Luif Paul

Author

The Austrian EU Presidency: A Midterm Report (2006:1op)

Austria joined the EU in January 1995. It had been a long road to membership. After achieving full independence in 1955, Austrians debated membership in the European Coal and Steel Community. Mainly domestic economic and political reasons lead the Austrian government to opt for membership of the European Free Trade Association and not of the European Economic Community. The public explanation given was Austria's neutral status.