1983, doctorate in Law, Law Faculty, University of Vienna. 1977-78, Officer's Training and Military Service, Mautern and Götzendorf; 1987-90, Member, Cabinet of Minister of Defence; 1989-91, Speaker on European Relations, OAAB, Employees' Association of OVP, Austrian People's Party; 1990-93, Trainee Programme, Federation of Austrian Industrialists; since 1991, Deputy Head, ÖAAB; 1992-93, Member, Federal Chamber, Austrian Parliament; 1993-94, with GiroCredit, an Austrian bank; 1993-95 and since 1996, Member, National Assembly, Austrian Parliament; 1995-96, Member, European Parliament, Brussels; 1996-2006, Party's Speaker on Foreign Affairs, Head, Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs; since 1998, Chairman, NOAAB; 2000-07, Member, Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe; 2000-06, Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader, Austrian People's Party; 2002-06, Head, Austrian Delegation to Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe; 2006-08, Second President, Austrian National Council; 2009-11, National Chairman, Austrian Labour and Employer's Association. Since 2008, Federal Minister of European and International Affairs, Austria; since April 2011, Vice-Chancellor of Austria and Head, Austrian People's Party.