Three skiers die in Austria avalanche in Tyrol

Three Dutch skiers died after an avalanche in the Austrian province of Tyrol swept away four people from their 17-member group on Thursday, police said.

“Four off-piste skiers were buried in the avalanche. Two of them were found dead,” Tyrol police said.

A third was rescued and flown to hospital, they added. The fourth was later confirmed dead.

Why Austria wants to overhaul its contentious ‘educational leave’ scheme

Austria’s so-called “Bildungskarenz” allows workers to take paid time off from work to invest in their education, but the government claims there’s an urgent need to reform the system. Why is that?

AUA flight crew to vote on salary increase offer after months of negotiations

Negotiations over salary increases for Austrian Airlines (AUA) 3,500 pilots and flight attendants have reached a critical moment after 20 rounds of bargaining. The Vida trade union, representing the workers, will present an improved offer from AUA to its members for a vote by next week. Collective bargaining talks are on hold until the outcome of the vote is known.

While AUA maintains the total salary increase will be 18 percent, the new proposal guarantees a previously variable portion of 4 percent, making it a fixed raise. Additionally, the offer extends over a two-year and ten-month period.

An AUA spokesperson highlighted the offer’s competitiveness, stating, “Considering current inflation forecasts, the overall package translates to a real wage increase well above 5 percent. Accepting this offer would position it among the top agreements in Austria.” They further noted that co-pilots could see raises as high as 28 percent due to a larger increase for lower salary brackets.

The vote will determine whether the union accepts the proposal or if further industrial action, such as strikes, is imminent.

E-scooter companies in Vienna demand more parking spaces

Vienna’s e-scooter scene shrinks as two out of four rental companies exit. Voi and Lime remain but dispute with the city over parking fines. The operators claim nearly half the €50 parking fines (up from €25 in Dec 2023) they receive are unfair, often due to e-scooters being moved by others. This sparks conflicts as scooters end up in car lanes, bike racks, or sidewalks due to limited designated parking.

Voi and Lime propose more designated spaces, especially in outer districts (at least 100 by June), a city awareness campaign on shared parking lanes, and reducing the e-scooter fine to €25 (matching car parking fine of €36). The city counters have 250 existing spaces and plans for 400 by year-end (up from 300).

Nehammer discusses the future of the EU with six top politicians on Friday

The European Union is gearing up for enlargement and addressing the anticipated challenges of the upcoming legislative period from 2024 to 2029. Informal consultations have been ongoing since last fall among various groups of heads of state and government, with plans to adopt a “Strategic Agenda” at the EU summit in June following the EU elections.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is set to host several heads of state and government, along with EU Council President Charles Michel, in Vienna on Friday for further discussions, Der Standard reported.

The decision to initiate these consultations was made during the informal EU summit in Granada, Spain, last October. The Strategic Agenda will focus on several key priorities: security and defence, resilience and competitiveness, energy, migration, global engagement, and EU enlargement. EU Council President Michel has expressed support for the accession of additional countries to the EU by 2030, contingent upon meeting certain conditions.

Apart from the Western Balkan states of Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, other candidates for EU membership include Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Turkey, although progress has stalled with Ankara. Although five EU member states do not recognise its status, Kosovo is also considered a potential candidate. Ukraine’s accession is seen as unlikely before resolving the ongoing conflict.

Before admitting new members, the EU must undertake significant internal reforms, including adjustments to decision-making mechanisms to maintain its effectiveness. In the case of Ukraine, reform of the common agricultural policy is deemed crucial as part of the accession process.

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