Austrian foreign policy 1995-2015

Authors

  • Helmut Kramer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15203/ozp.1372.vol45iss2

Keywords:

Austria, foreign policy, EU membership, renationalization, provincialization

Abstract

During the past 20 years, Austria’s foreign policy has undergone far-reaching changes as a consequence of Austria’s membership in the European Union. Austria’s entry into the European Union broadened its foreign policy agenda: it became involved in a wide range of international issues and in the economic and political positions and bargaining processes of the EU in the international system. On the other hand, EU membership placed considerable constraints on Austria’s formerly independent national foreign policy, especially on Austria’s neutrality. This article gives an overview of the development of Austrian foreign policy since 1995, analyzing the developments leading from an active foreign policy profile in the 1970s and 1980s to a more passive, reactive foreign policy after entry into the EU. The main factors responsible for this development are a general weakening of the pro-active political approach in Austria’s EU policy and in international affairs, continued cuts in the Austrian foreign service budget, and the growing impact of the trend towards renationalization and provincialisation in domestic politics.

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Published

2016-09-12

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