Information about financial sanctions are intended as guidance and only for information purposes. It does not constitute an exhaustive list of the legal requirements and is not a substitute for reviewing the respective applicable legal provisions. The relevant legal provisions remain authoritative regarding binding rules.
The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) will assume competences with effect from 01.01.2026 for the monitoring and implementation of national and international financial sanctions ordered by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN), such as those against Russia and Iran. As a result of the transfer of competences, supervision in the area of the prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing or the monitoring of financial sanctions will be integrated and bundled under a single roof.
In addition to transferring this area of competence from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) to the FMA, Article II of the Act regarding Amendments in relation to the FATF Country Inspection of 2024 (FATF-Prüfungsanpassungsgesetz 2024) the scope of addressees is also extended to cover all “financial market participants”. From 01.01.2026, credit, financial, and payment institutions that were previously already supervised by the OeNB, will be joined by insurance undertakings from all insurance classes, electronic money institutions and crypto-asset service providers. As a result of extended official powers and specific duties being conferred upon the FMA in relation to the monitoring and enforcement of compliance with sanction measures, such as official investigative procedures, supervisory measures for establishing legal compliance etc., the powers will be harmonised with those that apply in the area of the Prevention of Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing.
In the event of a breach of an obligation under the Sanctions Act 2024 (SanktG 2024; Sanktionengesetz 2024) the FMA is able to impose administrative penalties.
Information about Sanctions measures imposed by the United Nations (UN) as well as the European Union (EU) may, for example, be found in the EU Sanctions Map. In addition to the EU Sanctions Whistleblower Tool, it contains a list of the competent authorities within Europe, as well as a consolidated list of natural and legal persons, organisations and bodies, against whom the EU and the UN has imposed financial sanctions.
The individual European Union legal acts as well as the consolidated legal texts may be consulted via EUR-Lex. The consolidated legal acts are not binding, but only serve as guidance.
Information about UN sanctions measures can be found on the UN Security Council website or the website of the respective “Sanctions Committees”.
The FMA’s Incoming Platform is to used for submissions related to sanctions. Instructions about how to register and set up a mailbox, and further information may be found in the respective tabs on the platform.
Further Relevant Links
European Commission (EU sanctions)
European External Action Service (EU sanctions)
Sanctions Act 2024 (SanktG 2024; Sanktionengesetz 2024)
European Commission Guidance Documents
EU Best Practices for the effective implementation of restrictive measures (EU Best Practices)