Republic of Austria

Bilateral relations between Brazil and Austria began in 1817, on the occasion of the marriage of the then crown prince of the throne of Portugal and future emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro I, to the Archduchess Leopoldina of Habsburg. The independence of Brazil was recognized by the Austrian Empire in December 1825. On January 22, 1891, the Austro-Hungarian Empire recognized the new Brazilian republican government.

Brazil received Austrian immigrants and refugees, who settled during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, especially in the states of Espírito Santo, Santa Catarina and Paraná. Brazilian politics and culture were also influenced by the presence of Austrian personalities based here, such as Andreas Thaler, former Minister of Agriculture of Austria and founder of the Treze Tílias settlement (in Santa Catarina); the writer Stefan Zweig (1881-1942); the writer and journalist Otto Maria Carpeaux (1900-1978); and the artist Franz Weissmann (1911-2005), among others. The Austrian community in Brazil today has approximately 20 thousand people. The Brazilian community in Austria, in turn, has been growing and currently has 8,000-10,000 people.

In addition to historical ties, both countries share and defend values such as the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and freedom. In this respect, they have a long tradition of cooperation in international organizations. It is worth mentioning, for example, Brazil's initiative at the 7th United Nations General Assembly, in 1952, when presenting a proposal for a resolution in favor of the restoration of Austrian sovereignty after World War II.

In recent decades, political and commercial relations have deepened, with several high-level visits. Among the authorities that have visited Brazil are President Heinz Fischer (2005, the first state visit to Brazil by an Austrian president); Prime Minister Alfred Gusenbauer, accompanied by an important business mission (2008); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European and International Affairs Michael Spindelegger (2010); Minister for Science and Research Karlheinz Töchterle (2013); and Secretary-General of the Ministry for European and International Affairs Johannes Peterlik (2019). High-ranking Brazilian authorities have also visited Austria during the same period: the President of the Republic (2006); Ministers of Foreign Affairs (2010 and 2013); and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (2019).

In 2008, a memorandum of understanding for the creation of the Brazil-Austria Political Consultation Mechanism was signed. Meetings related to the Mechanism were held in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2019. In 2013, during the visit to Brazil of the Minister of Science and Research, the Framework Agreement for Cooperation in the Fields of Education and Higher Education was signed. In 2014 an Extradition Treaty was signed and is now under analysis by the National Congress. In 2019, on the occasion of the visit to Vienna by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, an Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was signed, also under way in the National Congress.

Other important bilateral instruments in force are:

• Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation on Income and Capital Taxes (1976);
• Agreement on Economic and Industrial Cooperation (1986);
• Air Services Agreement (1995);
• Protocol of Intentions on Technical Cooperation (2005); and
• Memorandum of Understanding between the Brazilian Institute of Museums, the Art History Museum and the Vienna World Museum (2013).

Brazil is Austria's main trading partner in South America. The bilateral exchange totaled $ 1.264 billion in 2019. Brazil exported $ 405 million and imported $ 859 million.

According to the Austrian Central Bank, the stock of Austrian direct investments in Brazil was $ 1,304 billion in 2019. A growth trend has been observed since 2010, when this indicator was $ 926 million. Among the main sectors of destination of these investments are the manufacture and sale of machinery, electric power equipment, hotels, trade in paper and the like.

Conversely, a significant number of Brazilian companies use Austria as their base of operations in the European market and/or constitute holding or trading companies for the centralization of financial and commercial operations. According to the Central Bank's Census on Brazilian Capital Abroad, Austria is an important destination for Brazilian direct investments abroad.

Chronology of bilateral relations

2019 – The Secretary-General of the Ministry of European and International Affairs, Johannes Peterlik, visits Brazil

2019 – Signing of the Scientific and Technological Cooperation Agreement

2019 – The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations, Marcos Pontes, visits Austria

2014 – Signing of Extradition Treaty

2013 – Signing and entry into force of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Brazilian Institute of Museums (IBRAM), the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM – Art History Museum) and the Weltmuseum Wien (former Museum of Ethnology)

2013 – Signing of the Framework Cooperation Agreement in the Fields of Education and Higher Education and the Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education, Science and Research between CAPES and OeAD (Austrian agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science and research)

2013 – The Minister of Science and Research, Karlheinz Töchterle, visits Brazil

2013 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, visits Austria twice

2012 – The Minister of Justice Beatrix Karl visits Brazil

2012 – The Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Ruy Nunes Pinto Nogueira, visits Austria

2011 – The Secretary-General of the Ministry of European and International Affairs, Johannes Kyrle, visits Brazil

2010 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim and the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, visit Austria

2010 – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European and International Affairs, Michael Spindelegger, visit Brazil

2008 – Signing and entry into force of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Political Consultation Mechanism

2008 – Prime Minister Alfred Gusenbauer visits Brazil

2006 – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visits Austria

2005 – Signing and entry into force of the Protocol of Intent between the Rio Branco Institute and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

2005 – Signing and entry into force of the Protocol of Intentions on Technical Cooperation

2005 – President Heinz Fischer visits Brazil

1995 – Air Services Agreement enters into force

1986 – Entry into force of the Agreement on Economic and Industrial Cooperation

1982 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramiro Saraiva Guerreiro, visits Austria

1980 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Willibald Pahr, visits Brazil

1976 – Entry into force of the Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation in Matters of Taxes on Income and Capital

1952 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karl Gruber, visits Brazil

1933 – Andreas Thaler, former Austrian Minister of Agriculture, founds the Treze Tílias settlement in Santa Catarina

1891 – Recognition by Austria of the proclamation of the Republic in Brazil

1871 – Emperor Dom Pedro II visits Vienna

1877 – Emperor Dom Pedro II visits Vienna

1825 – Austria recognized Brazil's independence. Establishment of full diplomatic relations

1817 – Marriage of the archduchess Leopoldina to the then crown prince to the throne of Portugal and future emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro I