Austrian Labour and Social Courts Act (ASGG): panel-composition amendment (§ 7) to take effect 1 January 2027
The consolidated text of the ASGG was updated on 24 August 2026, mainly by adding the complete transitional-provisions chapter (§ 98). The key new entry, § 98(34), confirms that the 2026 amendment to § 7 para. 2 no. 4 — governing court-panel composition in labour and social cases — will enter into force on 1 January 2027.
What changed
The consolidated document now includes the full entry-into-force chapter (§ 98, paragraphs 1–34). Most paragraphs are historical records of past commencement dates; the brand-new addition is paragraph (34): the amendment to § 7 para. 2 no. 4 of the ASGG, enacted by BGBl. I Nr. 70/2026, takes effect on 1 January 2027. The document's source URL was also updated to the open-data address, and minor punctuation fixes (en-dashes, quotation marks) were applied throughout.
Who is affected
Employees, employers, social-insurance claimants, and their legal representatives involved in proceedings before Austrian labour courts (Arbeitsgerichte) or social courts (Sozialgerichte).
What to look out for
From 1 January 2027 the new version of § 7 para. 2 no. 4 — which governs the composition of lay-judge panels in labour and social court cases — will apply. Anyone with a case from that date onward should consult the full text of BGBl. I Nr. 70/2026 to understand the specific changes to panel-composition rules. All other changes in this update are editorial.