president is Estonian Deputy Honorary Consul to the state of Salzburg Sirje Winding-Frauenlob.