Public Prosecutor Will Get Easier Access To Bank Information As Of 1 August

1.1. Introduction of bank account registry in 2015

In 2015 Austria introduced a centralised bank account registry (Kontenregister) for bank accounts and deposits within Austria. The purpose of such registry is to provide information regarding existing bank accounts and deposits to criminal prosecutors, financial criminal authorities, and tax authorities.

The account registry contains basic information about (i) the holder's name, address, and place of residence, and additionally the birth date in case of individuals; (ii) the account or deposit number; (iii) the account or deposit opening / closure dates; (iv) the name of the credit institution or the depositary; and (v) information about trustors, beneficial owners, and persons with authority over the account or deposit (less sensitive external information). The account registry does, however, not contain information about account movements and underlying transactions, and the account or deposit balance