Dispatches Europe

Expat Essentials

Getting your driving license in Brussels: Everything you need to know

25

Lifestyle & Culture

59 Rivoli: Where Paris turned a squat into an art form

50

Travel

Six alternative city breaks in Europe (and slightly beyond…)

44

Expat Essentials

Home improvement in the UK: What is ‘planning permission’ and do I need it?

57

Featured News

GLOBAL DISPATCHES

Daniel Thomas has spent months trying to unify the UK’s disparate far right to form a disciplined anti-migrant force.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband confirms the UK will ban the import of goods from Israeli settlements.

Belgium’s revelation that it had arrested a Chinese citizen on suspicion of stealing advanced microchip technology is fueling European anxiety about Beijing’s trade practices and quest for industrial secrets.

The Eiffel Tower was closed on Monday after staff went on strike over female workers being removed for the visit of a Hindu religious group, workers and management said.

Ursula von der Leyen backed Greenland's territorial integrity as she unveiled a €200 million investment package to counter pressure from Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to annex the mineral-rich island.

If tech firms such as Meta, Google and TikTok did not give the option to turn off algorithms, they should face "substantial" penalties, she said.

The Netherlands has moved billions of dollars of its gold reserves out of the United States and Canada, and transferred them to the United Kingdom amid global geopolitical tensions.

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BEST OF DISPATCHES

Cycling in the Netherlands: A practical guide for expatsEven in a busy city like Amsterdam, you can get pretty much anywhere in 10-25 minutes; you can leave whenever you want with no need to wait for public transport schedules; there are no extortionate parking fees to pay. Yes, the weather more than occasionally messes with the postcard image, but ultimately you get used to that. So, if you’re ready to embrace life on two wheels, here’re the basics you need to know.

Several awkward coffee dates and one happy ending: What dating in Spain taught a reserved British expatTo this rather reserved Brit who wasn’t used to the easy physicality of the Spanish, this came as something of a shock. Too much physical contact from someone who was, to me, still a stranger. It was an early lesson that everyday Spanish friendliness can feel surprisingly intimate to a Brit. She spoke English reasonably well, but the conversation went off the rails almost straight away. I opened with “qué tal?” (how are you?) and just got a one-word answer of “ok.”

Confused about Sweden’s new citizenship rules? Here’s what changedFor many expats living in Sweden, obtaining citizenship is a huge step in building a permanent life. But recent changes to the country’s citizenship laws effective 6 June have left many foreign residents wondering what the new rules mean for them. The good news is that not all of the proposed changes have taken effect yet. The bad news is that becoming a Swedish citizen is likely to become more challenging in the coming years. Here’s a breakdown of what has changed, and what’s still on the horizon.

Getting your driving license in Brussels: Everything you need to know

59 Rivoli: Where Paris turned a squat into an art form

Six alternative city breaks in Europe (and slightly beyond…)

Home improvement in the UK: What is ‘planning permission’ and do I need it?

Featured News

World Economic Forum: Which is the best country to be a working woman?

‘Smoother, faster, safer’: Billions in high-speed train projects planned across Europe

Dropbox expanding across EU, with jobs in Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris and other cities

GLOBAL DISPATCHES

BEST OF DISPATCHES

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Getting your driving license in Brussels: Everything you need to know

59 Rivoli: Where Paris turned a squat into an art form

Six alternative city breaks in Europe (and slightly beyond…)

Home improvement in the UK: What is ‘planning permission’ and do I need it?

Featured News

World Economic Forum: Which is the best country to be a working woman?

‘Smoother, faster, safer’: Billions in high-speed train projects planned across Europe

Dropbox expanding across EU, with jobs in Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris and other cities

GLOBAL DISPATCHES

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