Important update: From 1st December 2020, Libryo stopped updating this blog and it is no longer live. Check out Libryo’s solution which helps you keep track of the latest updates specific to your operations, from COVID-19 regulation to EHS law. Learn more here.
Libryo was using its regulatory tracking technology to keep this live blog of new law relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic. Any new updates provided highlights of the legislation, key publication information and dates as well as links to the sources.
Live updates of COVID-19 regulations for
Austria
Click here to see COVID-19 updates for other countries.
Last Updated: Monday 5 October 2020
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Finance has issued an Ordinance that extends the time period in which attachments related to tax relief may be submitted via email due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
----
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 416/2020
Notice Number: 416
Publication Date: 29 September 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_416/BGBLA_2020_II_416.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Thursday 1 October 2020
Highlight:
The National Council has published a law that amends the Employment Contract Law Adjustment Act to allow employers to claim compensation from the federal government if employees take time off work to look after their children due to the closure of schools caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
----
Gazette Number: BGBl. I Nr. 107/2020
Notice Number: 107
Publication Date: 30 September 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_I_107/BGBLA_2020_I_107.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Monday 27 April 2020
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of the Interior has published an ordinance which attempts to curb the further spread of COVID-19 by extending the period in which Austria will have temporary border controls at its internal borders.
----
Gazette Number: 178
Publication Date: 24 April 2020
Effective Date: 24 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_178/BGBLA_2020_II_178.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Verordnung: Vorübergehende Wiedereinführung von Grenzkontrollen an den Binnengrenzen [Temporary reintroduction of border controls at internal borders]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of the Interior has published an Ordinance that reinstates certain border controls.
----
Gazette Number: 177
Publication Date: 24 April 2020
Effective Date: 24 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_177/BGBLA_2020_II_177.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Thursday 23 April 2020
Änderung der COVID-Kurzarbeit-Obergrenzen-VO [Change of the COVID short-time upper limit regulation]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth has published an Ordinance which amends the ordinance on the Financial Limit for Covering Aid for Short-Time Work (COVID-Kurzarbeit-Obergrenzen-VO), by changing the upper limit to "€ 7,000 million" for 2020.
----
Published in terms of 12th federal law, which enacts a federal law on the establishment of the COVID-19 crisis management fund (COVID-19-FondsG) and a federal law on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 measures law) as well as the statutory provisional budget 2020, the Federal Financial Framework Act 2019 to 2022, the Federal Law on the Establishment of a Mining Share Corporation of the Federal Government, the Labor Market Policy Financing Act, the Labor Market Service Act and the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (COVID-19 Act)
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 168/2020
Publication Date: 21 April 2020
Effective Date: 21 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_168/BGBLA_2020_II_168.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Tuesday 21 April 2020
Änderung der Verordnung betreffend vorläufige Maßnahmen zur Verhinderung der Verbreitung von COVID-19 und der Verordnung gemäß § 2 Z 1 des COVID-19-Maßnahmengesetzes [Amendments to the regulation on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the regulation according to § 2 no. 1 of the COVID-19 Measures Act]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health Care and Consumer Protection has published an Ordinance that amends the Regulation of the Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection regarding provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, BGBl. II No. 96/2020 and the Ordinance of the Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection in accordance with Section 2 (1) of the COVID 19 Measures Act, Federal Law Gazette II No. 98/2020 which prohibit, in general, access to public places, by:
-confirming that entry to sports facilities is prohibited
-setting out that top athletes, as defined, who generate income from their sports and have already participated in international competitions may access non-public sports facilities
-setting out that squad players, coaches and coaches from the twelve clubs in the top division of the Austrian football Bundesliga and the ÖFB Cup finalists, in small groups of a maximum of 6 squad players may access non-public sports facilities.
----
Published in terms of 12th federal law, which enacts a federal law on the establishment of the COVID-19 crisis management fund (COVID-19-FondsG) and a federal law on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 measures law) as well as the statutory provisional budget 2020, the Federal Financial Framework Act 2019 to 2022, the Federal Law on the Establishment of a Mining Share Corporation of the Federal Government, the Labor Market Policy Financing Act, the Labor Market Service Act and the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (COVID-19 Act)
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 162/2020
Publication Date: 18 April 2020
Effective Date: 20 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_162/BGBLA_2020_II_162.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Tuesday 15 April 2020
Änderung der COVID-Kurzarbeit-Obergrenzen-VO [Change of the COVID short-time upper limit regulation]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth has published an Ordinance which amends the ordinance on the financial limit for covering allowances for short-time work by changing the upper limit that the government will pay to cover allowances for short-time work from "€ 3,000 million" to "€ 5,000 million" for 2020.
This notification has been included for information purposes. The Ordinance may not impose legal obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 155/2020
Publication Date: 14 April 2020
Effective Date: 14 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_155/BGBLA_2020_II_155.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Verordnung betreffend Richtlinien über die Ergreifung von finanziellen Maßnahmen, die zur Erhaltung der Zahlungsfähigkeit und zur Überbrückung von Liquiditätsschwierigkeiten von Unternehmen im Zusammenhang mit der Ausbreitung des Erregers SARS-CoV-2 und den dadurch verursachten wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen geboten sind [Ordinance on guidelines on the implementation of financial measures that are necessary to maintain solvency and to bridge liquidity difficulties of companies in connection with the spread of the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 and the economic effects caused thereby]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Finance has published an Ordinance by which, in line with the Guidelines for taking financial measures to maintain solvency and to bridge liquidity difficulties for companies in connection with the spread of the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting economic effects, which you have previously been notified on:
-the Ministry of Finance transfers its financial obligations to provide services and take measures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 to the COVID-19 Federal Financing Agency
-the liability framework for coping with the crisis situation due to COVID-19 for the SME Promotion Act is defined.
This Notice has been included for information purposes and may not impose obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 154/2020
Publication Date: 13 April 2020
Effective Date: 14 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_II_154/BGBLA_2020_II_154.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Thursday 9 April 2020
Richtlinien über die Ergreifung von finanziellen Maßnahmen, die zur Erhaltung der Zahlungsfähigkeit und zur Überbrückung von Liquiditätsschwierigkeiten von Unternehmen im Zusammenhang mit der Ausbreitung des Erregers SARS-CoV-2 und den dadurch verursachten wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen geboten sind [Guidelines for taking financial measures to maintain solvency and to bridge liquidity difficulties for companies in connection with the spread of the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting economic effects]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Finance has published an Ordinance that announces that the COVID-19 financing agency of the federal government, in line with the specified Guidelines, has taken the financial measures necessary to mitigate the economic effects of the outbreak of the coronavirus on companies by:
-maintaining their solvency
-bridging liquidity difficulties.
----
Published in terms of Körperschaftsteuergesetz [Austrian Corporate Income Tax Act]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II No. 143/2020
Publication Date: 8 April 2020
Effective Date: 9 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Änderung der Verordnung über die Einstellung des Schienenverkehrs zu Italien, der Schweiz und Liechtenstein aufgrund des Ausbruches von SARS-CoV-2 [Amendments to the regulation on the termination of rail transport to Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein due to the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection has published an Amendment Regulation that extends the period when rail transport to Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein from Austria will be stopped to 30 April 2020.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II No. 141/2020
Publication Date: 8 April 2020
Effective Date: 8 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Nähere Regelung der Durchführung von gesellschaftsrechtlichen Versammlungen ohne physische Anwesenheit der Teilnehmer und von Beschlussfassungen auf andere Weise [More detailed regulation of the conduct of corporate law meetings without the physical presence of the participants and of resolutions in another way]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Justice has published an Ordinance that, among other things:
-defines a "virtual meeting" as a meeting at which all or some of the participants are not physically present
-contains provisions relating to the admissibility of virtual meetings, including that conducting a virtual meeting is permitted if there is an opportunity to attend the meeting from any location using an acoustic and optical two-way connection in real time and each participant is able to speak and participate in voting
-contains special provisions for the general meetings of a stock corporations and the general assembly of cooperatives or associations.
The Ordinance will be in effect from 22 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.
----
Published in terms of Körperschaftsteuergesetz [Austrian Corporate Income Tax Act]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II No. 140/2020
Publication Date: 8 April 2020
Effective Date: 22 March 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Tuesday 7 April 2020
Änderung der Verordnung über die vorübergehende Wiedereinführung von Grenzkontrollen an den Binnengrenzen zur Italienischen Republik und zur Bundesrepublik Deutschland und der Verordnung über die vorübergehende Wiedereinführung von Grenzkontrollen an den Binnengrenzen zur Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft und zum Fürstentum Liechtenstein [Amendments to the regulation on the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the internal borders with the Italian Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany and the regulation regarding the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the internal borders with the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein]
Highlight:
The National Council has published the Amendments to the regulation on the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the internal borders with the Italian Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany and the regulation regarding the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the internal borders with the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein (the "Amendments").
The Amendment extends the period in which Austria will have temporary border controls to 27 April 2020 at its internal borders with:
-Italy
-Germany
-Switzerland
-Liechtenstein
This notification has been included for information purposes only. The Amendment may not impose obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 133/2020
Publication Date: 6 April 2020
Effective Date: 6 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
COVID-Kurzarbeit-Obergrenzen-VO [Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth regarding the financial upper limit for covering allowances for short-time work]
Highlight:
The Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth has published the COVID short-time work upper limit VO (the "Ordinance").
The Ordinance sets the upper limit that the government will pay to cover allowances for short-time work at € 3,000 million.
This notification has been included for information purposes. The Ordinance may not impose legal obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 132/2020
Publication Date: 6 April 2020
Effective Date: 6 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
3. COVID-19-Gesetz [3. COVID-19 law]
Highlight:
The National Council has published the 3. COVID-19 law (the "Act").
The Act, among other things:
-amends the Income Tax Act to ensure that from 1 March 2020, grants raised from funds from the COVID-19, subsidies from the hardship fund and other allowances made due to the COVID-19 crisis are tax-free
-allows the Federal Minister of Finance to assume obligations for guarantees, default guarantees or other hedging transactions of companies in order to finance resource requirements in connection with the COVID-19 crisis situation
-establishes a Hardship Fund to create a safety network for hardship cases in one-person companies (EPU) including new self-employed and freelance employees in non-profit organisations (NPO ) as well as micro-entrepreneurs
-allows the Federal Minister for Family, Work and Youth to adjust the upper limit for labour market financing to EUR 1,000 million for 2020
-permits the employer to give the employee a special care period of up to 3 weeks if facilities are partially or completely closed and an employee whose work is not required to maintain the company is not entitled to leave of absence to look after his child
-allows foreign workers in the agricultural and forestry sector with employment permits as seasonal workers and who are already in Austria to use these permits for 9 more months or to extend them within 12 months
-regulating under which specific conditions or requirements business premises or work locations may be entered.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. I Nr. 23/2020
Publication Date: 4 April 2020
Effective Date: 4 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Änderung der Verordnung über Maßnahmen bei der Einreise aus Italien, der Schweiz, Liechtenstein, Deutschland, Ungarn und Slowenien [Changes to the regulation on measures on entry from Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia]
Highlight:
The National Council has published the Changes to the regulation on measures on entry from Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia (the "Amendment").
The Amendment:
-allows Austrian citizens and persons who are subject to compulsory health insurance in Austria to enter the country to take advantage of essential medical services
-requires persons to present confirmation of their unconditional need to use a medical service
-allows persons residing or habitually residing in Austria to re-enter the country after using the absolutely necessary medical services.
This notification has been included for information purposes only. The Amendment may not impose obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 130/2020
Publication Date: 2 April 2020
Effective Date: 3 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Änderung der Verordnung betreffend vorläufige Maßnahmen zur Verhinderung der Verbreitung von COVID-19 [Amendment of the regulation on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19]
Highlight:
The National Council has published the Amendment of the regulation on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (the "Amendment").
The Amendment makes changes to the regulation on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which is currently being added to your legal register, by:
-allowing the pick-up of pre-ordered meals, provided they are not consumed on site and a distance of at least 1 meter is maintained between people
-prohibiting the entering into accommodation facilities for the purpose of recreation and leisure activities
-clarifying that supervised camping or caravan sites and shelters count as accommodation establishments: which are accommodation facilities under the direction or supervision of the accommodation provider or an agent and are intended for the temporary or non-paid accommodation of guests.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 130/2020
Publication Date: 2 April 2020
Effective Date: 3 April 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Friday 27 March 2020
Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth, which allows exceptions to weekend and holiday rest in connection with the prevention of the spread of COVID-19
Highlight:
The National Council has published the Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth, which allows exceptions to weekend and holiday rest in connection with the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 (the "Ordinance").
The Labor Restitution Act states that employees are entitled to rest days on holidays and weekends, with exceptions for certain groups of workers.
In light of the measures already in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Ordinance adds employees in the following industries to the above exceptions:
-food and drug delivery services
-freight transport
-work that is directly related to work that has been approved, provided it cannot be carried out before or after the weekend or holiday.
The Ordinance also states that the number of employed workers must be limited to those that are absolutely necessary and stipulates penalties for non-compliance.
The Ordinance expires on 31 May 2020.
This notification has been included for information purposes. The Ordinance may not impose obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 118/2020
Publication Date: 26 March 2020
Effective Date: 26 March 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth, which allows exceptions to weekend and holiday rest in connection with the prevention of the spread of COVID-19
Highlight:
The National Council has published the Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Labor, Family and Youth, which allows exceptions to weekend and holiday rest in connection with the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 (the "Ordinance").
The Labor Restitution Act states that employees are entitled to rest days on holidays and weekends, with exceptions for certain groups of workers.
In light of the measures already in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Ordinance adds employees in the following industries to the above exceptions:
-food and drug delivery services
-freight transport
-work that is directly related to work that has been approved, provided it cannot be carried out before or after the weekend or holiday.
The Ordinance also states that the number of employed workers must be limited to those that are absolutely necessary and stipulates penalties for non-compliance.
The Ordinance expires on 31 May 2020.
This notification has been included for information purposes. The Ordinance may not impose obligations on your organisation.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number: BGBl. II Nr. 118/2020
Publication Date: 26 March 2020
Effective Date: 26 March 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Tuesday 24 March 2020
Amendment of the regulation on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19
Highlight:
The Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection has published the Ordinance of the Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, which amends the ordinance on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (the "Ordinance").
The Federal Act on Provisional Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 Measures Act), which is being added to your legal register prohibits people from entering the customer area of business premises to purchase goods or use services, unless the business is exempted.
The Ordinance clarifies that the exception only applies on working days from 7:40 am to 7:00 pm at the latest, unless the business has a point of sale for food producers.
The Ordinance expires on 13 April 2020.
----
Published in terms of Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz 1984 [Austrian Act on the Employment of Foreigners]
Gazette Number BGBl. II Nr. 111/2020
Publication Date 22 March 2020
Effective Date 22 March 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_I_12/BGBLA_2020_I_12.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
Last Updated: Thursday 19 March, 2020
12th federal law, which enacts a federal law on the establishment of the COVID-19 crisis management fund (COVID-19-FondsG) and a federal law on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 measures law) as well as the statutory provisional budget 2020, the Federal Financial Framework Act 2019 to 2022, the Federal Law on the Establishment of a Mining Share Corporation of the Federal Government, the Labor Market Policy Financing Act, the Labor Market Service Act and the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (COVID-19 Act)
Highlight:
The National Council has published the 12th federal law, which enacts a federal law on the establishment of the COVID-19 crisis management fund (COVID-19-FondsG) and a federal law on provisional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 measures law) as well as the statutory provisional budget 2020, the Federal Financial Framework Act 2019 to 2022, the Federal Law on the Establishment of a Mining Share Corporation of the Federal Government, the Labor Market Policy Financing Act, the Labor Market Service Act and the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (the "COVID-19 Act").
The COVID-19 Act amends, among others, the Employment Law Amendment Act by:
-stating that if facilities are closed due to official measures and an employee who is not working in a critical area is not entitled to leave from work to look after their child, the employer can give the employee a special care period of up to 3 weeks to the care for children up to the age of 14, for whom there is a duty of care
-stating that employers are entitled to remuneration of one third of the remuneration paid to employees during the special care period by the federal government
-allowing the Federal Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection to prohibit the entry into permanent establishments or only certain permanent establishments for the purpose of purchasing goods and services to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
----
Gazette Number: GP XXVII IA 396 / A AB 102 p. 16. BR: AB 10287
Publication Date: 16 March 2020
Effective Date: 16 March 2020
Source: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblAuth/BGBLA_2020_I_12/BGBLA_2020_I_12.html
Copyright: © 2019 Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort
LEAVE MESSAGE
CONTACT