9.482-200/09

Vienna, 28 September 2009 – In 2007, about 8 800 enterprises resident in Austria were under foreign control, whereas Austrian units owned 4 300 enterprises abroad. In these 8 800 domestic units around 500 000 people were occupied, the total turnover amounting to almost 200 billion Euros. In the Austrian affiliates abroad almost 800 000 persons were employed, contributing to a total turnover of roughly 180 billion Euros.

High economic relevance of foreign controlled enterprises

In total, the 8 800 foreign controlled enterprises resident in Austria accounted for

• 3% of the total number of Austrian profit-oriented enterprises (Nace Rev.1 divisions C-K),
• 19% of the respective employment,
• one third of total turnover,
• and one quarter of total value added (at factor costs).

They were mainly controlled by group heads resident in Germany (42% of the units), Switzerland (13%), Netherlands, Italy and United States (6% each), UK (4%) and France (3%).

Austrian enterprises go successfully abroad

Austrian enterprises in 2007 centred their activities abroad in the “new” member states of the EU, namely in

• Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic where they employed about 11% of total employment in Austrian affiliates abroad each,
• Germany (9% of total employment in Austrian affiliates abroad),
• Poland (6%) and the Slovak Republic (5%).

The highest number of Austrian affiliate units abroad, however, were located in Germany.

For more detailed information please refer to our website and the German version.