When registering a regulated trade and/or appointing a manager, evidence of professional competence has to be furnished. If professional qualifications were obtained in other EU/ EEA member states, they are recognised in the framework of the diploma recognition procedure ( recognition in accordance with Section 373c of the Gewerbeordnung 1994 or equivalence in accordance with Section 373d of the GewO 1994). These procedures are also applicable to qualifications obtained in Switzerland.

If the aspired activity is part of the EU/ EWR- Anerkennungsverordnung, the recognition procedure in accordance with Section 373c of the Gewerbeordnung 1994 is applied to determine if this activity was effectively carried out outside of Austria.

If the aspired activity cannot be recognised in accordance with Section 373c of the Gewerbeordnung 1994, the authorities have to evaluate individually in accordance with Sections 373d and 373e of the Gewerbeordnung 1994 to what extent the foreign certificate equals the Austrian evidence of professional competence.

The official decision about the recognition or equivalence itself does not entitle the person to carry on a trade. For this purpose the trade has to be registered with the competent trade authority at the place where the enterprise operates.

• Qualification from EU/ EEA Member States or Switzerland

No specific deadlines have to be met.

The competent authority is the provincial governor [ Landeshauptmann ^{German text}].

• Sections 373c, 373d and 373e of the Gewerbeordnung 1994
• EU/ EWR- Anerkennungsverordnung

I have noted that the data provided by me, as well as any data received by the administration over the course of the preliminary investigation, will be automatically processed as per article 6, para. 1 lit. c and e of the General Data Protection Regulation in accordance with the underlying material laws of the legal process. Furthermore, I am aware that this is for the purpose of executing the legal procedure initiated by me, the granting of regulatory approval and also for the purpose of review. I have read the general information regarding: 

• the right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, withdrawal and objection, as well as on data portability
• the right to lodge a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority
• the responsibilities of the process controller and the data protection officer as per https://datenschutz.stmk.gv.at.

Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy

6 February 2023