The ban came into effect on 1 November, after having originally been approved in July, reported Deutsche Welle.

The new law has made it illegal to smoke in all bars and restaurants, regardless of the size of the establishment. Prior to the new law coming in, those in Austria were still permitted to smoke whilst eating and drinking, provided the establishment was larger than 50 square meters with a separate designated smoking area. However, according to the report, this was not strictly enforced, compared to the new law which will be heavily enforced with strong penalties. Those caught breaking the smoking ban will be fined USD 1,115. Owners of any establishments found to be allowing smoking will be fined USD 2,000, rising up to USD 11,150 if there are repeat offences.
According to the report, Austria has a higher than average percentage of smokers, with 25 per cent of its 8.8 million inhabitants smoking, compared to an average of 18 per cent of inhabitants across other countries in Europe. The debate on banning smoking in Austria has been ongoing for over a decade, with the far-right Freedom Party strongly opposing the measure.