New Anti-Bribery Regime In Austria

From 1 January 2013, a new anti-bribery regime will be effective in Austria. The amendments to the Austrian Criminal Penal Code broaden and intensify the prosecution of corrupt behaviour and strengthen Austria's fight against bribery. This article out lines the updated approach to com bat ting bribery and bribery-related offences in the amended Korruptionsstrafrechtsänderungsgesetz 2012 (Federal Gazette No I 61/2012).

Extension of "public official"

The definition of public official has been extended. The new regime also covers all employees and officers of state-owned enterprises and enterprises (partially) directly or indirectly controlled by a regional administrative body. Thus, any individual who acts as a body or employee of a company of which one or several domestic or foreign regional administrative bodies directly or indirectly hold at least 50% of the capital is a "public official".