Protection of Fundamental Rights in Austria

Fundamental rights – referred to by the Austrian constitutional legislator as “constitutionally guaranteed rights” – form the cornerstone of the Austrian rule of law. They guarantee every individual inalienable freedoms, such as equality before the law, freedom of expression, the right to property, freedom to engage in business, protection of private life, and data protection. In Austria, these rights are safeguarded not only by the Federal Constitution, but also by international treaties (such as the European Convention on Human Rights) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

What we do: Our experts challenge violations of fundamental rights before the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Our work focuses on preparing legal opinions and representing companies that consider their fundamental rights to have been infringed by unconstitutional actions of administrative authorities, courts or legislators. Our high level of specialisation and experience in this area has repeatedly resulted in legislation being annulled by the Constitutional Court in recent years.