Estonia and Austria

12.07.2010

Austria recognised Estonia on 26 June 1921. After Estonia’s re-independence, Austria recognised Estonia again 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; co-operation takes place in the fields of politics, economy, education, as well as 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 three honorary consuls in Austria: Professor Henn-Jüri Uibopuu works in Salzburg, Michael Friedrich Seidl in the states of Styria and Carinthia, and Honorary Consul Rainer Henn in the area of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland.

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 Michael B. Janisch, who resides in Stockholm.

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).

Since Estonia became a member of the European Union on 1 May 2004 the economic relations between the two countries are regulated by the rights and responsibilities of both nations as EU members, of which the most important are the principles of a common market (the free movement of goods, services, capital and people within the borders of the common market).

Economic Relations

Estonia's economic contacts with Austria have been relatively modest, but growing. Although Austrian companies primarily do business in Central Europe, during the last decade interest has also been shown in markets further abroad.

Austria covers Estonia economically and commercially through its Commercial Agency in Helsinki. Its bureau in Tallinn primarily organises the visits of Austrian business delegations to Estonia. The exchange of business delegations 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-24rd foreign trade partner of Estonia, making up about 0.6-1% of the total trade volume. The export of Estonian goods to Austria has increased by a factor of four over the last ten years.

Total turnover for bilateral trade in 2009 was 1.26 billion kroons (80.4 million EUR), of which Estonian export to Austria totalled 406 million kroons (25.9 million EUR) (0.4% of total export, 26th place) and import from Austria totalled 861 million kroons (54.9 million EUR) (0.8% of total import, 20th place).

Source: Statistical Office of Estonia

Main export articles in 2009:

• Machinery and equipment - 24.6%
• Wood and wooden products - 21.1%
• Animal products – 18.8%
• Other manufactured goods - 14.4%

Main import articles in 2009:

• Machinery and equipment - 29.6%
• Chemical products - 18.2%
• Ready-made foodstuffs - 14.5%
• Plastic and rubber products – 7.6%
• Metals and metal products - 7.2%

INVESTMENTS

According to Bank of Estonia data, the total volume of Austria's direct investments in Estonia as of 31.12.2009 amounted to 1.74 billion kroons (111 million EUR).
According to the Estonian Enterprise Register, as of 31.12.2008, there were 55 businesses with Austrian participation registered in Estonia. 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 in 2009 was 17.8 million kroons (1.1 million EUR).

TOURISM

Tourism contacts between Estonia and Austria have grown remarkably since Estonia joined the EU. In 2009, 6.8 thousand visitors from Austria stopped in Estonian accommodation establishments. Austria has also become more and more popular as a destination for Estonian travellers. In 2008, 11.4 thousand people visited Austria with the help of travel agencies, and in 2009 nearly 8 thousand Estonians did so.

Cultural Co-operation

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.

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 the Austrian Reading Room was opened in the National Library, where over 4,000 works about Austrian history, politics and culture are available for reading.

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). As of 2004 Kristjan Järvi is the Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra (Tonkünstler) of Lower Austria.

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.

The biggest project tied to the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in Austria was the tour by the ETV Girls' Choir in Austria, Slovakia and Switzerland from 14-27 April 2008, which was organised by the embassy.

The highlights of cultural diplomacy in 2009 were performances by the music groups Elletus, Metsatöll and Virre+ within the framework of the concert series featuring new EU member states in Linz, the European Capital of Culture, and the concerts by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in Vienna and Tirol.