https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Spain's former prime minister has become the latest person to question the Frenchness of France's national football team - so where does this idea come from, and is there any truth in it? https://www.thelocal.com/20260713/factcheck-is-there-any-truth-to-the-claim-that-frances-footballers-are-not-french Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:42:09 +0200 factcheck-is-there-any-truth-to-the-claim-that-frances-footballers-are-not-french Children should have "phased and gradual access" to social media, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday, as experts recommended under 13s only use online platforms under supervision. https://www.thelocal.com/20260713/eu-to-limit-childrens-access-to-social-media Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:02:47 +0200 eu-to-limit-childrens-access-to-social-media France's foreign minister on Monday said that Paris would, in coming days, summon the Russian ambassador over Moscow having launched a widespread cyber attack campaign in European nations including France. https://www.thelocal.com/20260713/paris-to-summon-russia-envoy-over-cyber-campaign-in-europe Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:36:01 +0200 paris-to-summon-russia-envoy-over-cyber-campaign-in-europe The EU's border agency Frontex developed an app allowing travellers to pre-register for its Entry/Exit System rollout. With the summer travel season upon us and queues expected at tourist hotspots, what happened to the app and which countries are using it? https://www.thelocal.com/20260713/which-european-countries-are-already-using-the-ees-pre-registration-app Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:23:13 +0200 which-european-countries-are-already-using-the-ees-pre-registration-app German citizenship comes with perks, including freedom of movement in the EU. Some foreign residents may wonder if newly naturalised Germans get to enjoy these rights immediately or if they have to wait for a period of time before moving abroad. https://www.thelocal.com/20240507/can-i-get-german-citizenship-and-immediately-move-abroad Tue, 07 May 2024 09:36:57 +0200 can-i-get-german-citizenship-and-immediately-move-abroad After immigration authorities gave her American husband just one week to leave the country or risk being put on a Schengen blacklist, a Swedish scientist tells The Local how she feels betrayed by her own country and its institutions. https://www.thelocal.com/20260710/i-felt-betrayed-by-my-country-swedish-scientist-blasts-treatment-of-us-husband Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:11:04 +0200 i-felt-betrayed-by-my-country-swedish-scientist-blasts-treatment-of-us-husband With two months to go until the Swedish election, The Local aims to deliver the most useful election coverage for foreigners, guided by our readers. https://www.thelocal.com/20260618/stay-on-top-of-the-swedish-election-how-to-follow-the-locals-coverage Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:39:16 +0200 stay-on-top-of-the-swedish-election-how-to-follow-the-locals-coverage Belgium's three regions announced Friday they would introduce next year a road tax that foreign drivers transiting the country would also have to pay. https://www.thelocal.com/20260711/belgium-to-introduce-road-tax-for-transiting-drivers Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:21:29 +0200 belgium-to-introduce-road-tax-for-transiting-drivers Flying with children can be stressful at the best of times, so here are The Local’s best tips for departing from Copenhagen Airport with your kids in tow. https://www.thelocal.com/20230818/what-parents-need-to-know-about-travelling-through-copenhagen-airport-with-kids Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:53:34 +0200 what-parents-need-to-know-about-travelling-through-copenhagen-airport-with-kids Rural Spain still lies largely undiscovered by tourism and many foreign residents. Here are some charming treasures that lie well off the beaten track which may seduce you enough to buy a second home there or consider a move for a more peaceful life. https://www.thelocal.com/20250827/six-hidden-gems-which-will-make-you-consider-a-move-to-empty-spain Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:17:56 +0200 six-hidden-gems-which-will-make-you-consider-a-move-to-empty-spain Two Swedes are suspected of having travelled to Ireland to carry out a contract killing, but on the way there they crashed in a violent car accident, according to media reports. https://www.thelocal.com/20260710/swedish-gang-member-crashes-car-in-ireland-en-route-to-contract-killing Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:55:27 +0200 swedish-gang-member-crashes-car-in-ireland-en-route-to-contract-killing Following record-breaking temperatures in Germany, another heatwave is coming. What can we expect? https://www.thelocal.com/20260709/maps-how-hot-will-it-get-in-germany-in-mid-july Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:47:27 +0200 maps-how-hot-will-it-get-in-germany-in-mid-july The EU's top tribunal said that putting criminal records online for payment does not constitute journalism and violates data protection rights, after a Swedish court asked for guidance. https://www.thelocal.com/20260709/lexbase-case-eu-court-tells-sweden-selling-criminal-records-online-violates-gdpr Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:06:00 +0200 lexbase-case-eu-court-tells-sweden-selling-criminal-records-online-violates-gdpr The EU is expected to delay the launch of its travel authorisation scheme known as ETIAS until 2027 because of problems and delays with the rollout of the biometric EES border checks this year, according to reports. https://www.thelocal.com/20260709/eu-set-to-delay-roll-out-of-e20-etias-travel-authorisation-scheme-until-2027 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:25:53 +0200 eu-set-to-delay-roll-out-of-e20-etias-travel-authorisation-scheme-until-2027 Winemakers said on Wednesday they were struggling to shift a year’s worth of produce after a drop in exports to the United States. https://www.thelocal.com/20260709/italian-producers-downgrade-bottles-as-wine-piles-up-in-cellars Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:10:07 +0200 italian-producers-downgrade-bottles-as-wine-piles-up-in-cellars Sweden is finally moving forward with a proposal to extend the three-month deadline for work permit holders who lose their jobs to six months, bringing Swedish work permit rules in line with a new EU directive. https://www.thelocal.com/20250611/sweden-proposes-extending-three-month-deadline-for-laid-off-work-permit-holders Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:26:49 +0200 sweden-proposes-extending-three-month-deadline-for-laid-off-work-permit-holders Sweden is finally moving forward with an EU directive to scrap the rule which requires work permit holders to apply for an entirely new permit if they change employer within the first two years. https://www.thelocal.com/20250611/how-sweden-wants-to-make-it-easier-to-change-employers-on-a-work-permit Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:24:12 +0200 how-sweden-wants-to-make-it-easier-to-change-employers-on-a-work-permit In the first six months of operation of the new EU digital border system, the Entry-Exit System (EES), more than 8,700 travellers were denied entry into Europe's border-free Schengen area because they had stayed beyond their permitted time limit. https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/ees-7000-overstayers-snared-since-launch-of-eus-new-schengen-border-checks Wed, 20 May 2026 14:37:30 +0200 ees-7000-overstayers-snared-since-launch-of-eus-new-schengen-border-checks Sweden's Liberals bill themselves as the party of individual freedom. But will they even make it into parliament after the election? https://www.thelocal.com/20260708/the-locals-guide-to-swedens-political-parties-the-liberals Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:08:27 +0200 the-locals-guide-to-swedens-political-parties-the-liberals The European Commission is refusing to suspend strict new border controls despite pressure from airports and airlines who have demanded they be put on hold until after summer amid fears of chaos at holiday hotspots. https://www.thelocal.com/20260708/europes-ees-border-checks-wont-be-suspended-eu-insists Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:42:33 +0200 europes-ees-border-checks-wont-be-suspended-eu-insists