SOCIETY Magazine asked the new Ambassador of France to Austria, H.E. Matthieu Peyraud, about his main objectives for his term, the current state of Franco-Austrian relations and about his experience as an exchange student at WU in the mid-1990s.
What will be the focal points of your term as Ambassador of France to Austria?
I am very honoured and very happy to have been appointed Ambassador of France to Austria. I arrived in Vienna at the beginning of September. I am a career diplomat and this position is a new decisive step that I approach with great motivation and humility.
Franco-Austrian relations are old, dense and diversified, covering all fields of activity. My general objective is first of all not to neglect any aspect and to make known the richness and depth of Franco-Austrian bilateral relations.
An important first focal point will be to deepen the political dialogue between these two Member States of the European Union. France and Austria are partners in Europe and share a common interest in subjects such as European economic competitiveness, industrial policy, migration policy, but also issues such as the enlargement of the European Union and the war in Ukraine.
I will be involved in economic diplomacy issues to promote French companies on the Austrian market and attract Austrian investments in France, as our economic ties are deep and both countries are in strong convergence on European trade policy and industrial sovereignty.
I also attach great importance to cultural diplomacy, for which I was responsible in Paris as Director of Cultural, Educational, Academic and Scientific Diplomacy at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, before being appointed to Vienna. Indeed, Vienna and Austria are major centres of European culture and in France and Austria we share a love of heritage, music, visual and plastic arts among many other art forms. Thus, our major cultural institutions are linked and develop projects together. Their support is one of the many tasks of a bilateral embassy.
How would you describe the relations between France and Austria today?
The Franco-Austrian relationship is a comprehensive bilateral relationship, covering all sectors, and the priorities are therefore numerous and need to be accompanied by strong political investment to support these deep ties.
I would like to highlight our cooperation in the fields of education, higher education and research. France is fortunate to have a French high school in Vienna and, in general, the French language continues to be taught and practiced in Austria, which is an asset.
This facilitates university exchanges, which are paramount. Each year, 500 to 600 Austrian students come to study in France and approximately the same number of French students are welcomed in Austria for their higher education. It is important to highlight that we also work to promote scientific exchanges between France and Austria, for example in environmental policy, energy transition or health research.
The Franco-Austrian relationship is also marked by its economic ties. Indeed, diplomacy plays an important role in the development of economic relations and contributes to consolidating trade and investments between France and Austria. My role, with my team, is in particular to support French companies that are present on the Austrian market or wish to go there as well as to facilitate Austrian investments in France.
Today, France is one of Austria’s largest suppliers with a stock of around 5.36 billion euros per year, especially in transport equipment, chemicals and perfumes, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The Austrian economic presence in France also represents a stock of 3.6 billion euros, or more than 180 subsidiaries of Austrian companies present on French territory, where they employ more than 13,000 employees. The Austrian furniture retailer XXXLutz or the world’s largest brick manufacturer, Wienerberger, are just some of the many examples of Austrian companies present today on French territory.
Another important element of the manifold relations between Austria and France is tourism. Indeed, in 2023, France was the 6th most popular destination for Austrian tourists, who particularly appreciate French heritage and its art of living, such as gastronomy, and who generated 2.37 million overnight stays in France, for example.
You studied at the University of Economics and Business in Vienna. How did this experience shape your view of Austria?
I was indeed fortunate enough to be an exchange student at the Wirtschaftsuniversität (WU) in Vienna in the mid-1990s as part of my studies. It is an experience that transforms all the young people who get to be part of it and teaches you a lot about yourself as well as the country that hosts you. I was able to discover Vienna, Austria and the neighbouring countries at a time when Europe was once again becoming a place of exchange and freedom. The WU was already at that time a university of excellence and a place of welcome for international students, and I learned a lot there.
I noticed when I arrived in September of this year that Vienna has changed a lot for the better compared to that time in the 90s. The city is more beautiful than ever and has regained its full cosmopolitan character and regional and international influence. In 2025, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Austrian State Treaty and 30 years of Austria’s membership in the European Union. I am convinced that Austria has benefited enormously from this entry into the European family through its accession in 1995 and the enlargement of 2004 for neighbouring countries.
You have received an impressive number of decorations. How did you achieve these accomplishments at such a young age?
I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time on several occasions. I was a reserve officer, by choice, when military service was no longer compulsory. This may explain why I was awarded the National Defense Medal. As mentioned, I was also Director of Cultural, Educational, Academic and Scientific Diplomacy at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was therefore in charge of French Institutes and French schools around the world as well as major cultural projects, such as the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi or the restoration of the archaeological site of Angkor in Cambodia. This perhaps explains why the Ministers of Culture and Education chose to award me decorations. I feel very honoured and encouraged to continue to serve France, my fellow citizens and France’s relationship with its partner countries to the best of my ability. This is what I hope to do here in Austria.