Europe – Page 3 – Zoom News

16Jun

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News

Labor Costs in Europe are Rising Fast

Labor costs in Europe are rising rapidly. In addition to a higher wage, employers also spend more money on social security contributions and taxes, reports the European statistical office Eurostat. According to the latest data, wage costs in the eurozone rose by 3.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year. Across the EU, costs for employers even rose by 3.7 percent. The Eurostat figures consist of two components. On the one hand, it is about salary. Wages rose on average in the eurozone by 2.7 percent. In addition, it concerns social contributions and taxes, whereby subsidies that are intended to reduce wage costs for employers are also included in that figure. This also concerns, for example, the corona support that employers have received. This part of the costs...

Swiss Airspace Closed for Several Hours Due to Computer Failure

15Jun

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Switzerland, Technology

Swiss Airspace Closed for Several Hours Due to Computer Failure

Switzerland's airspace was closed for about three hours on Wednesday morning for security reasons, due to an IT breakdown at Skyguide. At Geneva airport, all departing and inbound flights were suspended until 11 a.m. Two flights to Geneva were scheduled from Brussels Airport on Wednesday morning, one of which was cancelled and another was delayed. Many flights to Geneva or Zurich were diverted to airports in neighbouring countries, including Lyon, Milan and Vienna. The spokesman for air traffic controller Skyguide, Vladi Barrosa, informed the German news agency DPA that the company does not assume a cyber attack, but that a hardware problem was the cause of the breakdown.

Spanish Cabin Crew Ryanair to Lay Down Work at the End of June

13Jun

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News, Spain

Spanish Cabin Crew Ryanair to Lay Down Work at the End of June

The Spanish cabin crew of airline Ryanair will go on strike at the end of this month. Employees of the Irish low-cost fighter are laying down their jobs because the company refuses to negotiate higher wages. The Spanish trade unions are in talks with unions in Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal to organize actions throughout Europe. The strikes in Spain are scheduled for June 24, 25, 26 and 30 and July 1 and 2. Ryanair has walked away from the negotiating table after Spanish unions threatened work stoppages, according to Bloomberg. The news agency relies on a letter from personnel director Darrell Hughes of the price fighter. In it, Hughes says that the unions made "unrealistic demands" and "refused to engage in talks". In Italy, pilots and cabin crew of several budget airlines...

Next Week European Commission Advice on Ukraine Accession

9Jun

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Ukraine

Next Week European Commission Advice on Ukraine Accession

The European Commission is likely to issue an opinion next Friday on Ukraine's application to join the European Union. The leaders of the EU countries can then discuss it at their summit in Brussels a week later, the committee spokesman said. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Kyiv government's desire to become an EU member has only become more fervent. A large number of EU countries now want to grant this wish as soon as possible. They are aiming for the EU summit on 23 and 24 June to give Ukraine so-called candidate status, starting the arduous and time-consuming accession procedure. But countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and France are on the brakes. Rushing is at the expense of carefulness, they warn. At the beginning of March, the 27 member states decided to immediat...

Three Countries Help Investigation into War Crimes in Ukraine

31May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Ukraine

Three Countries Help Investigation into War Crimes in Ukraine

Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia join an international investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the war in Ukraine. The joint investigation team (JIT) already includes Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The cooperation should help to prosecute suspects. Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine in late February. Since then, reports have emerged of mass graves, summary executions and rapes by Russian soldiers. Ukraine has registered 15,000 war crimes since the start of the war. More than 600 suspects are in the picture for this, Ukrainian chief prosecutor Irina Venediktova said on Tuesday during the announcement of the new cooperation in The Hague. Last week, a 21-year-old Russian soldier was sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine f...

Schroder Yields to Political Pressure, Leaves Russian Rosneft

20May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, Germany, News, Russia

Schroder Yields to Political Pressure, Leaves Russian Rosneft

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has yielded to political pressure. He resigns from the Russian state oil group Rosneft. He was still chairman of the board of trustees at the largest oil company in the country, despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He now says that it is "impossible" to stay there, according to Rosneft. The German parliament decided a day earlier to scrap some privileges for the former head of government. The European Parliament even wants to impose sanctions on Schröder and other Kremlinge-minded ex-politicians. Schröder, 78, is damaging Germany's prestige in the world by not distancing himself from Russian President Vladimir Putin, and criticising the parliament in Berlin. He loses a state-paid office with staff.

UK Regulators Still Grappling With Brexit Impact

18May

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, Europe, News, UK

UK Regulators Still Grappling With Brexit Impact

Several UK regulators are still grappling with the impact of Brexit. They are constantly struggling with staff shortages. There is also often a lack of data that is necessary to be able to perform their work properly. According to a report from the National Audit Office, there would also be no clear long-term planning. Regulators such as the competition watchdog CMA, the food and commodity authority FSA and HSE, the body that monitors national health and safety at work, have been given additional work due to Brexit. The three have also received additional funding for this. As a result, the workforce has also expanded. Nevertheless, it is challenging for the authorities to attract people with specialist skills. Only a quarter of the vacancies for legal positions at the CMA had be...

Macron Sues: Reforms Proposed by Le Pen are Contrary to Constitution

18Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, France, News

Macron Sues: Reforms Proposed by Le Pen are Contrary to Constitution

French President Emmanuel Macron says the presidential election is not worth a regime change. In an interview with radio station France Culture, Macron lashes out at the proposals of his rival Marine Le Pen, which he describes as contrary to the French constitution. Next Sunday, the French will vote in the second round of the presidential elections. Just like five years ago, it is between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of the radical right Rassemblement Nationale. "Mrs Le Pen's proposals to revise the constitution are not in line with that constitution, and that is a problem," said the French president, who is running for a second five-year term. "Others do that in other countries. For example, you can change the regime as you see fit in Hungary, but I don't think you can." Ma...

Poland: More Than 2.5 Million Ukrainian Refugees

6Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Poland, Ukraine

Poland: More Than 2.5 Million Ukrainian Refugees

More than 2.5 million people have crossed the border between Ukraine and Poland since February 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. The Polish border control authority reports this. According to this agency, which provides updated data every morning, 485,000 people have also travelled the other way since the outbreak of the war. On Tuesday, there were still 471,000. In total, just over 2.52 million people have now come to Poland from Ukraine. On Tuesday, 21,000 crossed the border. That is an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous day when 18,500 people were involved. Before 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the Polish border guards counted about 4,700 refugees. United Nations figures show that nearly 4.28 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. Howev...

Spain Wants to Invest 11 Billion in Production of Microchips and Semiconductors

5Apr

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, News, Spain, Technology

Spain Wants to Invest 11 Billion in Production of Microchips and Semiconductors

The Spanish government plans to invest 11 billion euros in the production of microchips and semiconductors. "We want our country to join the leading industrial and technological progress group," said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The Spanish economy, which is mainly dependent on tourism, was hit hard during the corona pandemic. In addition, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions are also affecting the Spanish economy. Microchips are essential for the Spanish car industry, which is the second-largest in Europe. The card is being drawn towards more domestic chip production everywhere in the European Union. In this way, the dependence on imports can be reduced. The Commission aims to produce one-fifth of the global stock by 2030.