Kohlbacher, Josef

In 2006, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the city of Stuttgart and Eurofound formed the ‘European network of cities for local integration policies' (CLIP). This fourth and final module of the CLIP project looks at ethnic entrepreneurship. The general aim of this module is to explore the development of ethnic entrepreneurship and to review the role of policy interventions in that process. It is motivated by the desire of municipal, national and European governments as well as third sector institutions, who want to create an environment that is conducive to setting up and developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in general and ethnic businesses in particular. This case study was carried out in Prague.

In 2006, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the city of Stuttgart and Eurofound formed the ‘European network of cities for local integration policies' (CLIP). This fourth and final module of the CLIP project looks at ethnic entrepreneurship. The general aim of this module is to explore the development of ethnic entrepreneurship and to review the role of policy interventions in that process. It is motivated by the desire of municipal, national and European governments as well as third sector institutions, who want to create an environment that is conducive to setting up and developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in general and ethnic businesses in particular. This case study was carried out in Vienna.

Urban populations have become increasingly heterogeneous in ethnic, cultural and religious terms. These multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious structures challenge the ability of municipalities to establish or maintain peaceful relations among the different segments of the population. The third module of the CLIP project focuses on the relations between different groups in the city, as well as local policies established to deal with these relations, and the way in which representatives of migrant associations, religious communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) assess the local activities. This case study was carried out in Vienna, Austria.

The city of Vienna’s integration policies since the beginning of the 1990s have aimed to achieve equal rights and opportunities for immigrants in all spheres of social and economic, cultural and political life of the local population. Thus, a comprehensive set of measures were implemented to provide ample support for voluntary and affordable language courses, labour market integration, provision of information and support in the sphere of housing and conflict mediation at the regional level for all groups of the migrant population.

Vienna’s integration policy has traditionally been characterised by efforts to overcome conflicts, the development of municipal strategies for problem areas as well as by the promotion of social integration of foreigners. Innovative measures and ‘integration‘ are firmly established as both objectives and points of reference of urban policy. Diversity policy was instituted in Vienna in 2002. People with a migration background are no longer considered primarily as a target group for social-political measures, but rather, quite simply, as Viennese citizens and a normal part of the population. The initiator of Vienna’s diversity policy is the Municipal Department for Integration and Diversity whose ultimate objective is to strengthen intercultural competencies for improved diversity management.