Austria’s Ministerrat has approved tougher changes to the country’s espionage legislation, raising the maximum penalties and expanding what counts as punishable spying. The decision was taken on 11 November 2026. The reform also introduces stronger protection for international organizations and aims to increase legal certainty for authorities and the courts. The measures adjust the criminal framework around espionage so that the law can cover a wider range of conduct, while aligning enforcement with clearer rules for prosecutors, judges and other public bodies. The reform is now set to apply through the updated legal provisions decided by the Ministerrat.