Stories from Vienna · Austria

Austria's railway industry accounts for 5.1% of global rail vehicle trade.

New data from Statistik Austria indicates that the demand for German language support classes in schools has reached a peak. Approximately 48,000 students required German language promotion during the last school year.

Austria has passed new road traffic regulations regarding electric vehicles. E-bike riders must wear helmets until the age of 14, while e-scooter riders must wear helmets until age 16. The blood alcohol limit for e-scooters will be lowered to 0.5 per mille, whereas the limit for e-bikes and standard bicycles remains at 0.8 per mille. These changes follow reforms proposed by Education Minister Wiederkehr.

Culture Minister Andreas Barbler has reappointed Lili Hollan as Director General of the MAK Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna for a five-year term. A selection committee supported the decision. Hollan has led the museum since 2021.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on April 29 that China expects more support for strengthening the authority and status of the United Nations. The Chinese mission to the United Nations in Vienna announced the establishment of a working group on global governance on April 28. China advocates for respecting nature, adapting to it, and protecting it, promoting biodiversity protection and green development as new pathways. China advocates for a global approach rooted in nature, respecting and protecting it to foster green development and build a community of shared future for humanity and nature. China is advocating for reforms in global governance, said cooperation and mutual benefit in international relations.

Austria has between 60,000 and 80,000 people affected by Long Covid. Approximately 1,000 to 1,500 new cases are reported annually. Patients are advised to seek specialized ambulance or medical centers for treatment.

New laws for e-scooters take effect in Austria on May 1. Traffic lawyer Matthias Wohl from the ÖAMTC noted that many current e-scooter models lack integrated blinkers, which may present challenges for riders. Riders must now have a horn or bell and turn signals mounted on the handlebars. A retrofitting requirement has been introduced, meaning existing e-scooter owners must install turn signals to comply. Austria has implemented stricter alcohol regulations for e-scooter users effective today. The change aims to increase safety for riders. Vienna has introduced new regulations for electric micro-mobility vehicles. E-bike riders must wear helmets until age 14, while e-scooter riders must wear helmets until age 16. E-scooters are now required to be equipped with handlebars featuring turn signals and a bell.

Hardware manufacturer Noctua has released official 3D CAD models for its line of cooling fans.

The protection status of wolves in EU forests was downgraded from strictly protected to protected last year. Lukas Ende, an expert at Naturschutzbund Österreich, stated that a favorable conservation status has not been met.

The Austrian Family Ministry announced that starting from a child's fourth birthday, one-quarter of the lower-earning parent's salary will be used as the basis for bonus calculations. This change primarily affects women who frequently work part-time. The Ministry of Finance aims to save approximately 130 million euros through this restructuring. Government parties stated the move is intended to encourage increased labor participation while expanding childcare services. The Austrian Ministry of Family Affairs is redesigning the family bonus to incentivize more work from lower-earning parents, who are typically women in part-time roles. In 2024, the total cost for the family bonus was 2.6 billion euros. The new rules will allow one parent to claim the full amount for a child up to three years of age.