Federal Constitutional Act concerning a Nuclear-free Austria(1)

The Austrian "Nationalrat" ("National Council" = Austrian Parliament) has passed the following act(2):

Art. 1: In Austria it is prohibited to manufacture, to store, to transport, to test or to use nuclear weapons. Facilities/installations for the deployment of nuclear weapons shall not be established.

Art. 2: It is prohibited by law to establish facilities in Austria which are serving the purpose of producing energy by nuclear fission. If such facilities/plants are already existing (in Austria) it is prohibited to start them.

Art. 3: The transportation of fissionable materials in the territory of Austria is prohibited by law, unless this ban (prohibition) is contrary to binding obligations of public international law. This prohibition doesn't include the transportation of fissionable materials for the purpose of exclusively peaceful use, however it includes the transportation of fissionable materials for the purpose of producing energy by nuclear fission and of materials concerning the spent fuel disposal. Other dispensations shall not be given.

Art. 4: It should be guaranteed by law that damages which are caused by a nuclear accident in Austria should be compensated apppropriately, and that this right to compensation could be enforded versus foreign natural and legal persons who have caused the damage.

Art. 5: The Austrian Federal Government is obligated to implement this Federal Constitutional Act.

Klestil (Federal President)
Klima (Federal Chancellor)

Doc Number
MGBL/OS/199990813/1/0149
(1) provisional non-official translation by D. Deiseroth
(2) This Constitutional Act has been passed on July 1st 1999. It went into force on August 13 1999.