21.   Austrian companies that profited from slave laborers during WWII must cooperate with restitution efforts, or face lawsuits, a New York-based attorney representing Holocaust victims said.

22.   But many Austrian firms fear that EU membership for its northern, eastern and southern neighbors will bring too much competition for Austrian companies.

23.   Fagan said he would use the documents provided by Bank Austria to further build the case against the two Austrian companies if necessary.

24.   In addition to the Austrian government, the suit names as defendants the Austrian National Bank and other Austrian companies.

25.   In a pre-election move, the state recently bought out a steel firm to keep an Austrian company from taking control.

26.   It is to be planned and built by an Austrian company Explore Erlebnis Produktionen.

27.   Like Germany, Austria may face compensation claims from Holocaust survivors who worked as slave laborers for Austrian companies during Nazi rule.

28.   No such claims are known to have been made in the recent past against Austrian companies.

29.   Once the agreement is signed, Austrian companies will be legally protected against further lawsuits on this issue.

30.   Six weeks ago, Fagan offered to meet with three leading Austrian companies believed to have profited from the use of slave labor under the Nazi regime.