Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The tax will affect passengers traveling to some of the biggest transit hubs in Europe, such as London and Frankfurt
On 12 October, during the budget approval process, the Belgian government decided to introduce a short-haul flight tax for passengers. The new tax will affect flights to destinations within 500 kilometres of Brussels. The move is supposed to boost the appeal of other means of transportation, like rail, while helping to cut down on carbon emissions.
The new tax will be between 4 and 6 euros and it will apply to all passengers flying through a Belgian airport. According to government projections, this should bring in around 30 million euros annually.
At the same time, the destinations that fill into the 500-kilometre radius, considered short-distance flights, are some of the busiest transport hubs in Europe. They include Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London, Stuttgart, Paris, Hamburg, and even Zurich in Switzerland.
The government has yet to announce any official guidelines for airports and airlines, or how it plans to collect the tax, however, Brussels Airlines should be the hardest hit by the measures, as most of their flights operate within that radius.
According to EUROCONTROL, the EU Organisation for Safety of Air Navigation, the carbon emissions produced by air travel have dropped by 56% across the EU, compared to September of 2019. This is, of course, due to the pandemic.
The sharpest decline happened in Findland (74.7%), Sweden (-74.3%) and Ireland (-71.1%). Meanwhile, the carbon emissions for Belgian based airlines showed a decrease of less than 20%.
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The previous mayor was forced out of office following a no-confidence vote in the city council
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
The German Aerospace Center in Cologne is looking for volunteers for its next bed rest study
Muksubussi is nature-friendly, too, so they provide 2-in-1 benefit
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
The intervention has affected the mountainous districts of the Catalan capital
Even an Eternal City had to start from somewhere
On this day 200 years ago, the great poet lost his life in the Balkan country where he had gone to fight for its liberty
Muksubussi is nature-friendly, too, so they provide 2-in-1 benefit
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