Austria has announced a new border terminal plan at Vienna Airport, and Billa is changing how it discounts near-expiry food, plus more stories from Austria on Friday.
Austria to set up border terminal at Vienna Airport under EU asylum pact
Austria will set up a border terminal at Vienna Airport as part of implementing the EU Asylum and Migration Pact from June 12th, 2026, according to the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner presented the project on February 5th alongside Vienna Airport CEO Günther Ofner and Public Security Director General Franz Ruf.
The ministry said the process will have three steps, with police screening checks first, then the asylum procedure handled by the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, followed by a return procedure if entry is refused.
People in border procedures are not allowed to enter federal territory and can be held in the transit area for up to 24 weeks, or up to 26 weeks in exceptional cases.
Billa switches to a flat 30 percent discount for near-expiry food
Billa is changing its discount stickers for food items nearing their expiration date, introducing a uniform 30 percent reduction, according to Der Standard. The retailer said it will use only 30 percent “Food is valuable” stickers across Austria.
The company previously used 25 percent or 50 percent discount stickers for items close to expiry. The change was confirmed by Billa, which is part of Germany’s Rewe Group, and by Oberösterreichische Nachrichten.
Billa’s broader discount campaigns have sparked debate in the past, including a switch to digital vouchers for Jö Bonus Club members and a later return to physical stickers.
Statistics Austria reports sharp fall in job vacancies in 2025
Austria had 139,900 job vacancies in 2025, a fall of 19.5 percent compared to 2024, according to ORF. It was the third year in a row of decline, after vacancies peaked in 2022, when 230,400 positions were advertised.
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The vacancy rate averaged 3.2 percent over the year, which was 0.8 percentage points lower than in 2024. Most vacancies were in trade and services, followed by manufacturing, and the public and social sector.
Almost 1 in 10 open positions were apprenticeships, and that employers most often said a compulsory school qualification was sufficient.
Poll finds broad support for under-16 social media ban
A representative online survey found 84 percent of people in Austria support a social media ban for under-16s based on the Australian model, according to ORF. Another 11 percent said such a ban would be excessive.
OGM pollster Marie Sophie Bachmayr said pensioners were particularly supportive, with more than 90 percent in favour, while about two-thirds of under-30s surveyed also backed the idea.
Digitaler Kompass’s Thomas Prager, who said a ban could help but would not solve all problems on its own, and argued that media literacy and platform accountability were key.
What’s happening in Austria today
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Parliament’s official work plan lists today as sitting-free for the National Council. No National Council plenary votes or committee sessions are expected.
In Carinthia, the official diary lists a 9 am “Dialogforum” with Governor Peter Kaiser and two ministers at the administrative centre in Klagenfurt. A 12:30 pm event marking 175 years of the Carinthian Bar Association is listed at the state archive.
Commuters north of Vienna may see disruptions from today as ÖBB works begin at Stockerau station. ÖBB has said there will be cancellations on the S3 and S4 between Korneuburg and Stockerau with replacement buses, and a level crossing in Stockerau is closed to all traffic including pedestrians during a set window.
Vienna and Lower Austria are still on semester holidays, which run until February 7th.
Vocabulary
das Rabattpickerl – discount sticker
die Arbeitslosigkeit – unemployment
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das Bruttoeinkommen – gross income
die Lehrstelle – apprenticeship position
die Matura – school leaving exam qualification
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