Fundamental rights and the rule of law – Report on the visit to Austria and authorities’ observations on the report

As part of the EESC’s efforts to promote fundamental rights and the rule of law, a delegation of the EESC’s Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law visited Austria on 19 and 20 March 2025. The delegation met with several representatives of civil society, specifically from civil society organisations, the social partners, the media, and the legal professions. A separate meeting was held with the Austrian authorities, where the latter had the opportunity to react to some of the points presented to them. The aim of this report is to faithfully reflect and reproduce the views of civil society. The last visit of the EESC’s Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group to Austria had been on 3 and 4 June 2019.

The above-mentioned meetings were framed under the five following themes:

• Fundamental rights related to social partners
• Freedom of association and freedom of assembly
• Freedom of expression and freedom of the media
• Non-discrimination
• The rule of law

The input received during the meetings has been included in a report drafted by the delegation members. This report has been communicated to the Austrian authorities, which in turn submitted their reply.