EU Accession as a Driver – 30 Years of Regional Management in Austria
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For over 30 years, regional management structures in Austria have been indispensable partners for the sustainable development of our regions. Acting as catalysts, drivers, networking hubs, information centers, and engines of regional development, they shape the future locally together with municipalities, institutions, businesses, and committed citizens.
Regional Policy and Independent Regional Development
In the 1960s and 1970s, regional policy in Austria primarily focused on economic growth, reducing disparities between urban centers and surrounding areas, and modernizing and industrializing underdeveloped rural regions. While positive developments occurred, deep-seated structural problems remained unresolved. New challenges also emerged, such as declining old industrial areas, changing economic conditions and growth rates, and a strong societal desire for participation and self-determination in regional development.
In the 1970s, strategic approaches were developed to promote and harness the potential, characteristics, and strengths of rural regions. In 1979, the Federal Chancellery launched a special initiative to strengthen underdeveloped mountain areas, which was later transformed into FER – Promotion of Independent Regional Development. Another instrument to support independent regional development was the establishment of regional support structures. Various support structures and organizations emerged, such as regional associations or the Austrian Working Group for Independent Regional Development (ÖAR).
EU Accession in 1995 as the Starting Point for Regional Management
Austria’s accession to the EU in 1995 and the related establishment and implementation of EU programs provided the impetus to create cross-party, supra-municipal regional development organizations to act as drivers of regional initiative. Different regional support approaches (federal and state-level coordinators) were consolidated under the framework of regional management. This consolidation was also recommended by the OECD, which identified a need for stronger horizontal and vertical coordination of policy areas in Austria.
From 1995 to 1999, the federal government—cooperating with the states and regions and co-financed by EU funds—supported the establishment of 25 regional management offices in eight federal states with a budget of 52.6 million Schilling (approximately Euro 3.8 million). The regional management offices quickly began implementing EU funding programs and rapidly established themselves as central interfaces between the EU, state policies, and regional stakeholders.
As a regional manager from the early days, Mister Jochen Werderitsch, Managing Director of Regional Management Upper Styria East, understands how crucial independent development structures are for the long-term sustainability of a region.
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"Since Austria’s EU accession, Regional Management has been the center of expertise for regional development in Eastern Upper Styria. It supports municipalities, entrepreneurs, and regional organizations with professional guidance and targeted funding, shaping the region into a modern technology and education hub with a high quality of life." — Mag. Jochen Werderitsch
Regional Managements
Regional managements serve as interface and system development hubs for regional development. They provide an institutional framework through which the constructive collaboration of stakeholders can be organized, and they act as innovation-oriented regional advisors and service providers. In close cooperation, they initiate and implement innovative projects in the areas of economy, social affairs, tourism, environment, and education, with a focus on sustainability, quality of life, and regional identity.
Over time, regional managements in the federal states have continuously evolved, adapted their structures, and organized their tasks and processes in diverse ways—creating valuable synergies with LEADER initiatives and comparable regional development organizations. For a period, the Regional Management Austria Association acted as an umbrella organization supporting the regional managements in the federal states; it is no longer active today.
Liaison with Rural Economy Development Actions
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Burgenland: Since 2022, the Wirtschaftsagentur Burgenland has taken over most regional management tasks.
More information: Wirtschaftsagentur Burgenland -
Carinthia (Kärnten): Regional development is largely organized through LEADER regions and regional coordinators. Seven LEADER regions act as Local Action Groups (LAGs) and drive regional development together with eleven regional associations.
More information: Regionalmanagement Kärnten -
Lower Austria (Niederösterreich): NÖ.Regional GmbH is a statewide service center for municipalities, towns, and regions.
More information: NÖ.Regional -
Upper Austria (Oberösterreich): Regionalmanagement Oberösterreich GmbH (RMOÖ) is the central contact point for regional development, organized into six regional offices.
More information: Regionalmanagement Oberösterreich -
Salzburg: Regional development is carried out by several Regional Development Associations and Regional Managements, closely cooperating with the state of Salzburg, municipalities, and EU funding bodies.
More information: Regionalmanagement Salzburg -
Styria (Steiermark): Seven regional managements operate as independent companies. Political responsibility is held by the Regional Board and Regional Assembly.
More information: Regionalmanagements Steiermark -
Tyrol (Tirol): Ten Tyrolean regional managements operate based on the strategic framework “Konzept Regionalmanagement.”
More information: Regionalmanagements Tirol -
Vorarlberg: Regional development is centrally coordinated by Regionalentwicklung Vorarlberg eGen (Regio-V), serving as a hub for LEADER projects, cross-border cooperation, and regional innovation processes.
More information: Regio-V -
Vienna (Wien): Vienna does not have a classical regional management; instead, regional cooperation is organized through the City-Suburb Management (SUM).
More information: SUM
EUREGIOs
A special form of regional managements are the EUREGIOs. EUREGIO refers to regional cross-border organizations aimed at fostering cooperation across national borders. They make a significant contribution to European integration. Their main function currently lies in the planning, support, and implementation of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) projects.
Example of a EUREGIO: Euregio Inntal (Website in German only)