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 Austria will adjust pensions in January 2026, but the uplift will not be equal for everyone. So who gets full inflation protection, who does not, and why ministers say the model is 'socially balanced'? https://www.thelocal.com/20250912/explained-what-austrias-2026-pension-changes-mean-for-you Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:46:28 +0200 explained-what-austrias-2026-pension-changes-mean-for-you French hauliers have announced several planned blockades on Saturday - with more to come next week - to protest at spiralling fuel prices in the wake of the war in the Middle East and to call for government aid. https://www.thelocal.com/20260327/french-truckers-plan-blockades-to-protest-fuel-prices Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:34:04 +0100 french-truckers-plan-blockades-to-protest-fuel-prices Europe is in great need of money and the EU's plan to get hold of it is to tap the trillions of euros of EU citizens' savings. But will it work? https://www.thelocal.com/20260316/what-you-should-know-about-the-eus-plan-to-tap-your-savings Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:17:14 +0100 what-you-should-know-about-the-eus-plan-to-tap-your-savings Supporters say it would let Europeans make online payments without relying on US payment system, but critics fear it would allow governments to surveil citizens' payments. How would the digital euro work? https://www.thelocal.com/20260211/replacement-for-cash-how-the-new-digital-euro-would-work-for-europeans Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:58:55 +0100 replacement-for-cash-how-the-new-digital-euro-would-work-for-europeans Austria will cut VAT on selected staple foods to 4.9 percent from July 1st, aiming to ease household costs. Here's what's getting cheaper (and what will still be expensive). https://www.thelocal.com/20260129/what-austrias-new-lower-vat-on-food-could-mean-for-your-shopping-bill Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:30:38 +0100 what-austrias-new-lower-vat-on-food-could-mean-for-your-shopping-bill If you’re eyeing a career move to Germany or already living here as a foreign resident, 2026 is shaping up to be an intriguing and largely positive year for salaries. https://www.thelocal.com/20251126/whats-a-good-salary-in-germany-in-2026 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:14:07 +0100 whats-a-good-salary-in-germany-in-2026 Germany is known for having a substantial support system, especially for families with kids. So how much do parents tend to spend on childcare and how does it stack up against other countries in Europe? https://www.thelocal.com/20260127/how-does-the-price-of-childcare-in-germany-compare-to-countries-in-europe Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:51:18 +0100 how-does-the-price-of-childcare-in-germany-compare-to-countries-in-europe Italy's parliament approved the final 2026 budget on Tuesday, including an income tax cut for around 13.6 million middle-income earners. https://www.thelocal.com/20251230/italy-approves-2026-budget-with-tax-cut-for-middle-earners Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:42:14 +0100 italy-approves-2026-budget-with-tax-cut-for-middle-earners If you're renting in Germany, you may have heard about a tenants' association - or Mieterverein. But you may not be aware that joining one could help save you money in the long run. https://www.thelocal.com/20240910/how-a-german-mieterverein-can-help-you-reduce-your-rent Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:17:51 +0200 how-a-german-mieterverein-can-help-you-reduce-your-rent Buoyed by immigration, the Spanish economy has enjoyed positive headline figures in recent years and will continue to lead the way in the bloc in 2026, but Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez admits the benefits aren't yet trickling down to locals. https://www.thelocal.com/20251218/spain-to-be-fastest-growing-eu-economy-in-2026-but-benefits-not-trickling-down Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:32:33 +0100 spain-to-be-fastest-growing-eu-economy-in-2026-but-benefits-not-trickling-down If you want to get anything done at the bank in Spain, you better get there early, as the vast majority of 'bancos' close at 2pm and don't open after lunch. https://www.thelocal.com/20240930/why-do-banks-in-spain-close-so-early Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:28:28 +0200 why-do-banks-in-spain-close-so-early In most German states visitors can expect to pay a local tax for overnight stays at hotels. But a recent court ruling in Bavaria confirmed that hotel taxes may not be collected in the southern 'Free State'. https://www.thelocal.com/20251124/where-in-germany-youll-pay-hotel-tax-and-why-you-wont-in-bavaria Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:17:05 +0100 where-in-germany-youll-pay-hotel-tax-and-why-you-wont-in-bavaria As the Italian government moves to hike a contested flat tax on foreign income for wealthy new residents, here’s how the scheme works – and who can take advantage of it. https://www.thelocal.com/20251114/cr7-rule-what-is-italys-flat-tax-for-wealthy-foreign-residents Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:50:59 +0100 cr7-rule-what-is-italys-flat-tax-for-wealthy-foreign-residents Real estate prices are on the rise again, but some financial experts suggest that now is a good time to buy a home in Germany. So how much do you need to earn to purchase a house or apartment here? https://www.thelocal.com/20250819/how-much-do-you-need-to-earn-to-buy-a-home-in-germany Tue, 19 Aug 2025 19:00:34 +0200 how-much-do-you-need-to-earn-to-buy-a-home-in-germany Sweden's economy is growing much faster than expected, which experts believe could mean that the government's financial policy has done too much too soon, raising the risk of an interest rate hike in the future. https://www.thelocal.com/20251029/is-swedens-rapid-economic-recovery-bad-news Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:35:10 +0100 is-swedens-rapid-economic-recovery-bad-news The board of Sweden's ruling Moderate is calling on the party to vote on launching an inquiry into switch from the krona to the euro, although the party's vice-chair, finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson, doesn't think it will happen any time soon. https://www.thelocal.com/20251024/swedens-moderates-to-vote-on-pushing-for-euro-membership Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:05:32 +0200 swedens-moderates-to-vote-on-pushing-for-euro-membership Demonstrating financial stability, and not relying on certain welfare benefits, is among the basic requirements to gain German citizenship. We asked our readers if they thought this was fair, and some mentioned cases where it gets complicated. https://www.thelocal.com/20251016/responsibility-to-contribute-are-the-financial-requirements-for-german-citizenship-fair Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:55:30 +0200 responsibility-to-contribute-are-the-financial-requirements-for-german-citizenship-fair Norway, the world leader in the adoption of electric cars, wants to completely phase out its sales tax (VAT) exemption for zero-emission vehicles by 2027, the government announced on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20251015/norway-plans-to-scrap-tax-exemption-for-electric-vehicles-by-2027 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:29:42 +0200 norway-plans-to-scrap-tax-exemption-for-electric-vehicles-by-2027 An additional real-time security measure that comes into force on Thursday across the Eurozone puts the onus on users to ensure bank details of financial transfer recipients is accurate. https://www.thelocal.com/20250926/the-important-eu-banking-security-change-you-need-to-know-about Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:13:22 +0200 the-important-eu-banking-security-change-you-need-to-know-about As Italy emerges as one of Europe's top destinations for the super-rich, generous tax breaks are just one of the factors driving the trend. https://www.thelocal.com/20250915/why-are-so-many-millionaires-now-moving-to-italy Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:47:38 +0200 why-are-so-many-millionaires-now-moving-to-italy