Newswire Lisbon: Data provided by the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security in Portugal show that foreign workers’ contributions to Portugal’s social security system are already sufficient to fund 17% of national pensions and retirements. In 2023 the Portuguese social security system disbursed 15.8 billion euros in benefits, with immigrants to the country injecting […]
Read MoreNewswire Brussels: Pakistan’s Chargé d’affaires in Belgium Faraz Zaidi met Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee, European Parliament, David McAllister here this week and discussed relations between Pakistan and European Union and avenues for deepening cooperation. They also shared views on matters of regional and global importance. In a post on X, Faraz Zaidi said, “A […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, met UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari this week. They exchanged views on a number of issues on the Security Council’s agenda including the Middle East, Afghanistan and UN’s role therein, according to a press release of the Pakistani Mission. Last week, […]
Read MoreNewswire Saint-Denis De La Reunion: The authorities in France’s La Reunion this week launched a probe to identify fraudsters who scammed a woman out of €830,000 (S$1.17 million) by making her believe she had an online relationship with actor Brad Pitt. The police are trying to locate the accounts that received the transfers from the […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: In 2025, an increasing demand is expected for Portugal’s Golden Visa Program from North America as well as the United Kingdom. The demand from the Asian market is expected to remain consistent throughout 2025. In 2025, authorities in Portugal are aiming to streamline the processing of applications to meet the surge in demand […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: A flight operated by state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) took off for Paris from Islamabad this week as the carrier resumed direct flights to Europe following the lifting of a European Union ban. The EU blocked PIA in 2020 after one of its Airbus A-320s crashed in the southern Pakistani city of […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: VFS Global this week vowed to help Portugal resolve its visa backlog. The company’s announcement came following delays in processing work visa applications in particular for Brazilians in Portugal. The processing of work visa applications for Brazilians in Portugal sometimes exceeds 200 days. The outsourcing and technology company for governments and diplomatic missions, […]
Read MoreNewswire Brussels: The first-ever bilateral framework agreement between the EU and its member states and Japan, the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), entered into force this week. This milestone agreement will guide future engagement between the parties and ensure closer political and economic cooperation on an array of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. Thanks to the […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: The Minister of State and for Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, said this week that the government is attempting to streamline the entry of some workers from other countries. He noted that the labour shortages with which Portugal is dealing remain an unresolved problem. In a bid to deal with the labour shortages, […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: The European Union (EU) office this week issued a “scam alert” to warn Pakistanis about “criminal organisations” spreading misleading information about visa and consular appointments via fake entries of embassies and telephone numbers. Taking to X, the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan stated that its “diplomatic missions in Islamabad have […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: Tourism Schools in Portugal will train immigrants who want to work in the sector, in a program that starts in January. Those selected will receive a monthly scholarship of €522.50 and travel assistance. The training program for immigrants who want to work in the tourism sector – which the Government announced as one […]
Read MoreNewswire Sofia: It’s been a rocky road to Schengen membership for both eastern European countries. As of 1 January 2025, Romania and Bulgaria will officially become full-time members of the Schengen Area, which allows free movement between member states for 450 million citizens. The two countries have been members of the European Union (EU) since […]
Read MoreNewswire Sofia: Bulgaria and Greece have agreed on the details on how to completely abolish border controls between them, according to a communique by the Bulgarian interior ministry published on Wednesday (11 December). The two countries declared their readiness to lift border controls on 1 January 2025, at a meeting between their police services at […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Pakistanis lodged 28,000 applications for international protection in the European Union Plus countries between October 2023 and October this year, the EU’s Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said in a Pakistan-specific report. The monthly figures have followed a downward trend since reaching a peak in October last year, when Pakistanis lodged around 3,400 […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, António Leitão Amaro this week, unfolded plans to accelerate the process of issuing work visas to immigrants. Portugal is currently dealing with labour shortages in several sectors amid ongoing visa delays. Portugal aims to grant work visas to immigrants in less than a […]
Read MoreNewswire Brussels: European interior ministers met in Brussels this week, where they voted to allow Bulgaria and Romania fully into the Schengen area, dropping borders between the two countries and the rest of Europe. The decision will be valid as of January 1, 2025. “It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania,” […]
Read MoreAthens: Five migrants died this week when a migrant boat sank off Crete, Greece’s coastguard said, leaving 40 people reportedly missing while 39 survivors were rescued. The boat sank 12 nautical miles southwest of the island, according to ERTNEWS, which reported the 40 missing. A huge rescue operation involving vessels and aircraft was underway in […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan and the European Union this week agreed to continue cooperation on emerging challenges of food, energy security, and climate change, underlining sustained engagement, particularly in areas such as trade, migration, human rights, political, economic and development cooperation with a focus on the Global Gateway strategy. The bilateral relations and cooperation were […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: Portugal has experienced its hottest-ever November, the country’s meteorological agency said this week, the average air temperature 2.69C higher than the average for 1981-2010. The average temperature for November was 15.14C, the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) said. “November has been the hottest month recorded” since the institute began collecting such […]
Read MoreNewswire Athens: The smart traffic cameras aim to curb violations, reduce accidents, and boost overall road safety in Greece. Greece has announced the rollout of an ambitious nationwide smart traffic camera system, in a bid to further enhance road safety and reduce traffic violations in a country notorious for its dangerous drivers and roads. The […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif this week announced that the European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have lifted the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for flights to Europe. In 2020, after a PIA plane crash in Karachi killed nearly 100, followed by a fake pilot licence scandal, the EASA banned […]
Read MoreNewswire Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Rome this week. The two leaders discussed several challenges facing the European Union. ‘Old friendship, new chapter, big plans,’ Orbán wrote in a post on X following the meeting. During their discussions, Meloni congratulated Orbán on Hungary’s successful EU Presidency, highlighting […]
Read MoreParis: French President Emmanuel Macron said this week he will stay on “until the end” of his five-year term, until May 2027, after a no-confidence vote in parliament toppled the government. Speaking to the nation in a televised address on Thursday, Macron said he would name a new prime minister in the “coming days”. “The […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: Portugal has won the award for “Best Golf Destination in the World” at the World Golf Awards 2024 in Funchal, and has also scooped the prize for “Best Golf Destination in Europe” for the third year running. The announcement came this afternoon, with Turismo de Portugal attributing the country’s success “to the integrated […]
Read MoreNewswire Brussels: In a show of solidarity following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union offered the prospect of eventual membership to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, signaling to the Kremlin that these countries are not within its sphere of influence. When United States President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January, […]
Read MoreFrancesco Fontemaggi Paris: France this week showed off to the world the gleaming restored interior of Notre Dame cathedral, just over a week before the 850-year-old mediaeval edifice reopens following painstaking restoration after the devastating 2019 fire. President Emmanuel Macron conducted an inspection of the restoration, broadcast live on television, saying workers had done the […]
Read MoreNewswire Sofia: Bulgaria is confidently moving towards its goal in tourism for 2024 – to attract 13 million visitors by the end of the year and achieve 14 billion in tourism revenue, which will set a new standard for success in the sector, the Tourism Ministry said. National Statistical Institute (NSI) data confirm that 2024 […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: In an effort to contribute more to social integration and public benefit, authorities in Portugal have unfolded plans to launch the new Solidarity Golden Visa. Although it has yet to be approved when it will enter into force, this program would grant residency to wealthy internationals, provided they make an investment of at […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Brussels: Romania and Bulgaria are poised to gain full Schengen Area membership by early 2025, following Austria’s decision to lift its opposition. This agreement, reached during ministerial discussions, paves the way for unrestricted travel across land borders, complementing their existing air and maritime access. Romania and Bulgaria are on track to become full […]
Read MoreBuenos Aires: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Javier Milei met in Buenos Aires after the G20 summit in Brazil to discuss strengthening ties between Italy and Argentina. This marked Meloni’s first bilateral meeting in Latin America since taking office in 2022—a choice she emphasized was no coincidence during their joint press conference. Both leaders […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: With 12.22 billion euros produced, it increased by 14% compared to the previous year, thus escaping the downward trend of 1.5% recorded in European Union. In 2023, agricultural production in the EU was valued at €537.1 billion at base prices, which represents a 1.5% decrease compared to the previous year (€545.4 billion), according […]
Read MoreBrussels: The EU Commission this week predicted a slight increase in growth in the eurozone currency union and a continued fall in inflation in 2025. However, the commission also pointed to risks arising from geopolitical tensions, as well as weak investment and a high cost of living. The EU Commission’s forecasts showed eurozone growth ticking […]
Read MoreZoe Williams Lisbon: If you walk along the south banks of the Douro River in Vila Nova de Gaia, opposite Porto city, towards the sea, the scene will be classic Portugal for a while: a lot of waterside restaurants, a lot of grilled chicken, some stalls selling unlikely items made of cork (aprons?). A little […]
Read MoreBrussels: The European Commission published this week its report on progress made by candidates to become members of the European Union on the road to fulfilling all the necessary criteria. UKRAINE: Ukraine applied for EU membership several days after it was invaded by Russia in February 2022, and was granted candidate status in June that […]
Read MoreNewswire Budapest: The EU must focus on setting its own house in order, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said this week, citing tariffs, competitiveness and defence as the most pressing issues the bloc faces as it comes to terms with Donald Trump’s election win. Trump’s return to power poses a major challenge for the European […]
Read MoreParis: Europe must be willing to take charge of its own destiny, the French government spokeswoman said this week, as Donald Trump won the US presidential election. “We must not ask ourselves what the United States will do, but what Europe is capable of doing. In a number of key sectors – defense, industrial recovery, […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: A memorial plaque honoring the millions of victims of the 1932-1933 Holodomor genocide in Ukraine was unveiled in Lisbon on October 23, with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska in attendance. A dispatch from the event was provided by Pavlo Sadokha, Vice-President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and President of the Union of […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Lahore: Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan welcomed the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan, Ms. Riina Kionka, to the Punjab Assembly this week. Also present at the meeting were Secretary General Chaudhry Aamir Habib, EU Team Leader Sebastien Lorion, and Faisal Butter, Provincial Coordinator for the Sustainable Parliament Project. The meeting […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Danish renewables developer European Energy A/S has officially opened a 3-MW green hydrogen production facility that will supply Port Esbjerg and will later form part of a 12-MW electrolysis complex. The first electrolyser using the technology of Denmark’s Stiesdal A/S was installed in the summer and successfully passed through the commissioning phase, […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: A recent study by McKinsey highlights that Portugal must retrain around 1.3 million workers, about 30% of its workforce, by 2030 to adopt generative AI and close its productivity gap with the rest of the European Union. Portugal has long struggled with low productivity, which has contributed minimally to GDP growth compared to […]
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