Economic impact of the state-commissioned aed initiative “Best Practice Austria”

The Best Practice Austria (BPA) programme is an effective instrument for promoting institutional reforms in partner countries, raising the international profile of Austrian administrative excellence and generating new export opportunities for domestic companies. The current analysis of exemplary impact channels puts the export-related leverage of the program at 14 times the amount of public funds used for a single contract - an impressive multiplier that economically justifies the budget support of the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF).

In order to secure this impact in the long term, the study recommends multi-year, performance-based budgeting. Planning security over three to five years enables the aed to strategically support large-scale reform projects - for example in the area of e-health or cybersecurity - from conception to implementation and to leverage EU co-financing.

In terms of content, BPA could focus the strengths of the Austrian administration specifically on those areas in which it is already regarded as a beacon: digital government services (ID Austria, corporate service portal), cyber security architectures, e-health platforms and climate-resilient warning and protection systems. Priority target regions remain the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region; selective commitments in the Gulf region, in EU accession candidates in Eastern Europe and selected countries in the Global South ensure additional visibility and market entry.

Structurally, the study recommends expanding BPA's institutional presence: A clear bilingual online portal with a BPA platform, success stories and tenders increases transparency and acquisition opportunities. The systematic integration of existing foreign trade networks (Advantage Austria, foreign representations, EU delegations) and a format for "reverse best practice" also guarantee the flow of knowledge to Austria and position BPA as an international know-how provider.

Overall, the analysis confirms that BPA is a strategic instrument of Austrian foreign, innovation and economic policy. With reliable funding, a clear thematic focus and stronger institutional anchoring, the program can further expand its contribution to reform partnerships, export promotion and economic value creation in the future.