Austria. ePrivacy / marketing. Act

TKG 2021Telecommunications Act 2021 (Telekommunikationsgesetz 2021 – TKG 2021)

In force

Partly verified

Medium confidence. Exact §174 fine ceiling not verified.

§1Summary

Synopsis

TKG 2021 transposes the EECC and the ePrivacy Directive in Austria. Section 165(3) requires informed consent for storing or accessing information on terminal equipment except where strictly necessary, and §174 restricts unsolicited calls, emails and SMS.

Key themes

cookies/terminal equipment consent
direct marketing
soft opt-in
traffic and location data

Unique features

Split enforcement: telecom offices fine TKG breaches while the DSB applies GDPR to the personal data side of cookies; browser settings alone are not treated as valid consent.

SaaS relevance

Any SaaS website, app or product that sets non-essential cookies/SDKs or sends marketing emails/SMS to users in this country needs prior consent (subject to exemptions) under this law, regardless of where the provider is based.

§2Obligations

Extraterritorial: Yes
Breach notification: Telecom providers: authority notification under Reg 611/2013; otherwise GDPR
DPO: No
Cross-border transfers: None
Maximum penalty: TKG: up to €50,000 (cookie information duties); spam provisions up to €37,000 range; plus GDPR fines

§3Dates

Key dates

Adopted 21 October 2021
In force 1 November 2021
Cookie rule in §165(3); unsolicited communications in §174

§4Text and authority

Text

Authoritative text ris.bka.gv.at

Authority

Fernmeldebüros (telecom offices) for TKG breaches; Datenschutzbehörde (DSB) where personal data is processed

§5Where it applies

Domestic law of: Austria

§6Sources and verification

Verification

Medium confidence.

Partly verified

Medium confidence. Exact §174 fine ceiling not verified.