Inflation in Austria picked up to 2.2 percent in February and the government has set out how it plans to handle the Mercosur trade deal, plus more stories from Austria on Thursday.
Austria’s inflation rose to 2.2 percent in February
Austria’s annual inflation rate edged up to 2.2 percent in February, after 2.0 percent in January, according to Die Presse. The figure matched Statistics Austria’s flash estimate and showed stronger price pressure in services.
Restaurant and hotel prices rose by 5.1 percent year on year, making them the biggest contributor to inflation. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 1.5 percent, while food and non-alcoholic drinks were up 2.4 percent.
Fuel prices were still 5.1 percent lower than a year earlier, but the report noted that the sharp March rise linked to the Iran war was not yet reflected in the February data.
Austria backs Mercosur deal with conditions
Austria will say yes to the Mercosur trade deal in Brussels at the end of March, but with conditions attached, according to Der Standard. The government plans to sign while also stating that any provisional application would need approval from Austria’s National Council first.
Vienna is also calling for strict enforcement of EU standards on agricultural imports and tighter on-site controls to avoid disadvantages for Austrian farmers. The move follows a 2019 parliamentary resolution that had committed Austria to oppose the pact in Brussels.
The agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay would create one of the world’s largest free trade zones and remove most tariffs on both sides.
Train passengers evacuated after technical fault in Burgenland
Around 100 people had to be evacuated from a train in Gattendorf in Burgenland on Wednesday after a technical fault, according to ORF Burgenland. The local fire brigade said the passengers were quickly and orderly removed from the train.
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The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Gattendorf deployed 36 people and four vehicles. Police, rescue services and ÖBB staff were also involved in the operation.
The railway line was fully closed for around 40 minutes and traffic then remained restricted to one track for about 2 hours. No one was injured.
Two convictions and nine diversions in Letzte Generation trial
Two former members of the now dissolved climate group Letzte Generation were convicted on Wednesday and nine defendants accepted diversion in the continuing mass trial in Vienna, according to ORF Vienna. The proceedings focused again on a blockade on the A2 in November 2023 and a protest outside parliament.
The court heard that one protester had glued himself to the road outside parliament, with the city of Vienna reporting costs of €5,950 and the fire service around €1,000. The trial is part of wider proceedings involving 47 former activists, and the next hearing is due on March 26th.
One 29-year-old German defendant was separated from the case for further clarification and his hearing was postponed.
What’s happening in Austria today
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The federal government is due to hold a 9.30 am press conference in Vienna on new German courses, led by Integration Minister Claudia Bauer and the Austrian Integration Fund.
Also in Vienna, parliament’s Transport and Mobility Committee meets at 9.30 am to handle four government mobility bills, including plans on e-mopeds, driving theory test fraud and emergency road rules for blackout situations. At 10.30 am, the Presidial Conference is due to set the agendas for the next National Council sittings.
March 19th is Josefitag, so schools are off today in Carinthia, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg. It’s not a national public holiday, but a patron-saint school holiday in those four provinces. Innsbruck’s IVB is also running a holiday timetable.
Rail disruption continues on several routes, including between Linz and St. Valentin, on the South line via Semmering, and on eastern services affected by works at Himberg.
Weather is set to stay mostly manageable, with morning temperatures of around -5C to 3C and highs of 10C to 15C, though avalanche danger remains considerable in parts of Salzburg.
Vocabulary
die Teuerung – inflation or rising prices
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das Freihandelsabkommen – free trade agreement
das technische Gebrechen – technical fault
die Evakuierung – evacuation
die Sachbeschädigung – criminal damage
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