Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
It may lead to trash accumulation at the peak of the tourist season
Algarve Tourism Board head João Fernandes has warned that the region runs an “enormous risk” of being left with uncollected trash due to a new waste management regime which will come into effect on 1 January 2022. The new law will make it mandatory for large waste-producing businesses to have their trash managed and collected by private companies instead of the municipal waste system.
The measure will affect those companies that produce more than 1,100 litres of waste a day, which would therefore affect establishments, such as hotels, restaurants and retail. In turn, Mr Fernandes argues that this would increase the operational costs of these business operations, on one hand, and on the other, it would create operational issues as there are simply not enough private waste-collecting firms.
According to Lusa News Agency, João Fernandes gave the example of a campsite in the region, which would pay 800 euros a month at the municipal waste services in Portimão but would see the bill rise to 6,000 euros a month, or "seven times more" with a private company providing the same service.
What’s more, there just aren’t enough companies to handle the demand for such services in the opinion of the Tourism Board President. In his view, the current private operators do not have that kind of capacity and the time allowed for the market to readjust to the new rules is insufficient.
The new law is a result of the transposition of an EU directive on waste management to the Portuguese legal system. Supposedly, there is an exception clause, which allows a company to request the municipal waste collecting services if it can show proof that five private operators have refused to provide the service.
According to Mr Fernandes, however, collecting such documentation is quite burdensome since the Portuguese Environment Agency also has to give its ‘opinion’ on each case.
He recommended that the authorities allowed for a longer grace period and revise their definition of what constitutes a large waste producer in a way that will not impede the operation of the tourism industry. The latter is quite important for the economic vitality of the southern region of Algarve.
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
It will serve as a virtual companion to the municipal network of libraries in the country
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
The city thinks that it’s time to update pet-related street cleanliness rules for the 21st century
Experimenting with public transport provision in Germany is clearly in a state of creative fervour
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The benefit will last until the Dutch parliament adopts the transgender law
Experimenting with public transport provision in Germany is clearly in a state of creative fervour
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team