Austria's Foreign Policy in the Early Twenty-First Century

Austria is a small, landlocked country in Central Europe. During the “Cold War”, it belonged to neither of the two blocs, adopting instead a policy of “active neutrality” after re-gaining its sovereignty in 1955. The end of the Cold War and accession to the EU certainly brought a re-orientation for Austria and its foreign policy. For a long time, foreign policy remained outside of domestic political debates in Austria. A new element in the 2017 government programme was increased emphasis on Austria’s “protective role” for South Tyrol. For a long time, Austria had supported human rights and advocated treaties restraining the use of weapons and force. The possibilities for diplomatic activities as well as their framework have changed considerably over the past decades. In contrast, the members of the Diplomatic Service continue to be possibly the best-trained and qualified personnel in the Austrian civil service.