The Federal Council Most of the extension of the claim of refugee Ukrainians: mostly sealed in the inside to family services and their inclusion in statutory health insurance. The regulation had expired on the beginning of March 2025 and will now be extended due to the ongoing war until the end of October this year.
Part of the decision is also the increase in the additional earnings limit for all recipients: inside of childcare allowance.
The improvement of EU-wide cooperation between law enforcement agencies for contraception, uncovering or investigating financial offenses is the focus of a legal amendment, for which there was unanimous approval in the country chamber. In the implementation of an EU directive, various changes are made in the Financial Criminal Act and in the Financial Criminal Labor Act, whereby a central contact point for information searches is named at the national level.
Extension of family allowance and childcare allowance for Ukrainians: Inside
The Council of the European Union decided some time ago to extend the special residence status for Ukrainians: inside the EU until March 4, 2026. In Austria, the displaced people also had until recently Right to family allowance and childcare allowanceNow both support services are being extended retrospectively. The Federal Council has now given its approval. However, the claim will only be extended until October 31, 2025 and not as initially planned for another year, i.e. until March 4, 2026.
For all recipients: the additional service limit is also raised inside – and retrospectively with 1,1,2025: In order to continue to be able to work slightly during the claim period, this is increased from 8,100 ꞓ per year to 8,600 ꞓ.
In the debate, Klemens Kofler (FPÖ/N) spoke out against the extension of family services for Ukrainians: inside. At the same time, in the third year of the review of Austrian families, more and more pressure would come under pressure. In connection with the changes in childcare allowance, the Lower Austrian mandatar stated that this was a “real achievement” in Austrian social policy and was introduced by the FPÖ. Release limits were not originally planned and would counteract the freedom of choice.
The extension of family services for Ukrainians that are necessary due to the ongoing war: Daniela Gruber-Pruner (SPÖ/W) emphasized inside for coping with everyday life. Around 26,000 people – mainly women and children – are directly affected. In the future, however, the course of these measures must be better in view, says Gruber-Pruner.
In order to gain time for necessary adjustments and targeted measures, family subsidies are now only extended by six months, explained the Upper Austrian ÖVP Federal Councilor Johanna Miesenberger. For this purpose, Federal Minister Claudia Plakolm set up a “Task Force for Social Affairs”. The aim is to prevent abuse. Financial support should benefit those “that they really need,” said Miesenberger.
For Claudia Hauschildt-Buschberger (Greens/O), the extension is “clearly too late”. All those affected would now have to apply for family allowance again, which would lead to a high bureaucratic effort of the authorities. Hauschildt-Buschberger also criticized the plans to suspend the federal government’s family reunification. This is both EU law and unconstitutional.
The designated family minister Claudia Plakolm confessed to the support and protection of displaced persons from Ukraine. One helps those who flee from Russian aggression, but cannot be the helpfulness of the Austrians: inside. In order to develop closer and clear criteria for the claim beyond October this year, the reference has been extended by six months instead of one year. A task force will now take care of this topic, said Plakolm.
EU-wide information exchange between law enforcement authorities should be improved
The implementation of an EU directive to improve the exchange of information between law enforcement authorities occurs Changes in the Financial Criminal Act and in the Financial Criminal Collection Act. Specifically, information searches should be preferred in the future via a central contact point based on the network application managed and developed by Europol for secure data exchange (Secure Information Exchange Exchange Network Application – Siena). In Austria, the function of the central contact point will be performed by the Federal Criminal Police Office located at the Ministry of the Interior.
In addition, there should also be the possibility of direct cooperation between the responsible law enforcement authorities. In order to ensure efficient and effective cooperation in financial matters, Union -wide harmonized measures are of the utmost importance for a quick exchange of information, according to the explanations of the government template. (Continued Federal Council) med
Note: Sessions of the National Council and the Federal Council can also be followed by Livestream and are as video-on-demand in the Parliament media library available.