Damon Mcknight
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995. In this time, Austria has held several portfolios in the European Commission, including Franz Fischler's role as head of the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries from 1995-2004.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date joined the EU | 1995 |
| Date adopted the euro | 1999 |
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What You'll Learn
- Austria joined the EU in 1995
- Austria's Franz Fischler headed the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries from 1995-2004
- Austria signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995
- Austria adopted the euro currency in 1999
- Austria's Benita Ferrero-Waldner was the Union's Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy from 2004-2010
Austria joined the EU in 1995
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, of which the capital Vienna is the most populous city and state. Austria joined the European Union in 1995. It has the 13th highest nominal GDP per capita with high standards of living.
Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and it also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995, the same year it joined the EU. It adopted the euro currency in 1999. Austria has been responsible for several portfolios within the European Commission. From 1995 to 2004, Franz Fischler headed the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries. During this time, he significantly shaped the outcome of the Agenda 2000, which reformed the European Union's Common Agricultural and Regional policies.
Austria is bordered by Germany to the northwest, the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The country occupies an area of 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi) and has a population of around 9 million. The area of today's Austria has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic period. The area that is now Austria was settled in pre-Roman times by various Celtic tribes, having been the core of the Hallstatt culture by the 6th century BC.
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Austria's Franz Fischler headed the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries from 1995-2004
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995. During this time, Austria has been responsible for several portfolios.
One of the most notable Austrians to have served in the European Commission is Franz Fischler, who headed the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries from 1995 to 2004. Fischler was an Austrian politician from the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). He studied agriculture at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, and finished as Dr rer.nat.oec. in 1978. Fischler worked as a university assistant from 1973 to 1979, then for the Tyrol Chamber of Agriculture, finally as its director from 1985 to 1989. Between 1989 and 1994, Fischler was Federal Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, and since 1990, he has been an elected Member of the National Council.
During his time as head of the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Fischler significantly shaped the outcome of the Agenda 2000, which reformed the European Union's Common Agricultural and Regional policies. Fischler's career as a representative of the agriculture sector began in 1979 when he joined the Provincial Chamber of Agriculture of Tyrol. He dealt with environmental issues, education and training, culture and land-use planning until 1984, when he became Director of the Chamber. In 1989, Fischler was appointed Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Austria. In that capacity, he played an important part in the negotiations for Austria’s accession to the European Union. From 1995 to 1999, Fischler was European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and from September 1999 until 2004, he was also responsible for Community fisheries policy.
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Austria signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995. In the same year, Austria signed the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement is a treaty that abolished many of the European Union's internal borders, creating a single, free-travel zone. It was signed in 1985 by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community. Austria was one of the first countries to sign the agreement after it came into force in 1995.
Austria's membership of the European Union has had a significant impact on the country's politics and economy. For example, from 1995 to 2004, Franz Fischler headed the DG for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries. During this time, Fischler significantly shaped the outcome of the Agenda 2000, which reformed the European Union's Common Agricultural and Regional policies.
Austria's former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, became the Union's Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy in 2004. She held the position for six years. In January 2010, Johannes Hahn became the latest Austrian member of the European Commission, where he headed the DG for Regional Policy until 2014. Hahn was then assigned Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy until 2019. As such, he was responsible for the Union's relations with the Western Balkans, an area of special importance to Austria.
Austria's membership of the European Union has also had economic benefits for the country. As a member of the EU, Austria has access to the single market, which has helped to boost the country's economy. In addition, Austria has been able to benefit from EU funding for various projects, such as infrastructure development.
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Austria adopted the euro currency in 1999
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995. It adopted the euro currency in 1999.
Austria's membership of the EU is a result of its geographic position. The country is at the centre of European traffic between east and west along the great Danubian trade route and between north and south through the Alpine passes. This has embedded Austria within a variety of political and economic systems.
Austria's adoption of the euro currency in 1999 was an important step in the country's integration with the EU. The euro is the official currency of the EU and is used by all member states, with the exception of Denmark and Sweden, which have negotiated opt-outs, and Croatia, which is legally obliged to adopt the euro in the future.
The adoption of the euro in 1999 brought a number of benefits to Austria. It simplified trade with other EU member states, reduced transaction costs for businesses and consumers, and increased price transparency. It also contributed to greater economic stability and lower inflation in Austria.
Austria's adoption of the euro in 1999 was part of a broader trend of European integration and a move towards a more unified Europe.
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Austria's Benita Ferrero-Waldner was the Union's Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy from 2004-2010
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995.
From 2004 to 2010, Austria's former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, was the Union's Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy. She was the first woman to hold this position and served for six years. During her tenure, she was responsible for shaping the outcome of the Agenda 2000, which reformed the European Union's Common Agricultural and Regional policies. Ferrero-Waldner also emphasised the importance of the regional partnership set up in 2001 by Austria with Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia in connection with the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Eastern Europe.
Ferrero-Waldner is a member of the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and served as Foreign Minister of Austria from 2000 to 2004. She was the Austrian People's Party's presidential candidate in 2004, narrowly losing with 47.6% of the votes. In addition to her political career, she has held positions in the private sector, including at Gerns and Gahler and P. Kaufmann Inc. in New York.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria has been a member of the European Union since 1995.
Austria has been responsible for several portfolios in the European Commission, including agriculture, rural development, fisheries, external relations and European neighbourhood policy.
No, Austria became a member of the EU in 1995. Prior to this, it was a major imperial power in Central Europe for centuries.
Austria is a member of the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Interpol. It also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995 and adopted the euro currency in 1999.
No, Austria is not a member of NATO.
