EU & International

How do national parliaments get involved at the EU and international levels? What is "parliamentary diplomacy"? In this section, you will find information on the diverse EU and international activities of the Austrian Parliament.

Cooperation with other parliaments, participation in European decision-making, election observations, bilateral and multilateral meetings, parliamentary assemblies of international organizations - all of this is just a part of the many international arenas in which Austrian Members of Parliament (MPs) are active.

These activities of parliamentary diplomacy are supported by Service 6 "EU & International Affairs" of the Parliamentary Administration in terms of content, organization, and protocol.

The European Union (EU) is not a state but rather a supranational organization. Since Brexit on January 31, 2020, 27 European states with a population of approximately 450 million citizens have been united in the EU. In the Union, the principle of equality of all members applies. Their national identity, including regional and local self-government, is respected by treaty. Within the EU, 19 Member States have a common currency, the euro.

The EU database – the only one of its kind in Austria – offers a synopsis of documents of the EU and Austrian organs along with negotiations in the plenary and in the EU Committees of the National Council and the Federal Council. The documents are displayed starting from 1995. When classified as public, documents are accessible only from 2012.

Parliamentary cooperation aims at deepening collaboration in the political and administrative levels along selected thematic and geographical focal points. In this way, the Austrian Parliament positions itself internationally, promotes exchange, and builds a corresponding network.