Ferrero-Waldner advocates unimpaired functioning of South Tyrol's autonomy

18.12.2003

Vienna, 18 December 2003 - With regard to the European Commission's intention to initiate infringement procedures against Italy with respect to the South Tyrolean autonomy statute, Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner said today, in view of Austria's role as protector of South Tyrol’s German-speaking minority as set out in the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement of 1946, Austria has a "substantial interest in the ongoing unimpaired functioning of South Tyrol’s autonomy and will continue to lend active support to it."  The Foreign Minister pointed out that Austria, like Italy, would like to see the autonomy of South Tyrol continue to serve as a model for the settlement of other still unresolved minority conflicts in Europe. "I trust the European Commission will take into account this eminent political concern as well as the arguments we have put forward when dealing with the complaint", Ferrero-Waldner concluded.