German support needs reach new highs in schools, ÖBB delays rail projects, and Amazon dominates Austrian e-commerce—plus more stories from Austria on Friday.
49,000 pupils in Austria now receive German language support
Nearly 49,100 children and young people in Austria attended German support classes or courses during the 2023/24 school year, a 30 percent increase since the system was introduced in 2018, ORF reported.
Most of those receiving support were in primary school, with the rise attributed in part to migration and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.
Current law requires children with insufficient German skills to be classified as “exceptional pupils” and taught separately for up to 20 hours per week. Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) said he aims to give schools greater autonomy over how such support is structured in future.
ÖBB delays over 20 projects in revised investment plan
Austria’s state railway ÖBB presented a revised framework plan on Thursday that reduces the number of major infrastructure projects from 58 to 41, ORF reported.
Budgetary constraints and lengthy approval processes are behind the changes, although officials stressed that none of the projects are being cancelled outright.
Among those delayed are the Köstendorf–Salzburg line and station renovations in Bregenz. The overall budget has been trimmed by 7 percent, but €19.7 billion will still be invested through 2030, with 330 new trains planned. Infrastructure Minister Peter Hanke (SPÖ) described the plan as “incredibly ambitious”.
Amazon takes 40 percent of Austria’s online shopping market
Amazon remains the clear leader in Austrian online retail, with €1.2 billion in direct sales and €4.3 billion when including marketplace partners, ORF reported, citing the E-Commerce Report 2025. That accounts for 40 percent of total online spending by Austrian consumers.
The second-largest platform, Zalando, had €606 million in combined sales. No Austrian company appears in the top 10.
The Austrian Retail Association has criticised the dominance of Chinese platforms like Temu and Shein, and called for faster EU implementation of proposed parcel duties and tax reforms.
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Vienna offices nearly deserted on Fridays, says new report
Office occupancy in Vienna drops to just 29 percent on Fridays, according to the Office Report 2025 by consultancy Teamgnesda, Die Presse reported.
Even on the busiest day, Tuesday, only 68 percent of staff are present.
The report analysed the working patterns of over 200,000 employees and suggests that one in three desks are now unused. Companies allowing hybrid work now standardly offer 2.4 home-office days per week.
The findings point to potential savings of millions of square metres in office space nationwide.
ECB cuts interest rates again, signals possible pause
The European Central Bank lowered its deposit rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2 percent on Thursday, marking the eighth consecutive cut, Der Standard reported.
Inflation in the eurozone has eased to 1.9 percent, close to the ECB’s 2 percent target.
While the rate cut offers relief for borrowers, ECB President Christine Lagarde said future decisions will be data-driven. Analysts expect a pause in rate changes at the next meeting, with forecasts suggesting limited further cuts in 2024.
Controversial 380kV Salzburg power line goes into operation
Austria’s largest and most disputed electricity infrastructure project, the 380kV Salzburg line, was officially commissioned on Thursday after years of legal and political wrangling, ORF reported.
The high-voltage line is considered essential for integrating renewable energy into the national grid.
Construction took five years, while the approval process lasted over six. Delays added €100 million in costs, State Secretary for Energy Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP) said. A new law aimed at accelerating renewable energy projects is expected to be reviewed this summer.
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Former minister Raab to head international migration organisation
Susanne Raab (ÖVP), Austria’s former integration minister, has been elected as the next Director General of the Vienna-based International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), ORF reported.
Raab succeeds fellow Austrian and former vice chancellor Michael Spindelegger, who led the organisation for a decade. ICMPD supports 21 member states in developing migration policy and runs projects in 90 countries.
Raab was selected after a competitive international process and will take office at the end of the year.
Kurier issues legal warning to journalist over Eastwood interview
Kurier has sent a cease-and-desist letter to journalist Elisabeth Sereda over her claims about how a now-disputed Clint Eastwood interview was published, Die Presse reported.
Editor-in-chief Martin Gebhart said Sereda offered the interview, which turned out to be a “best-of” compilation rather than a new conversation.
The paper is now reviewing her work from recent years. The Austrian Press Council is also investigating whether the article violated journalistic ethics by misleading readers into believing it was a current interview.
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