Austrian Communications Authority (KommAustria)
The 2010 amendment to the Federal Constitutional Act (Federal Law Gazette I No. 50/2010; Art. 20 Sec. 2 No. 5a) created the legal basis for establishing the Austrian Communications Authority as a panel authority with the powers of a court; previously, KommAustria was organized as a monocratic authority. KommAustria comprises five members who are independent and not bound by instructions from any other authority in the performance of their duties.
KommAustria currently comprises the following members:
- Michael Ogris (Chairman)
- Florian Philapitsch (Deputy Chairman)
- Martina Hohensinn
- Susanne Lackner
- Michael Truppe
The amendment mentioned above, which went into effect on October 1, 2010, also expanded the scope of KommAustria's duties substantially:
In addition to its existing duties in broadcasting regulation, under the Austrian Competition Act, under the Austrian Telecommunications Act (TKG) 2003, and in the field of journalism and press subsidies, KommAustria is now responsible for legal supervision of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) and its subsidiaries, as well as additional duties under the Austrian Act on Exclusive Television Rights. In addition, KommAustria will also be responsible for legal supervision of providers of audiovisual media services on the Internet under the Austrian implementation of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Appeals against KommAustria decisions can be filed with the Federal Communications Senate (BKS), or in administrative penal cases with the Independent Administrative Board in Vienna. KommAustria relies on RTR's Media Division for administrative support.
The authority’s rules of procedure and its allocation of duties can be accessed via the link below: