The close ties between Flanders and Austria were already in place by the 18th century (1715-1797) when the southern Netherlands formed an autonomous area within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Both Flanders and Vienna left their architectural and cultural imprints in this period.
Since 1994, Flanders has been represented in Vienna. Since then, bilateral contacts have deepened and Flanders is enjoying an ever-increasing fame. The Delegation of Flanders in Central Europe has jurisdiction over the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia, in addition to Austria. The interlocutors are both policy makers, local authorities and the wide civil society, but also the international institutions headquartered within the area. The representative is active in all areas where Flanders has jurisdiction, apart from the tasks for which Flanders Investment and Trade and Tourism Flanders are responsible. Themes that determine the quality of our society in Flanders are of great importance.
Of particular note is the structural cooperation with the Kunsthistorisches Museum – with its impressive collection of works by Bruegel, Rubens and Van Dyck – and ImPulsTanz, the international festival for contemporary dance.