Rechnungshof#

Court of Audit, auxiliary organ of the Nationalrat (National Council) and the Landtag (provincial diets) to examine the financial administration of the Federal Government and the governments at the provincial and municipal level, as well as districts with more than 20,000 inhabitants. The Court of Audit is directly subordinated to the Nationalrat; the president of the Court of Audit is elected by the Nationalrat for 12 years and is sworn in by the Federal President. The President of the Court of Audit is not re-eligible. The Court of Audit also audits foundations, funds and institutions which are administered by territorial authorities, social security institutions, the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) and companies in which territorial authorities hold at least 50 % interest; the audit is usually carried out ex officio. The Court of Audit examines the accounts of these institutions according to the criteria of mathematical correctness, legality, economy, efficiency and effectiveness. It has to report to the National Council on its activities during the previous year by December 31 of each year. The report is published after approval by the National Council. The Court of Audit also prepares the Federal annual accounts and has to countersign documents by which the Federal government contracts financial debts.

The forerunner of the Court of Audit was the Allgemeine Schatzkammer (National Treasury) established by Maximilian I in 1496. Maria Theresia introduced the Hofrechnungskammer (Court Auditing Chamber) in 1761; called Supreme Court of Audit from 1867, it was replaced by the Staatsrechnungshof (State Court of Audit) in 1919. The Court of Audit was dissolved in 1938 under the Nazi regime and re-established in 1945. In some provinces there are Provincial Courts of Audit, which control the financial management of the provinces side by side with the Court of Audit. In large towns and cities, the functions of the Court of Audit are exercised by Comptroller's Offices.

Literature#