According to the division of tasks of the Office of the State Government of Vorarlberg, the Department for European Affairs and External Relations has the following tasks:
"Participating in Europe constructively and critically" – this is the aim of Vorarlberg's State Government. The tasks involved are on many different levels so that most of the departments of the State administration have some contact with European or cross-border issues. The Department for European Affairs and External Relations plays a key role in this. This department was established when Austria joined the European Union to create the administrative conditions necessary to effectively represent the interests of Vorarlberg in the European integration process.