“No time to waste. If we want to continue to play a vital role as a business location in the future, we need to make important changes urgently. Bureaucracy, understaffing, high energy costs,” it asserts Harald MahrerPresident of the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ) at the “View for Breakfast” event at the WKNÖ headquarters in St. Bolton. “Economy is for all of us. Entrepreneurs and our employees. So the next few years will be crucial for all of us. Action and swift action is needed,” he explains Wolfgang EckerPresident of the Lower Austrian Economic Chamber (WKNÖ). “So it must be said that greater efficiency requires greater relief,” the presidents agree.
The main topic is the shortage of employees, which will keep companies busy not only now but also in the future, despite the economic climate. “In the future we will not have to work less, but more. “The demographic change alone shows that,” Mahrer takes a clear stance. “We already work 1.5 hours less in Austria than before the epidemic. We urgently need more incentives here,” Ecker adds. It is clear that there is no great solution, but many screws need to be turned. Above all, as the WKÖ president pointed out, simple solutions are needed. For example, working beyond the standard retirement age becomes more attractive if pensioners receive a pension and receive a lump sum for net work beyond that. This means that only accident insurance contributions need to be paid, as health insurance runs on pension benefits and has no additional payroll costs.
Lower Austria is an important commercial area of Austria
“Lower Austria has an economic output of more than 71 billion euros, and last year more than 6,800 entrepreneurs were self-employed,” the WKNÖ president noted some key statistics that prove Lower Austria’s economic importance to Austria. “Lower Austria has various enterprise sizes, excellent educational institutions and various industries with a future-oriented outlook. In order to be an attractive business location in 2040 and beyond, the right structural conditions are needed at the federal level,” emphasized the WKÖ president and stressed the particular importance of exports to Austria.
Following the official part, the participants of the event had the opportunity to discuss current economic issues with the two presidents, network and thus gain new perspectives.
WKÖ President Harald Mahrer (left) and WKNÖ President Wolfgang Ecker
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