Category: Austria

AUSTRIA: Budget Analysis 2018 and 2019

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The Austrian Parliamentary Budget Office published its budgetary analysis for 2018 and 2019, with special emphasis on Gender Budgeting.

The estimated budget for 2018 and 2019 takes account of 36 gender equality objectives, whereby 28 – that equals 78% – primarily have an external social impact as requested by the law. They cover the entire range of gender quality, notably reconciliation of work and family life, improving distribution of gainful employment, raising awareness for gender equality, and improving the re-integration of women into the labour market as well as their share in research, innovation and technology-related areas of work. Eight objectives are limited to Continue Reading AUSTRIA: Budget Analysis 2018 and 2019

Report on Outcome-Oriented Impact Assessments 2016

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31/05/2017: This day marked the date when the fourth report on the impact-oriented impact assessment (WFA Bericht) was submitted to the National Council . The report is a summary of the results of the internal evaluations carried out by the ministries and other supreme organs. It is compiled by the Federal Performance Management Office, which is part of the Federal Chancellery. The report includes evaluations of 54 projects, which were carried out by the respective budgetary bodies.* The following 5 projects were deemed to have had a significant impact on the dimension of “Equality of women and men”:

  • Non-profit temp agencies 2015 (»JobTransFair«, »it­works« and »Trendwerk«) (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection)
  • Labour Market Service Styria Centres for education and training (ZAM) – Budget 2015 (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection)
  • Amendmend of the Federal Act for family benefits (Federal Ministry of Family and Youth)
  • Procurement of vaccination for the public child vaccination policy (Federal Ministry of Health and Women’s Affairs)
  • Innovation check plus (EUR 10,000) 2015 and 2016 (Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy)

They afflicted the sudimensions “direct services to natural or legal persons or companies”, “physical and mental well-being” and “other important effects”

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Austrian Income Taxes and Their Effects on Women and Men

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In Austria, differences in primary incomes prevail. While full gender equality would require changes in the distribution of primary incomes, it might be worthwhile taking a look at gender-related effects of taxes and tax reforms. A study scrutinising the Austrian tax system highlights that not only female wage earners as well as self-employed ones receive only about two third of the average wages of male counterparts, but also that their income-related taxes do not ease this problem as redistributive effects vary widely: By way of example, social security contributions are mainly regressive so that they may actually increase income discrepancies. As income taxes are progressive, the overall effect would be slightly positive if it was not for tax reliefs that come with the 13th and the 14th monthly salaries or the tax-fee profit margin for self-employed people, which, once again, diminish any positive redistributive effects.

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New Austrian Public Procurement Law: Consultation phase has started!

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Public procurement accounts for approximately one fifth of our GDP. By procuring works, goods or services, the state acts as a role model and shapes society and the economy. As it enters into public agreements, the state makes use of public budgets. Therefore, the constitutional duty of gender budgeting applies.

The date of 8 February 2017 marked the kick-off for the consultation phase of a legislative draft on the Austrian Public Procurement Law 2017 (Bundesvergabegesetz) and an amendment of the Austrian Public Procurement Law for Procurement in the field of Defence and Security (Bundesvergabegesetz Verteidigung und Sicherheit). The legislative revision is based on EU directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU und 2014/25/EU which entered into force on 28 March 2014 and ought to have been transposed into national law by 18 April 2016 (save for some exceptions). So far, only a small amendment has been made to the Public Procurement Law in force (referred to as “small amendment 2015”). The legislative draft now aims to implement European law by adding and revising provisions on:

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Circular on Integrating Measures to Promote Women and Gender Equality in Public Procurement below EUR 100,000

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Public procurement law is an instrument to guarantee effective and transparent competition in public procurement and, as such, it is part of Gender Budgeting. As public procurement has a high significance in terms of GDP (nearly 20% of Austrian and European GDP), a state’s decisions on how to procure have a lasting effect on the economy and on society at large.

The aim of promoting women and gender equality is in line with competition law and art 19 para 6 of the Austrian Public Procurement Law (Bundesvergabgesetz). Following other ministries‘ commitment in this regard, the Ministry of Health and Women’s Affairs has published a circular on integrating measures to promote women and gender equality in public procurement below EUR 100,000 in December 2016. In accordance with this circular, companies are obliged to present or implement measures to promote women and gender equality if they are awarded a contract below EUR 100,000 whose term exceeds or is equal to 6 months. They can choose from a catalogue of four categories (“employment and career advancement”, “qualification”, “reconciliation of work and family life” and “structural measures”), which is an integral part of the circular. The number of measures to be chosen differs according to company size and there are exemptions for very small ones. Also, prove must be given halfway through the term. Click here to access an unofficial English translation of the Declaration of Commitment, inclusive of the Catalogue of Measures that goes with it.

 

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Austria’s Gender Budgeting Blog deemed EU GRB flagship

At least since 2014, it has been clear to us that the Austrian Gender Budgeting model has become an international example of best practice. Back then, a Mutual Learning Seminars on Gender Impact Assessments organised by the “High Level Group Gender Mainstreaming” (HLG GM) featured the Austrian way of doing things.

From our point of view mutual learning is not exclusively about learning from others (other stakeholders and best practices), but it is also about learning with others and further developing your very own methods and approaches. In this case: our very own flagship model of Gender Budgeting. By launching the Gender Budgeting Blog, we have successfully applied our lessons learned at that seminar. Not only this, but also our way of seeing mutual learning has been acknowledged as yet another best practice example.

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Scrutinising the Austrian Draft Budget for 2017

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The Austrian Parliamentary Budget Committee (see website of the Parliament) compiles analyses and reports for the parliamentary budget committee. In preparation of the parliamentary budget negotiations on the Annual Federal Finance Act for 2017, the Parliamentary Budget Office scrutinised the draft budgetary plans for 2017. One chapter is dedicated to gender equality and gender budgeting. The full version is available here. You might also take a look at the German blog section, where a summary of the report has been provided. Even though it will not provide an official translation, Google Translate may be used in this case.

 

 

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Report on Outcome-Oriented Impact Assessments 2015

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Beitragsbild WFA-Bericht ist da

 

31/05/2016: This day marked the date when the third report on the outcome-oriented impact assessment (WFA Bericht) was submitted to the National Council . The report is a summary of the results of the internal evaluations carried out by the ministries and other supreme organs. It is compiled by the Federal Performance Management Office, which is part of the Federal Chancellery. The report includes evaluations of 48 projects, which were carried out by the respective budgetary bodies. The following six projects were deemed to have had a significant impact on the dimension of “Equality of women and men”:

  • Contract by the labour market service (Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection)
  • Procurement of vaccines for the public pediatric vaccination concept (Federal Ministry of Health)
  • Promoting career opportunities of women in the workplace through advice, education and training” (Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection)
  • Promotion of vocational tertiary education (Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy)
  • Non-profit staff leasing (Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection)
  • “Drahtwurm” project categorised as a de minimis subsidy (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water)

The entire report is available at the website of the federal administration and  www.wirkungsmonitoring.gv.at.

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