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Croatia invests in tourism and infrastructure amidst recession
DestinationsMay 3 (Bloomberg) — The recession in Croatia, which will join the European Union in July, will continue this year as private consumption and investment fall before returning to modest growth in 2014, the European Commission said. Gross domestic product will contract 1 percent in 2013 as domestic demand continues to decline, while net exports [...]
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EU lifts all Myanmar sanctions, expect big investment rush in travel industry
DestinationsThe European Union agreed on Monday to lift all sanctions on Myanmar, except for an arms embargo, despite a Human Rights Watch report which accused authorities of complicity in the mass killing of Muslims in the west of the country last year. Lifting the sanctions gives more certainty to European firms contemplating investments in one [...]
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Israeli airlines strikes as government approves plan to increase competition
TransportIsrael’s Cabinet on Sunday approved a deal to allow more EU flights, hours after the country’s airlines went on strike out of concerns that the agreement would cost them jobs and possibly even ruin their companies. The approval of “Open Skies” raised the possibility of a longer, broader strike by Israel’s major labor union. Already, [...]
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Eurostar’s 2013 revenues rise this quarter, even without Olympic crowds
DestinationsPromotional campaigns helped Eurostar to maintain revenues during the first three months of this year. The high speed rail service between the UK and mainland Europe reported a 1% rise in revenues, up to £213m from £211m in the same period last year. Business travel struggled due to lingering economic uncertainty throughout Europe, the company [...]
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EU rules that airlines must pay fliers for delays three hours or longer
TransportAirlines must compensate passengers on connecting flights who arrive at least three hours late at their final destination, the European Union’s highest court said in a ruling the industry said may backfire on travelers. “The fact that the original flight was not delayed beyond the limits laid down by EU law does not affect the [...]
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Industry report suggests airlines made profits from contested EU carbon tax
TransportAirlines made windfall profits of up to €1.36bn (£1.2bn) last year from a EU carbon tax they claimed would impose crippling costs on industry, according to a report into the measure’s impact on the industry. The EU backed off on plans to charge airlines for their carbon pollution after ferocious opposition from American, Chinese, Russian [...]
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EU pilots and cabin crew look for protection from fatigue and overwork
TransportPilot and cabin crew organizations are calling for better protection against in-flight fatigue in planned European Union legislation. Pilots and crew members on Tuesday staged demonstrations in several European airports and handed over petitions to authorities, saying that proposals to harmonize EU legislation would force them to fly excessive hours and threaten the safety of [...]
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Cambodia and Thailand take first step toward creating an EU-like visa scheme in Asia
DestinationsFrom today, tourists from 35 countries need only apply for one visa to visit both Thailand and Cambodia. This is part of Acmecs Single Visa – the first step toward an Asean version of the European Union’s Schengen Visa scheme. Visitors who want to visit both countries can apply for a visa at either country’s [...]
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U.S. Congress passes law to ban domestic airlines from complying with EU emissions rules
TransportThe House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to bar airlines from complying with a European Union law that would force them to pay for their carbon emissions one day after the EU offered to stop the clock on enforcing the measure. The bill, which was the first piece of legislation to be debated on the [...]
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Want to be a European? Hungary puts EU citizenship up for sale
DestinationsU.S., Oct. 30 — Hungarian lawmakers came up with a very creative way to deal with the country’s financial crisis – now any foreigner can obtain permanent residency and ultimately Hungarian citizenship by simply purchasing Hungarian government bonds wo…
