Transparency in funding: New rules for government grants!

Transparency in funding: New rules for government grants!

On September 5, 2025, the new Freedom of Information Act will come into force, which will significantly tighten the transparency rules for state funding in Austria. The Ministry of Finance has announced that donations of 1,500 euros or more to companies and organizations must now be published in the transparency portal. This measure aims to strengthen the public's right to information about funding and increase administrative efficiency.

Before this regulation, only funding of 10,000 euros or more was visible, and only for specific programs such as COVID-19 aid, energy benefits or EU development funds. The new rules also impose an obligation to disclose names for all non-natural persons and sole proprietors, while payments to private individuals are exempt from publication. However, there are exceptions if the announcement of a donation could endanger public order or cause economic damage.

The transparency portal and its advantages

The Transparency portal now includes over 5,000 public services and records more than three million visits annually. It ensures that information about funding is presented clearly and consistently. Users have the opportunity to process their applications online and create legally valid, electronically signed extracts of services received.

The introduction of the new Freedom of Information Act also aims to avoid double funding within the administration. In 2024, over eight million checks were carried out to ensure funding did not overlap unnecessarily. The Court of Auditors has also advocated the creation of an Austria-wide funding database in order to further increase transparency.

Right to information and transparency in democracy

The Freedom of Information Act underlines the principles of transparency in democracy. Loud österreich.gv.at applies: information is the rule, secrecy the exception. The law promotes the proactive publication of information, which means that administrative bodies, legislative bodies and the judiciary are obliged to make information of general interest freely available on the Internet.

Examples of this information include business classifications, activity reports and studies. Furthermore, every citizen can submit requests for individual information, which must be answered within four weeks. If it is not granted, a notice can be requested. Conversely, information can also be withheld for confidentiality reasons, such as to protect national security or personal data.

The new regulation in the area of ​​funding is a further step towards a more transparent and citizen-oriented administration. This gives the public a stronger instrument to review and question funding, which ultimately benefits the efficiency and control of funding measures.