OSCE

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest regional security organisation. Based in Vienna, the OSCE comprises 57 participating States. Building on a comprehensive catalogue of political commitments, it focuses on fostering security cooperation and conflict prevention using a range of specific institutions, instruments and field operations.

Development of the OSCE

The OSCE emerged from the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) established in the détente phase between the East and the West in 1975. The Helsinki Final Act (1975), the Charter of Paris (1990), the Istanbul Charter for European Security (1999) and the Astana Declaration (2010) are the key documents the OSCE is based on. These major documents define a steadily grown system of political commitments and obligations based on a concept of comprehensive and cooperative security. The OSCE operates on the principle of unanimity and does not force any decisions on its members. In the event of crisis or conflict, agreement of the affected states therefore needs to be sought.

This comprehensive and cooperative concept of security encompasses the OSCE’s "three dimensions":

  1. the politico-military dimension,
  2. the economic and environmental dimension and
  3. the human dimension.

Since 1995, the OSCE Secretariat has had its headquarters in Vienna. Since 1997, the independent Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is also based in Vienna. 

57 Participating States

Its 57 participating States cover the northern hemisphere stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, spanning across all European countries and also comprising the USA, Canada and the Central Asian states including Mongolia. Further Asian and Mediterranean states are involved as Partners for Cooperation.

At the Vienna headquarters, the participating States and their partners engage in ongoing dialogue in the Permanent Council and its subcommittees. Apart from the Forum for Security Co-operation, the OSCE headquarters also hosts meetings of the permanent bodies under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and the Open Skies Treaty as well as a number of review conferences on compliance with specific commitments.

Chairmanship

The OSCE chair is assumed at yearly intervals by one participating State, which then plays a central role in managing the Organization’s work and in its external representation. The foreign minister of the country holding the chair holds the office of Chairman-in-Office (CiO). The fact that decision-making within the OSCE requires a consensus among all 57 participating States represents a particular diplomatic challenge. Austria held the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2017.

Activities of the OSCE

The OSCE has developed into a major player in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, civilian crisis management and post-conflict management through activities including border management, border monitoring missions, election observation missions, police training and judicial reform activities. The organisation is an important forum for arms control and disarmament in the conventional arms field. A special focus of attention is the fight against transnational threats such as terrorism, radicalisation, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, and the risks associated with information technologies. Other priorities of the OSCE’s work include topical issues related to human rights and non-discrimination as well as cooperation in the economic and environmental spheres.

Through a range of confidence-building measures, it seeks to reach out to and build a broad-based regional security community. The OSCE’s comprehensive and cooperative security approach also covers cooperation in the politico-military, economic and environmental as well as in the human dimensions. As an organisation that is active at the operational level and especially on the ground, the OSCE in cooperation with the participating States seeks to develop comprehensive solutions to political challenges, which have a positive impact and result in positive changes for the affected population.

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has shaken confidence in the principles of the European security architecture to its foundations. Despite the OSCE's intensive efforts to find a diplomatic solution since 2014 (in the wake of Russian-fuelled separatist activities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the illegal annexation of Crimea), Russian aggression could not be prevented. After Russia blocked an extension of the OSCE presence in Ukraine in the spring of 2022, a support programme for Ukraine, financed by voluntary contributions, was set up in autumn 2022. Austria is participating in this programme, in particular in the field of mine action.

The OSCE furthermore provides active and sustainable support to states in their transformation process by offering help in building and developing their capacities. In addition, the organisation promotes regional and sub-regional cooperation. Activities with partner countries in the Asian and Mediterranean region has also been intensified over the last few years. In 2016, Austria chaired the Contact Group with the Mediterranean Partners and in 2018, Austria chaired the Contact Group with Asian Partners.

OSCE Instruments

The OSCE currently employs a total of around 2,300 staff and has an overall budget of 140 million euros The Vienna-based Secretariat forms the organisation’s technical and operational backbone and assists each OSCE Chairmanship in its activities. Apart from the Vienna-based office, there is also an archive and documentation centre in Prague.

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is based in Warsaw and employs around 150 staff. It promotes democratic election processes through election observation missions – at the invitation of the respective country – and provides practical support to strengthen democratic rule of law institutions and civil society structures.

The High Commissioner on National Minorities and his team of around 30 people is based in The Hague. He seeks to identify and defuse potential for ethnically motivated conflict at the earliest possible. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is supported by around 20 staff members and is responsible for the monitoring of compliance with this important fundamental right, placing a particular focus on the protection of journalists.

Field operations are a key instrument of conflict prevention, civilian crisis management and of peace building. A total of around 1,600 staff are active in the OSCE’s currently 13 field operations in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and in Central Asia.

Other OSCE representatives active in the field of conflict prevention and conflict management are the Personal Representatives who are appointed by the Chairperson-in-Office and are able to use their political leverage in the event of imminent crises.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is made up of 323 parliamentarians from participating States and focuses on strengthening parliamentary dialogue and thus democratic development in the OSCE region.

The majority of the international experts involved in the OSCE field operations and election observation activities are seconded to the OSCE by the participating States. For information on current vacancies and employment opportunities in the OSCE institutions and field operations as well as on the application procedure, please click here