Convention on Spectator Violence

longside the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Sport is represented in the Standing Committee of the Council of Europe for the realisation of the Convention on Spectator Violence. Besides the regular meetings, a working group also convenes at six-monthly intervals, during which a presentation is given on the current status quo regarding this issue in the Member States, and a pan-European overview is provided. In the context of this event, current incidents are discussed and an overview of the evaluation of the measures taken is provided.

The 1985 European Convention on Spectator Violence (European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches) focused on the improvement of physical infrastructure and on safety in stadiums. These requirements still apply today; however, the need for an update has now arisen. Good service for fans and efficient and amicable cooperation between the police, stewards and fans is also becoming increasingly important. These modern demands have been taken into account in a revised version of the convention. Austria signed this convention in 2017.

The most important legislation which has to be applied at a national level is in the field of domestic security, and among other things involves the Police Security Act and the Pyrotechnics Act. For this reason the Federal Ministry of the Interior is responsible for its implementation.