Today more than ever before, the economy and science depend on international cooperation. Cooperation in scientific research and technological development makes an important contribution to enhancing good relations between nations. Austria participates in European and international scientific, research and technology programmes.
In Austria, matters regarding scientific research are the responsibility of the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research while technology development and the promotion of innovation are within the sphere of competence of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology.
The cooperation of these two government departments with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs secures optimum harmonisation of all activities in this field at a high international level.
Multilateral Scientific and Technical Cooperation
The instrument of multilateral scientific and technical co-operation enables Austria to participate in major future-oriented projects for which the country is unable to raise the funds suited to reach a critical mass at national level. Multilateral technical and scientific co-operation is becoming ever more important, carrying increasing weight in the international arena. The ensuing production of know-how, technology and services is indispensable for practical work in many European policy areas and must be brought in line with foreign-policy goals on a case-by-case basis.
ESA, CERN, IIASA, COST
Austria is a full member of the most important organisations for scientific and technical cooperation in Europe: These are the European Space Agency (ESA)in Paris, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) in Darmstadt, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva and the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) in Brussels.
Together with the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology the BMEIA represents Austria in the decision-making bodies of these organisations.
Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry is in charge of foreign-policy aspects of Austria’s membership and host country status relating to the International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, as well as the country’s membership in the European Conference on Molecular Biology and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in Reading/GB.
