Ministry of Finance (Austria)

The Ministry is responsible for revenue administration at the federal level, including the government budget, matters of finance concerning the European Union, taxes, duties and tariffs. It defines and conducts the country's budgetary policy concerning currency, credit, savings banks (Sparkassen) and exchange matters, capital movements and settlement, insurance control and hallmarks. It is also concerned with economic policy, if not discharged by the Ministry of Economy.

The Finance Minister and the General Secretary chair six departments (Sektionen):

• Dept. I: Office of the Minister
• Dept. II: Federal budget
• Dept. III: Economic policy and financial markets
• Dept. IV: Taxes and tariffs
• Dept. V: Information technology
• Dept. VI: Fiscal policy and tax law

 

A first Hofkammer (court chamber) stewardship for the Austrian lands was established in Vienna by Archduke Ferdinand I, in order to balance the deficient Habsburg budget. Re-established by Maria Theresa in 1760, the chamber became the k.k. Finance Ministry of the Austrian Empire upon the Revolutions of 1848 and took its seat at the former city palace of Prince Eugene.

After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the Austrian Finance Minister was only responsible for the Cisleithanian crown lands, while for the common financial policy of the real union, a separate Austro-Hungarian k.u.k. Finance Ministry was established. After World War I, the First Austrian Republic implemented a Staatsamt für Finanzen, which was renamed upon the adoption of the Austrian Constitution (B-VG) in 1920.

• Thomas Wieser – former Director General for Economic Policy and Financial Markets

• Official website