Austria Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in austria, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Market Entry Strategy
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  • While market entry strategies for U.S. exporters are highly dependent on the industry sector and individual business objectives, here are some general considerations:
  • Austria is a sophisticated, globally oriented market. U.S. exporters will often be competing with high-quality state-of-the-art products and services, often from Germany, a country with which Austria shares a border, a language, and a currency. Investing the time to understand your competition and develop a solid unique selling proposition as well as measures to reduce frictions such as currency risks, time zone disparities, and language barriers is highly recommended. 
  • Do not treat Austria as an extension of Germany. Though there are many similarities, and it does make sense to consider the two in tandem, Austria and Germany are economically, culturally, and historically distinct.
  • Companies interested in selling to the Austrian government will benefit immensely from partnering with a local company. Public procurement documentation is released in German, the deadlines for submitting information or raising an issue are tight, usually ten days, and most government contracts will require a local representative to provide product support.
  • We encourage those looking for an agent or distributor in Austria to think beyond national borders. In some cases, qualified distributors for this market may be found in neighboring Germany or Switzerland. Alternatively, some Austrian distributors have offices throughout Central-Eastern Europe and can support a regional footprint.  
  • Austria is a highly regulated economy, not just in terms of EU and national regulations, certifications, standards, and registration requirements, but also in ways that shape the market for individual products and services. Speaking with associations, thought leaders, and other sources can help a market newcomer understand the legal frameworks that will contribute to determining market viability, entry paths, and strategies.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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