Austria transfers new federal farm properties to BVWG GmbH with 2027 deadlines
The Budgetbegleitgesetz 2027–2028 (BGBl. I Nr. 62/2026) expands the property portfolio of the Landwirtschaftliche Bundesversuchswirtschaften GmbH (federal agricultural research farms company) by transferring two further sets of federal land—in Kematen and at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein research institute—with ownership effective 1 January 2027 and 1 July 2027 respectively, provided the required contracts are signed in time. The law also amends supervisory-board rules and grants the company the right to use the federal coat of arms.
What changed
A new § 1a paragraphs 3–5 adds two more groups of federal properties to the company. The Kematen land (EZ 90059, KG 81115) must be sold through public auctions, with proceeds returned to the federal government minus a success fee and documented costs. The Raumberg-Gumpenstein properties (listed in new Annex III) are transferred against a purchase price set by an authorised expert; any later partial resale to third parties is also governed by contract. All relevant contracts must be concluded by 1 January 2027 (Kematen) or 1 July 2027 (Raumberg-Gumpenstein) for the transfers to take effect.
Who is affected
The changes directly concern the Landwirtschaftliche Bundesversuchswirtschaften GmbH, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Local authorities may purchase Kematen land without a public auction if they need it for statutory tasks.
What to look out for
The supervisory board of the company will be restructured under the amended § 1 para. 11, effective 1 January 2027, but new members may already be appointed from the day the amendment is published. The company also now explicitly has the right to display the federal coat of arms (Bundeswappen).