Mountain Guide beings: Hiking guide - Issue of a certificate

Hiking guides are authorised to lead and accompany people on mountain hikes on marked trails.
Hiking guides must not lead any mountain hikes that extend to the glacier area, where an climbing difficulty level has to be overcome, whereby hikers who are not experienced in the mountains have to rely on the use of safety equipment or personal assistance, or where skis are used.

The activity may only be started after it has been declared to the Mountain Guides’ Association (Bergführerverband).

None

Section 24 of the Mountain Guides Act (Bergführergesetz) and the Provincial Government Regulation on training courses and examinations and on the recognition of examinations and training courses under the Mountain Guides Act (Verordnung der Landesregierung über Ausbildungskurse und die Prüfungen sowie Anerkennungen von Prüfungen und Ausbildungen nach dem Bergführergesetz)

General Administrative Procedure Act (Allgemeines Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz) 1991

Vorarlberg Provincial Administrative Fees Regulation (Verwaltungsabgabenverordnung des Landes Vorarlberg)

Federal Law on Dues (Gebührengesetz) 1957

Activity as a hiking guide may only be exercised by persons who fulfil the requirements listed under ‘Further information’. The activity may only be started after it has been declared to the Mountain Guides’ Association. All of the requirements listed under ‘Further information’ must be evidenced in this declaration.
If all requirements are met, confirmation of the declaration will be issued by the Mountain Guides’ Association. If the requirements are not met, the Mountain Guides’ Association will send a notification prohibiting activity as a hiking guide.

Temporary activity (so-called ‘excursion traffic’ – see ‘Hiking guides: excursion traffic’) is permitted in Vorarlberg without confirmation from the Mountain Guides’ Association.

Bergführerwesen: Wanderführer - Ausstellung einer Bescheinigung [Mountain Guide beings: Hiking guide - Issue of a certificate]

The activity of ‘hiking guide’ may only be exercised by persons who:

a) hold Austrian citizenship or equivalent status under the law of the European Union or on the basis of an international treaty,
b) are at least 18 years of age, and
c) are of good repute, physically and mentally suitable for the job, and professionally competent.

The professional qualification is awarded after completing hiking guide training with the Mountain Guides’ Association (Section 24 of the Mountain Guides Act). The Mountain Guides’ Association may, in individual cases, recognise other training courses as a substitute for participation in the hiking guide training, if equivalence of the training course is provided to the Mountain Guides’ Association. Training certificates from other Member States or third countries that have concluded state treaties with the European Union concerning their equivalence will be recognised by the Mountain Guides’ Association, provided that there are no substantial differences. If significant differences cannot be compensated for through professional experience, the applicant has the choice between an aptitude test and an adaptation period.

The necessary good repute must be proven by submitting a criminal record certificate. Evidence of good repute will be recognised if issued to citizens of the European Union by a competent authority in their Member State of origin.
Where such evidence is not issued in the Member State of origin, proof of good repute may be provided by means of a sworn statement; where such a declaration is not provided for in the Member State of origin, proof may be provided by means of a solemn declaration made before a competent authority of that Member State.

The necessary physical and mental fitness must be evidenced by a medical certificate. For European Union citizens, the physical and mental fitness required in their Member State of origin will be recognised as evidence. If no such evidence is required in the Member State concerned, a certificate of physical and mental fitness issued by a competent authority in that State will be accepted.

The evidence and certificates listed under letters )a to c) must not be more than 3 months old at the time of submission.

Personal data is processed in order to handle your case and/or conduct proceedings. Information on data processing and your rights as a data subject can be found in the form.

Vorarlberger Bergführerverband (Vorarlberg Mountain Guides`Association):
Contact: +43(0)6642234935; vorarlberg@bergfuehrer.at; www.bergfuehrer.at/vorarlberg

An electronic or handwritten signature is not required for applications.

An appeal against a decision of the Provincial Government may be filed with the Provincial Administrative Court. The appeal must specify the contested decision and the authority that issued it. It must contain a request and set out the grounds on which the allegation of unlawfulness is based.

The appeal must be filed in writing with the competent Provincial Government within four weeks from the date of service of the decision and must contain information that makes it possible to assess its timeliness. The appeal may be filed electronically. Appeals in administrative proceedings. 

EAP Vorarlberg 

Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung
Römerstraße 15
6900 Bregenz

16.10.2019