Universal Periodic Review

Strengthen the role of Parliament in the legislative process in assessing the potential impact of proposed legislation on development objectives

Proponent:

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

Austria continues to attach great importance to public participation in the parliamentary process. The application of public participation standards is a central component of the legislative process in order to increase transparency and strengthen democracy. These standards are recommendations on how the public can be effectively involved in the development of policies, plans and legislation. They particularly emphasise the need to inform the public comprehensively and at an early stage on relevant issues and to incorporate their feedback into the decision-making process. An important element of participation is the review process, in which draft legislation is submitted to the general public and interested organisations for comment. In this way, citizens and stakeholders can express their opinions before laws are finalised. In addition, the use of digital participation tools, such as online consultations, is being increased in order to make citizen participation even more accessible. These initiatives aim to improve the quality of democracy, promote social responsibility and ensure that all relevant groups are involved in the political decision-making process.