World Champion Austria Styria
Support for positive development in Styria Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Regional Councillor for Economic Affairs, and Doris Kampus, Regional Councillor for Social Affairs, on the stimulus measures and projects.
Supporting investments A key prerequisite for an economic comeback in Styria is investments in local businesses. They have been on a consistent high level for many months. The Styrian Economic Promotion Agency SFG currently processes around 150 projects with a total investment volume of around 240 million euros. In the tourism industry, businesses are also continuing to show a high willingness to invest. Currently, another 150 projects with an investment volume of 120 million euros are being processed. “We will continue to assist the investing companies with targeted support measures as their projects are the key for the way out of the crisis caused by the pandemic,” says Eibinger-Miedl.
Significant areas of focus will be investments in the fields of green technologies, sustainability and digitisation. In addition, Eibinger-Miedl wants to further improve the framework conditions for entrepreneurial investments. “I want to turn Styria into the federal province with the most investment-friendly climate. The establishment of a service point for procedural aid at the economic affairs department is an important step. With this service, investors in large projects have a central contact person who can provide support with all necessary official permits. “Funds from the recovery plan of the European Union (REACT-EU) make a significant contribution towards supporting investments. “For Styria, there are 29.2 million euros available this year, which can be used to support research and development, innovation, digitisation as well as climate protection meas-
© Peter Drechsler
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he Styrian economy is once again on a growth course in many sectors and the situation on the local employment market has also been developing in a positive trend since spring. Nevertheless, the social crisis still needs to be actively tackled, Styrian policy-makers say. With targeted measures for Styrian businesses as well as employees, the Department for Labour and Economic Affairs wants to support this upward trend accordingly over the coming months. “The Covid-pandemic and its consequences are the greatest test for the local economy and the employment market for the last decades. However, there are currently encouraging signs. Numerous businesses are once again on the path to success and also the number of people unemployed is declining. Over the coming months, we will be concentrating on supporting this positive trend with stimulus measures as well as a specially targeted skilled labour programme,” agree Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Regional Councillor for Economic Affairs, and Doris Kampus, Regional Councillor for Social Affairs.
