The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Civil Proceedings in Austria¹

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only posed immense challenges to public health but has also necessitated a significant shift in legal frameworks to address the dynamic circumstances it has created. This article provides an overview of the measures taken in Austrian civil procedure law to cushion the impact of the pandemic. It covers changes that have reshaped the structure of civil procedural law in the long term, as well as specific „COVID provisions” that are still relevant today in some cases. Among other things, it discusses amendments to the Insolvency Code and the Execution Code, amendments to the General Social Insurance Act and the Federal Tax Code, and the 1st and 2nd COVID-19 Justice Accompanying Acts.