Austria

Austria (German: Österreich) officially the Republic of Austria is a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995. It is in Central Europe bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west.

country

Country Information

  • Vienna
  • 83,879 km2
  • 8.7 million

Law Enforcement Agencies

  • Criminal Intelligence Service (Bundeskriminalamt)

    The Criminal Intelligence Service Austria (BK) was established in 2002 and is part of the Directorate-General for Public Security of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. It constitutes a milestone in the process of creating a modern and efficient security structure in Austria. The BK has seven departments. Its purpose is to act as a service centre in the effective fight against globally operating organised crime. The BK provides modern and professional support in all areas of criminal investigation to law enforcement officers in Austria. It is Austria’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters and international contact point. It is involved in high-level information management. For example, the data contained in the Crime Monitor, a database of all complaints and reports filed with the police, are accessible online to each of Austria’s more than 25,000 law enforcement officers for strategic analysis. The BK also provides regular police support activities to all criminal investigation services, such as fugitive pursuit, witness protection and undercover investigation. In 2012 a Cybercrime Competence Centre has been established. In 2016, the BK has opened a new Joint Operational Office combating human smuggling and human trafficking in Vienna. The JOO serves as regional operational platform for international investigations into migrant smuggling organised crime groups. JOO can also serve as a contact point for third parties in the source region of migration.

    Contact Details

    Phone
    • +43-(0)1-24836-985188
    Links

  • Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service (Direktion Staatsschutz und Nachrichtendienst - DSN)

    Following an in-depth reform process, the Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service (DSN) started its operations on 1 December 2021. It is part of the Directorate General for Public Security of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. The responsibilities of the DSN are to protect Austria’s constitutional institutions and their capacity to act. Additional focus is given to the protection of the public against terrorism and other ideologically or religiously motivated crime, as well as the combatting of extremism and terrorist phenomena, proliferation and espionage. In order to develop the intelligence service component of the DSN, the different tasks incumbent upon the two sectors ‘State Protection’ and ‘Intelligence Service’ have been clearly separated and assigned accordingly. The two sectors communicate via the newly established Joint Information and Situation Centre, which facilitates and coordinates communication with external stakeholders.   

    Contact Details

    Phone
    • +43-1-53126
    Links

  • Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bundesamt zur Korruptionsprävention und Korruptionsbekämpfung – BAK)

    With the entry into force of the Federal Act on the Establishment and Organization of the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) as of 1 January 2010, the Federal Bureau for Internal Affairs (BIA) was transformed into the BAK. The BAK is an institution of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. Organisationally speaking, it is, de jure, established outside the Directorate-General for Public Security and has nationwide jurisdiction in
    •    the prevention of and the fight against corruption,
    •    the close cooperation with the Public Prosecutor's Office for White-Collar Crime and Corruption (WKStA) and
    •    security police and criminal police cooperation with foreign and international anti-corruption institutions.

    The BAK tackles the corruption phenomenon in a holistic way. According to its legal mandate, the BAK follows a 4-pillar approach:
    •    Prevention – includes, inter alia, the analysis of corruption phenomena and the development of adequate preventive measures.
    •    Education – through information transfer as well as educational and awareness raising campaigns.
    •    Law enforcement – i.e. security police and criminal police investigations.
    •    Cooperation – with national and international institutions working in the field of preventing and combating corruption, as well as exchange of best practices.

    The Federal Act on the Establishment and Organization of the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK-G), which entered into force on 1 January 2010 and was last amended by BGBl. (Federal Law Gazette) I 111/2019, provides the legal basis for the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK).
     

    Contact Details

    Phone
    • +43 1 53 126 906800

  • Federal Ministry of the Interior (Bundesministerium für Inneres)

    The Federal Ministry of the Interior has a variety of responsibilities, including Austria’s internal security. As of 1 January 2003, the Ministry comprises four Divisions: I Resources II General Directorate for Public Security III Legal Affairs IV Service and Controlling The majority of the departments dealing with police-related tasks fall under Division II.

    Contact Details

    Phone
    • +43 1 531260
    Links
  • Austria police officers

    The Federal Police (Bundespolizei)

    The Federal Gendarmerie, the Federal Police, the CID, and parts of the former customs service, have been merged into the new Austrian Federal Police. There has therefore been a single law enforcement authority in Austria since 1 July 2005. In each federal province, there is one Provincial Police Command (Landespolizeikommando). On the next level, there are District Police Commands (Bezirkskommanden) and Municipal Police Commands (Stadt polizeikommanden). At local level there are Police Stations (Polizei inspektionen) and specialised units (e.g. Border Police Stations, Police Dog Units, River and Lake Police Units, Police Detention Centres). The Police Command of the Federal Province of Vienna differs in size and scope of responsibilities from the other eight Provincial Police Commands. Austria has approximately 27,200 law enforcement officers, 11% of whom are female.

  • Austria police dog

    Federal Ministry of Finance/Customs Administration (Bundesministerium für Finanzen/Zoll)

    Customs
    Despite open borders, Austrian Customs is still involved in numerous activities that serve to protect the population and the economy. As a tax administration, Customs is responsible, inter alia, for collecting customs duties, consumption taxes, the contribution of contaminated sites and monitoring prohibitions and restrictions. Other responsibilities include:
    •    Tackling smuggling;
    •    Consumption tax controls (alcohol, mineral oil, tobacco);
    •    Prohibitions and restrictions (counterfeit products, weapons and war material, medicines, drugs, etc.);
    •    Species protection of plants and animals;
    •    Product piracy;
    •    Cash controls.

    Taxes
    Within the Austrian Ministry of Finance, an Anti-Fraud Office was established in 2021 in order to combine units combating tax and social fraud. This ensures a coordinated and more efficient strategic and nationwide operational response and control of the preventative fight against tax fraud.

    The Anti-Fraud Office acts as fiscal law enforcement authority with nationwide competence. Certain fiscal criminal proceedings in tax matters are handled by the Anti-Fraud Office within its own competence. In addition, the Anti-Fraud Office is active in the service of the criminal justice system in case the prosecution of a fiscal offence is subject to court jurisdiction. In such a case, it has the same tasks and investigative powers as ruled by the Austrian Code of Criminal Procedure. 

    International administrative and judicial assistance in fiscal criminal matters is provided by the International Cooperation in Fiscal Criminal Investigations (ICFI) team. It is responsible for receiving and assisting in the execution of incoming and outgoing requests.
     

    Contact Details

    Phone
    • Customs: +43 50 233 740
    • Taxes: +43 50 233 552080
    Links