New women's promotion plan issued for the Ministry of Economic Affairs

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET) has issued a new women’s promotion plan. The regulation BGBl. II No. 263/2026 was promulgated on September 2, 2026, in the Federal Law Gazette for the Republic of Austria (Part II) and enters into force upon its publication.

The plan commits the department to a binding target of a 50 percent share of women in all usage, remuneration, and functional groups, as well as in leadership and decision-making roles. It replaces the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ previous women’s promotion plan from 2023 and applies to all employees of the department as well as its central, subordinate, and assigned offices.

Legal Basis and Scope

The regulation is based on Section 11a of the Federal Equal Treatment Act (B-GlBG), BGBl. No. 100/1993, most recently amended by the Federal Act BGBl. I No. 50/2025. It was signed by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer.

Upon entry into force, the regulation of the Federal Minister for Labour and Economy regarding the women’s promotion plan of the Federal Ministry for Labour and Economy, BGBl. II No. 226/2023, shall cease to be in effect. The new plan applies to all BMWET offices, provided they are not required to create their own women’s promotion plan.

Goals and Measures

The plan defines seven central goals, including the sustainable equality of women at all hierarchical levels, increasing the share of women to 50 percent in all decision-making structures, and the anchoring of gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting. Specifically provided for are, among others:

• gender-neutral wording in all job advertisement texts, so that women feel motivated to apply,
• the active encouragement of women by managers to take on leadership responsibilities,
• the preferential admission of women to education and further training measures that qualify for higher-level positions,
• the promotion of paternity leave and the consideration of caregiving responsibilities in scheduling and work planning,
• a childcare allowance for employees with children under ten years of age,
• increasing the share of women in commissions, senates, collegiate bodies, and advisory boards.

Protection and Reporting Obligations

The plan also contains provisions for the protection of human dignity in the working environment. Degrading remarks, bullying, and sexual harassment are prohibited; the human resources department must provide information on legal options for defense. Discriminatory questions in job interviews, such as those regarding family planning, are inadmissible, and pregnancy may not be a reason for rejection.

The implementation of the measures is among the official duties of the responsible organ managers; violations are to be sanctioned under employment law. The human resources department must report on the activities carried out to the working group on equal treatment issues annually by March 31 of the following year.

Significance for Employees

With the new plan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs explicitly commits for the first time to a quantified 50 percent target in leadership and decision-making functions, while simultaneously strengthening the compatibility of professional and family life. For the approximately several thousand employees of the department, this means binding specifications for job postings, promotion, and further training, as well as expanded protection against discrimination in the workplace.

Source: Federal Law Gazette for the Republic of Austria, Part II, No. 263, issued on September 2, 2026 (official reference: BGBl. II No. 263/2026).