Dissolution of an Islamic Association as a Result of the Terrorist Attack of 2 November 2020 Suspended

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Dr. Georg Rihs is pleased about another successful intervention in a current religious law case: due to the representation in the appeal proceedings, the Vienna Provincial Police Directorate as association authority revised the dissolution of the Islamic “Association for the Promotion of Islamic Culture”.
The success solidifies the firm’s reputation in complex administrative and religious law proceedings and in connection with proceedings under the Islam Act 2015.

As a result of the terrorist attack on 2.11.2021, the Vienna Police Directorate, as the association authority, dissolved two Islamic associations with immediate effect by means of a mandate notice without any preceding investigative proceedings.
The association “Verein zur Förderung der islamischen Kultur” (Association for the Promotion of Islamic Culture), which operates the Tewhid Mosque in 1120 Vienna, Murlingengasse 61, was one of these two associations. The Vienna Regional Police Directorate justified the immediate dissolution under the Associations Act by stating that the assassin had visited the mosque in 1120 Vienna before the attack.

The dissolution of the association also meant that the Islamic Religious Community of Austria (IGGÖ) withdrew the mosque’s legal status as a “mosque community” under intra-religious law.
The association’s officials filed a timely appeal against the decision to dissolve the association. This appeal did not have a suspensive effect. This means that the association was deprived of its legal personality for the duration of the proceedings.

The Vienna Provincial Police Directorate now had to revoke the mandate notice after a thorough examination of the facts. It determined that no persons with Islamist extremist ideology held functions in the association or were active in a supportive capacity for the mosque. At no time did the association actively call on individuals to participate in armed jihad in crisis areas or encourage them to do so. According to the findings of the association’s authorities, the sermons delivered at the mosque’s Friday services did not glorify jihad.

During the proceedings, it emerged that neither the BVT nor the LVT Vienna had any reliable evidence or reports that would have justified the measure of dissolving the association. Although the Vienna Regional Police Directorate, as the authority responsible for the association, invited the BVT and the LVT Vienna to submit evidence later in the proceedings – this evidence should have been available at the time of the dissolution of the legal entity – neither institution was able to provide any comprehensible justification for the dissolution. The Regional Police Directorate also critically noted that the BVT and the LVT Vienna – despite repeated requests – were unable to provide any information on alleged violations of criminal law by association bodies.

The association actively cooperated in this investigation and submitted all sermons held at church services in 2013 and 2020 in German translation.
The withdrawal of the dissolution of the association was the necessary consequence of the investigative proceedings of the association authority.

The association has thus been rehabilitated. It now again enjoys full legal personality under the Law on Associations.
After a relatively long procedure, the association has thus been restored to its legal status. It remains questionable and problematic that the proceedings took more than four months, although from the beginning there were no facts that would have justified dissolution. The association has suffered financial damage as a result of the (now proven) illegal dissolution with immediate effect.

It remains to be seen whether the mosque will be reinstated as a mosque community by the Islamic Religious Community.

Also Austrian press (daily newspaper Der Standard) has covered the subject-matter (Link).

Residence Permit „Art 50 EUV“

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The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (known as “BREXIT”) and thus also from the EU’s internal market and customs union brings with it numerous innovations. As a result, the right of residence for British nationals and their family members has been largely changed. As of 1st January 2021, the United Kingdom is considered a third country from the perspective of the EU. The Austrian legislator has therefore created a separate residence permit (“Residence Permit Art 50 TEU”) for British citizens and their family members residing in Austria (see amendment to the Austrian Residence and Settlement Act, Federal Gazette I 56/2018.

The status of British citizens and their (close) family members is ruled by the so called „Brexit-Implementation-Regulation“ published by the Austrian Minister of Interior, Federal Gazette II 604/2020.

British citizens and their (close) family members from third countries may now apply for a „residence permit according to Art 50 Treaty of the European Union“.

This residence permit is intended to ensure that British citizens and their close relatives have the opportunity to live, work and study in Austria.

The requirements for obtaining this residence permit – as has already been the case for EU citizens – are the following:

  • gainful employment or sufficient financial means to finance a stay in Austria for oneself and one’s family members without depending on social welfare benefits or public allowances, as well as
  • comprehensive health insurance covering all possible risks in Austria.

German language skills are not a required for the application for the residence title “Article 50 EUV”.

Since January 2021, the application is possible until the end of December 2021. Thus, there is a sufficient time window for the application. The residence permit “Article 50 EUV” is issued in credit card format and is generally valid for 5 years. Of course, the acquisition of a permanent right of residence is still possible. Persons who have already acquired a permanent right of residence in Austria are granted the residence title “Article 50 EUV” for 10 years.

An initial application has to be made in person at the competent authority. An application with a valid residence permit in Austria presently (due to COVID19) has to be submitted via mail. In Vienna, the application has to be submitted to the Municipal Department 35 (MA35). The personal application is to ensure that the identity of the respective person is guaranteed.

Due to the current COVID19 restrictions, appointments with the immigration office must be reserved online.

As experts in immigration law, we have assisted many clients in obtaining residence permits according to Art 50 TEU.
Feel free to contact us if you would like us to assist you with your “Article 50” residence permit application.

Suspension of ban of Islamic headscarf by the Austrian Constitutional Court (§ 43a Austrian School Education Act)

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With gread joy we announce that we successfully represented three afflicted girls and their parents in proceedings to suspend an unconstitutional legistlative act before the Austrian Constitutional Court.
The Constitutional Court has taken its decision and formally announced the conclusions today, November 11, 2020. The decision suspends the ban of the Islamic headscarf for girls aged 6 to 10 years of age. The announcement was broadcast life on the website of the constitutional court, www.vfgh.at.

The ban explicitly aimed at Muslim girls. In the parliamentary reports, the legislator explained that the ban should not be applicable for dresscodes of other religions (like Jews, Sikhs).

The Austrian Constitutional Court has stopped a grave infringement on the freedom of religion and expression. It ruled that the girls’ and parent’s religious freedom were disrespected by this legislative act.

The Constitutional Court suspended the unconstitutional act immediately, i.e. without granting the legislator a period for “reparation”.

We celebrate this victory of human rights and liberal democracy together with our clients!

Interview with Journalist and Author Kemal Rijken about the Austrian Islam Act 2015 (Islamgesetz 2015)

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Last week we had the opportunity to share our expertise in religious law: The journalist and author Kemal Rijken (www.kemalrijken.nl) from the Netherlands visited us at our office to talk with us about the Austrian Islam Act 2015, the current legal situation and current legal policy problems. He is working on a comprehensive article for the Dutch weekly magazine “De Groene Amsterdammer” (www.groene.nl).We are already looking forward to the article!

Long Duration of Proceedings in NAG Proceedings: Effective Protection?

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Rihs: Effective Protection Against Undue Protraction of Proceedings [by Authorities and Administrative Courts] under the Settlement and Residence Act (NAG)? migraLex 2020, 42. (PDF-Version)

Time is money: Unfortunately, unpleasant delays occur every now and then, particularly in proceedings for residence permits under the Settlement and Residence Act (NAG). Although the general statutory decision period of 6 months and – in cases like student visas or red-white-red cards – even shorter decision periods apply to individual residence titles, procedures for grant of a residence title often take longer than the statutory period.

In a scholarly article written for the legal journal migraLex, Dr. Georg Rihs examines the question of the extent to which the protection against undue protraction of proceedings in Austrian General Administrative Procedure Law meets the requirements for procedures under the Settlement and Residence Act. Especially with regard to the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFR), the legal design of the protection against protractions and delays caused by an authority’s or court’s inaction is problematic in Austria. The legal remedies provided by the Austrian General Administrative Procedure Law to the administrative courts and requests for the setting of deadlines to the Administrative Court often – even conceptually – do not lead to the desired acceleration of proceedings.

The thorough examination of legal remedies for the enforcement of expeditious proceedings is important for our practical work as lawyers, because legal remedies for protection against undue delays must be used again and again in order to achieve and enforce the objectives of our clients quickly and within the required time.

The article also contains suggestions to the Austrian legislator to remedy defeciencies in the rule of law for the future and avoid practical problems in the enforcement of the law.

[Foto: needpix.com]

Warranty Condominium Ownership

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Decision by Vienna District Court for Commercial Matters 26 June 2020, 19 C 123/19 f

Warranty claims successfully enforced for condominium owners’ association against well-known property developers.

After completion of a new building project in 2016, various defects in public parts of the apartment building (damage to the stone floors on the doorways and in the central staircase, expanse approx. 500 m2) were already identified in the takeover protocol. The developer denied any responsibility and argued that the cleaning company contracted by the property management company for the ongoing cleaning of the aisles had caused the damage.

We filed the warranty claim in good time before the warranty period expired. With the ruling of the Vienna District Court for Commercial Matters of 26.06.2020, 19 C 123/19f, the Court granted our action as admissible and well-founded. The property developer was ordered to carry out a complete and comprehensive correction of the defects according to clear specifications at its own expense and to reimburse the costs of the proceedings.

The property developer has waived its right to appeal.

The judgment of the Vienna District Court for Commercial Matters is final and enforceable.

The court considered a majority resolution of the condominium association to be a condition for admissibility of the action. It was necessary to comply with the respective requirements of the Austrian Condominium Act (Wohnungseigentumsgesetz, WEG) for the decision-making process of the condominium owners’ association in the context of the civil proceedings. Thanks to our timely and conscientious intervention, we succeeded in safeguarding the condominium owners’ association’s warranty claims.

It is advisable to consult a lawyer in this matter as well and take the necessary steps well before time-bar of the warranty claims.

It was decisive for the success of the proceedings that we

  • took legal action in good time before the expiry of the warranty period,
  • were able to provide good evidence of the defects that immediately after the hand-over of the public parts of the apartment house,
  • obtained the consent of the condominium owners in accordance with the procedure provided for this purpose in the WEG.

We are pleased that we were able to help our clients to defend their rights. Through our successful intervention we have avoided that our clients have to bear the financial burden of correction of the constructive defects and constantly increased maintenance costs.

Please contact us if you, as a condominium owner or condominium owners’ association, would like to enforce warranty claims against the property developer due to constructive defects of public parts in apartment houses.

[Foto: Wikipedia, Werkfrei]

Austrian citizenship

Facilitations in the award of Austrian citizenship to victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants

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The Austrian Parliament has passed an amendment to the Austrian Citizenship Act („Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz“, short: „StbG“) with the aim of facilitating the award of the Austrian nationality to victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants (BGBl I 96/2019).

So far, only persons directly afflicted by prosecution were able to claim the award of Austrian citizenship. The amendment to the Austrian Citizenship Act extended the facilitated conditions to all „descendants in direct line“ down to the third generation, including the children, grandchildren and grand-grandchildren of the victims, offering them the faculty to (re)gain the Austrian citizenship by „notification“ of the relevant circumstances.

Besides former Austrian citizens and their descendants, also former citizens of successor states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and stateless persons residing in Austria until 15 May 1955 and their descendants may apply under these facilitated conditions.

Persons within the scope of the new provisions obtain the Austrian citizenship by notification (and procuring evidence in the relevant circumstances).

Many additional requirements applicable for regular proceedings do not apply, especially regarding German language skills, proof of reliable and regular income for a certain time prior to application, a minimum stay in Austria etc.

The amendment provides for a considerable simplification in the proceedings for the award of the Austrian Citizenship and extends these conditions to the descendants of victims of the Nazi regime in Austria. Former Austrian citizens who were forced to flee Austria due to prosecution by the Nazi regime or officials of the so-called „Third Reich“ and their descendants will be given to submit their notification from 1 September 2020 on. The award may be granted under the considerably facilitated conditions and with reduced fees.

In the proceedings, the applicant will have to prove the circumstances of prosecution and forced emigration.

Our office will gladly assist you with the historical research at Austrian authorities and in the official archive to find evidence on these matters.

We frequently assist with requests on the facilitated proceedings for the award of the Austrian citizenship by notification. We can provide good services in preparation of the requisite documentation and correspondence with the Austrian officials and authorities in the proceedings.

Please do not hesitate to contact us and arrange for a consultation to assess your chances of award of the Austrian citizenship as victim of the Nazi regime or descendant.

[Picture: Goodfon]

Prevention of Social Wages Dumping and the Employment of Foreigners in Austria – The ECJ-judgement Maksimovic: freedom of services and Charta of Fundamental Rights against Austrian Administrative Penalties Code

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Prevention of Social Wages Dumping and the Employment of Foreigners in Austria: Rihs, Das EuGH-Urteil Maksimovic. Dienstleistungsfreiheit und GRC vs. VStG, bauauktuell, Verlag Linde, 2020, Heft 1, S. 12 ff i.e. The ECJ-judgement Maksimovic: freedom of services and Charta of Fundamental Rights against Austrian Administrative Penalties Code, Journal Construction Up-To-Date (bauaktuell), published by Linde (Link), 2020, 12

In the last edition of the Austrian legal journal Construction Update („bauaktuell“), published by Linde publishing house, Dr. Georg Rihs analyses the consequences of the ECJ-judgement Maksimovic on the punitive provisions in the Austrian Act on the Prevention of Social- and Wages Dumping („LSD-BG“) and the Foreign Employment Act („AuslBG“) as well as on the general rules on administrative penalty proceedings in Austria according to the Administrative Penalties Code („VStG“), especially the cumulation of penalties.

The Austrian courts are bound to implement the ECJ-ruling and apply the principle of cumulation with consideration to its limits under EU law. See also (Link).

For alleged perpetrators in administrative penalty proceedings based on alleged infringements of the Act on the Prevention of Social- and Wages Dumping („LSD-BG“) and the Foreign Employment Act („AuslBG“), the new case law provides for (further) arguments against (high) penalties.

We will gladly advise and represent you in pending penalty proceedings according to the Act on the Prevention of Social- and Wages Dumping („LSD-BG“) and the Foreign Employment Act („AuslBG“). We may also advise you in preparations for secondments and deployments of workers to Austria in order to prevent penalties.

Please contact us if you wish additional information, legal advise and representation in administrative penalty proceedings in Austria!

[Picture: Pixabay]

Brexit: Consequences of the Withdrawal Agreement

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Brexit: Consequences of the Withdrawal Agreement for the residence permits of UK citizens residing in Austria

Since 31.01.2020 the United Kingdom is no longer a member of the European Union. The United Kingdom and the European Union finally reached a Withdrawal Agreement that was ratified by the competent bodies, the British and the European Parliament (Link).

The „no-deal“ scenario was not realized.

The amendments of the Austrian Residence and Settlement Act („NAG“) that had been passed to provide for a „no-deal BREXIT“ have become obsolete due to this Agreement. The Austrian legislator will have to respond to the new situation and pass another amendment, implementing the relevant provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement (Part I, Art 13 et seq).

With regards to residence of UK citizens in EU member states, the Withdrawal Agreement provides for a transitory period ending on 31 December 2020. UK citizens and their relatives (even from „third countries“) residing in a member state of the European Union before the end of the transitory period may continue to live and work in the respective member state.

For UK citizens and their close relatives (spouses, young children) who do not yet have a formal documentation of their residence status in Austria, it makes sense to obtain such a documentation of the right of residence in Austria under EU law (see Article 19 of the Withdrawal Agreement).

A change to a permanent right of residence is also possible without any problems even after the transitory period has ended (Art 15 of the Withdrawal Agreement).

Once the transitional period ends, citizens of the United Kingdom will be granted a period of six months to apply for a confirmation of their continued right of residence (Art 18 of the Withdrawal Agreement). Such an application will be possible until the end of June 2021. The previous residence authorities will be competent for these applications.

UK citizens and their close relatives with a right of residence or permanent residence are granted access to the member states’ labour markets, meaning that their employment does not require a work permit (Art 22 of the Withdrawal Agreement).

Even after the transitory period, access to the labour market will continue to be open to persons who are already working in Austria under Article 24 of the Withdrawal Agreement. The same logic applies to self-employed persons (Art 25 of the Withdrawal Agreement).

It is therefore advisable for British citizens who wish to continue to live and work in Austria to take advantage of the favourable transitional rules.

We are happy to support you in all necessary steps.

Please do not hesitate to contact our office or make an appointment for a consultation on our website or via the Internet to assess your/your families situation under the Withdrawal Agreement.

[source image: ©Pixabay]

Einreise Brexit

Traveling to Austria and the Schengen area: no-deal Brexit

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Travellers from the United Kingdom planning to visit Austria and other EU countries need to consider some key points in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit.

With the likely cessation of the “free movement of persons,” a fundamental right for EU citizens, British citizens will face changes in travel regulations.

Upon entry into the Schengen area, including Austria, British citizens will need to:

  • Ensure their passport is current and valid (validity of at least 6 months and no older than 10 years).
  • Obtain traveller’s health insurance for healthcare coverage.

British citizens will be treated akin to citizens of non-EU countries upon entering Austria, undergoing border screening. Border control may require presentation of travel tickets and proof of sufficient funds. Declaration of cash exceeding £10,000 and goods is necessary. Access to EU, EEA, and Swiss lines at airports will cease for British citizens.

The United Kingdom/Great Britain will be categorized among the most favoured nations, allowing visa-free entry to the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, this privilege is limited to tourism; special visas will be required for business, education, or other purposes.

It’s important to note that overstaying without a visa or residence permit could lead to administrative penalties, expulsion, and a ban from entering the Schengen area. Therefore, British nationals planning extended stays should ensure they obtain the necessary visa/residence permit in advance.

For any questions regarding visa regulations, entry requirements, and residence permits for British citizens post-Brexit, our team is available to provide detailed assistance. Feel free to reach out for comprehensive information regarding your stay in Austria.

[source image: ©Pixabay]