As a Christian socialist since his youth, Eduard Heinl was concerned throughout his life with the promotion of trade, industry and commerce. He pushed through a reform of the trade regulations and also created the Trade Promotion Institute.
After the collapse of the monarchy, Heinl was a member of the National Council for the Christian Social Party from 1919 to 1934. In 1920/1921 he was Minister of Trade, and from 1926 to 1938 he served as President of Radio-Verkehrs-AG (RAVAG) and was thus responsible for the establishment of radio broadcasting in Austria. From 1930 to 1932, he again acted as Minister of Commerce. In 1938, the National Socialists removed Heinl from all offices.
Immediately after World War II, he was again politically active and became Federal Minister of Trade and Reconstruction for the ÖVP (1946 to 1948), then Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the CA-BV and President of the League of United Nations and the Danube European Institute. Heinl was also honorary president of the Austrian Export Promotion Institute.