Relationship dossier
Germany
Austria
Relationship assessment
A close partnership underpinned by a bilateral treaty and sustained government cooperation
Germany toward Austria
+70Germany and Austria concluded a treaty on friendly relations that provides a durable framework for bilateral cooperation. German and Austrian governments also maintain regular consultations and coordinate on shared policy challenges, alongside cooperation through European institutions.
Austria toward Germany
+70Austria and Germany concluded a treaty on friendly relations that provides a durable framework for bilateral cooperation. Austrian and German governments maintain regular consultations and coordinate on shared policy challenges, alongside cooperation through European institutions.
Overall relationship
+75The relationship rests on durable bilateral arrangements and sustained government consultation, reinforced by close cooperation within European institutions. Occasional disagreements over migration and border controls have not displaced the broader cooperative structure.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and Austria maintain a close, durable partnership supported by a bilateral treaty on friendly relations and extensive government cooperation. Their shared participation in European institutions complements, but does not replace, direct bilateral ties. The relationship is generally cooperative, with occasional policy differences, including over migration and border controls.
Areas of tension
- Differences over migration policy and border controls have periodically strained relations.
Key developments
Germany and Austria concluded a treaty on friendly relations, establishing a durable framework for bilateral cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation across policy areas are unclear.
- The extent to which migration and border-control differences persist is uncertain.