Traffic disruptions are anticipated on the Franco-Luxembourg border in Audun-le-Tiche on Friday morning due to a planned protest The demonstration is expected to impact the roundabout on the main traffic route in the centre of Audun-le-Tiche The protest is in response to a new tax measure introduced this year which particularly affects cross-border workers The measure has significant implications for couples living in the same household but working in different countries According to the Committee for the Defence of the Interests of Luxembourg Cross-Border Workers (CDIFL) the new tax regulation could result in affected individuals paying up to €3,000 more annually The CDIFL is urging the repeal of the measure and calling for enhanced cooperation between Luxembourg and France to address such cross-border issues FOTOGALERIE others in close proximity to the Grand Duchy fared much worse As far as Luxembourg’s neighbouring Lorraine region is concerned, the rankings show that Metz, the capital of the Moselle department, has dropped five places in one year, slipping from 33rd to 38th place nationally, while Nancy, the capital of Meurthe-et-Moselle, continues its own downward slide, moving from 112th to 124th between years. The methodology of the ranking is questionable, as the criteria analysed may penalise the communes in the north of Lorraine because of their distance from France’s major urban centres. Despite this, there are communes that manage to shine. Mey and Peltre municipalities may seem a long way from the border because of their proximity to Metz rather than Thionville, but given the growing number of cross-border workers from Moselle, the Metz area is increasingly seen as being 'on the border' with the Grand Duchy. This is evidenced by the growing number of cross-border commuters who travel to Metz to take the train to Luxembourg, or who use the nearby A31 motorway. The two communities stand out, as they have for several years. Mey and Peltre are both regulars in the top five of their respective categories. As last year, Mey tops the national ranking for villages with between 0 and 500 inhabitants (out of 18,344) - though at departmental level, it comes 37th out of 725 communes, as towns are given more prominence in the departmental rankings. The second darling in the Metz area is Peltre, number four nationally in the 500-2,000 inhabitants category (out of 11,107 communes), having been number one in 2020 and 2021, then number two in 2022. Peltre is 17th at departmental level. It is no surprise, given its size, that Thionville is ranked 2nd, both in terms of the number of inhabitants in the department, but also in the ranking of towns and villages where it is good to live in Moselle. Nationally, the sub-prefecture is ranked 174th. Other towns in the surrounding area also do well: Hayange, for example, is ranked 5th at departmental level, first in its category of towns with 10,000 to 20,000 inhabitants in Moselle and 111th out of 514 in the same category at national level. There are also towns popular with cross-border commuters such as Fameck (12th at departmental level), Yutz (16th), Florange (18th), Hagondange (21st) and Uckange (22nd). One border area is much less well represented in Lorraine: the Pays Haut, and in particular the part located in Meurthe-et-Moselle. While Longwy, the main town in this area, ranks 20th out of 591 communes in the department, it is second-bottom (7th) among towns with 10,000 to 20,000 inhabitants in Meurthe-et-Moselle. Last is Villerupt, 513th out of 514 nationally in this category. Mont-Saint-Martin, 39th in Meurthe-et-Moselle, is just 19th out of 22 departmental towns with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants. For its part, Hussigny-Godbrange is last in the category of 3,500-5,000 inhabitants in Meurthe-et-Moselle and 921st out of 969 in France. Overall, the Pays Haut is heavily penalised in the ranking. On the Moselle side, Audun-le-Tiche also ranks near last in its category of 5,000-10,000 inhabitants in the department and comes in at 1,131th out of 1,163 nationally. The presence of the Pays-Haut municipalities in the depths of their respective rankings can be explained in particular by the ranking taking into account only facilities present on French territory Even though the inhabitants of this catchment area benefit from the proximity of the border such as Findel airport and the shops and services on the other side of the border The remoteness of urban centres is also a penalising factor: the only town classed as big on French territory within easy reach is Thionville - 32km from Audun-le-Tiche (This story was first published by Virgule. Translation and editing by Alex Stevensson.) EconomyFrench premier says referendum may be needed for reform plan It is essential for the country to balance its public finances, Bayrou said FranceFar-right Bardella confirms 2027 presidential bid if Le Pen is barredMarine Le Pen may be barred from the 2027 race over an embezzlement conviction she’s appealing. 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EconomyFrench and Spanish inflation undershoot, backing ECB rate cutsFriday’s data provide early indication of momentum in Europe this month, before publications from other major member-states next week Advertiser contentTreat yourself to a stress-free holidayDreaming of a worry-free trip What if the secret to a smooth getaway was simply good preparation and the right protection Advertiser contentReal estate: Why should you take advantage of the start of 2025 to begin your real estate project?The main things we remember about the housing sector over the past 12 months are the rise in interest rates and the fall in property prices Advertiser contentProperty: I've decided to invest!The various forms of government support for investment Advertiser contentThe Luxembourg Times BusinessRun is happening again on 18th September!On Thursday 18th September with the starting gun of the 11th Luxembourg Times BusinessRun fired at the Coque at 7 pm Share this with instagramShare this with facebookShare this with linkedinSections Thousands of people drive through Audun-le-Tiche every day to cross the Luxembourg border.“We're all cross-border workers, or we all used to be,” said Ingrid Joliat, one of the deputy mayors of Audun-le-Tiche. Her main job is in the education sector, on the Luxembourg side of the border. “This tax treaty hasn’t been applied for years, but the prospect of tax increases of the order of a few hundred to a few thousand euros for certain mixed-income households is beginning to emerge.” “For cross-border commuters with mixed incomes this tax treaty will lead to a significant increase in tax The president of the CDIFL is calling for a further suspension because in his view the aim of this agreement is “to bring in money on the backs of cross-border commuters” he was above all calling on the French government to keep its promise “It undertook to carry out an impact study which unfortunately is nowhere to be found So we’re demanding this document and that they suspend the agreement for the time being.” Further protests could follow if their concerns are not taken seriously The targeted disruption on Friday was intended to “make a mark” used pedestrian crossings to disrupt traffic at the roundabout at Micheville The activists had earlier set up a marquee donned yellow vests and equipped themselves with flags bearing the CDIFL logo and be brave,” said a driver with a Luxembourg number plate coming from Villerupt during the first few minutes of the protest prompting contrasting reactions: some people honked their horns waved and slowed to a near halt even when the road was clear to express their support “But it’s for you that we’re doing this!” one protester replied in response to a rude comment from a motorist but when they get the nice sheet of paper from Bercy they won’t be grumbling about us in a few months’ time thousands of euros more in tax,” said Gérard a pensioner and former cross-border worker Apart from giving a few warnings and safety instructions did not intervene to hinder the demonstration (This article was originally published by Virgule. 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The rent is €900 per month You have 84.14% of this article left to read Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article merci de contacter notre service commercial Katy Lee is a freelance journalist based between Paris and London and host of the award-winning podcast “The Europeans.” residents woke up one morning last October to an eerie and impressive sight: a mountain of decomposing waste former mining and metal-working towns on the French side of the border had witnessed illegal garbage dumping Trucks arrived on the outskirts of towns laden with everything from plastic and food packaging to construction rubble and old washing machines Europe’s open borders seem to be facilitating a growing business in illegal garbage-dumping The town of Haucourt-Moulaines is now home to a 500-metric-ton mountain of illegally dumped garbage while others have appeared in nearby Hayange and there’s no street lighting at night They’re perfect dumping grounds” — Gaultier Berera “I just don’t understand how people can do this,” said Jessica Dautruche who reported the grim discovery in Rédange to the police The 43-year-old former care worker combed through the trash pile It didn’t take her long to draw a connection with Brecht a Belgian town on the outskirts of Antwerp takeout flyers — they all indicated the garbage had come from there When she first called the local authorities “they just didn’t want to hear about it,” said Dautruche “And because it took ages to even get the authorities to come and take a look at it Since the first few truckloads were deposited in Rédange three months ago adding to a festering heap that now weighs more than 200 metric tons and stretches tens of meters across A barrier on the road between Rédange and Villerupt forbids people from dumping trash and there’s no street lighting at night,” said Gaultier Berera For people and companies looking to get rid of waste that would be expensive to dispose of legally these border towns have long been an ideal place to quickly and quietly get rid of garbage factories and processing sites that have lain empty since the 1980s or longer there is a plenty of space and little oversight Perpetrators were usually individuals from across the border who might fling a few black garbage bags out of their cars to avoid fees for producing too much waste or bar owners and construction workers surreptitiously dumping their bottles and rubble in the forest in order to skip their own fees The kind of large-scale organized dumping that is taking place today is new “There’s been a real explosion in the amount of waste crossing the border over the past two years,” said Thomas Daguin the customs chief of France’s northern Lorraine region whose patrol covers parts of France’s borders with Belgium and Germany as well as Luxembourg French customs officers carrying out vehicle checks near the border have been on the lookout for drugs or trafficked cigarettes they’ve been stumbling upon cars loaded with garbage instead “If there’s hazardous material in there — batteries paint — this can leach and pollute the groundwater and the soil” — Ioannis Bakas Daguin’s agents reported 7 metric tons of waste illegally trafficked into France this had shot up to 139 metric tons — about the weight of a blue whale but Daguin said they are likely to confirm the upward trend It’s unclear why the dumping has increased so rapidly although officials suggest it may be linked to the rising cost of proper waste treatments This is not the first time that European garbage has gone astray despite some of the most stringent waste-disposal legislation in the world. In 2018, the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph reported that thousands of metric tons of British plastic waste were being imported to Poland by a “trash mafia” and burned instead of recycled When gendarmes and customs officers from France and Luxembourg launched a coordinated crackdown on vehicles carrying waste across the border in late January they found 2.5 metric tons in just a couple of hours Daguin said he has increased patrols on roads often used by polluters and law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border have started exchanging intelligence on the issue French authorities in November opened a criminal investigation into the industrial-scale dumping operation taking place in towns like Rédange Gautier Berera stands in front of a mound of decomposing garbage While the investigation is still in its early stages a man caught driving a dump truck full of waste in October told police he worked for Belgian logistics company named Mondial Services according to Rédange Mayor Daniel Cimarelli and head of the local towns’ association Andre Parthenay Few traces of the firm can be found online although the Brussels-based company is listed as active on business registries Mondial Services did not respond to multiple attempts to contact them At the firm’s registered address in central Brussels — which is home to a corporate domiciliation service that registers and hosts mailboxes for dozens of businesses in exchange for a monthly fee — the office manager confirmed Mondial Services is still headquartered in Brussels but told POLITICO his team has had a hard time trying to reach the company in recent months another driver was questioned by police after he was found dumping garbage in Hayange He also said he worked for Mondial Services but the waste itself came from another Belgian firm which promises “fast and proper” waste treatment on its website the town whose name appeared on all the receipts and junk mail found by Dautruche on the trash heap A company representative said the company did not wish to comment on the case to the media A third company, the Luxembourg-based transport provider Jost Group, became caught up in the investigation after it emerged that its vehicles had been used to dump waste across the border. The company apologized for its involvement in a statement on its website and insisted it had no idea its trucks were being used to dump waste illegally “We have worked with the police to stop this,” a spokesman said “We take environmental issues very seriously.” the trash heap in Rédange continues to rot Like the garbage mountains in neighboring towns which means that it is officially the owner’s responsibility to sort it out But disposing safely of this already-putrid waste could cost hundreds of thousands of euros the owner has so far decided to let it sit there Rédange Mayor Daniel Cimarelli says he is worried the town’s image will suffer from its unwelcome new landmark surveying the mass of rotting household waste deposited on what used to be the town’s iron ore-processing site He’s frustrated by a lack of interest from authorities in addressing the waste problem The issue is complicated by the fact that his town sits between two French départements as well as on the border of two countries “That has made difficult to know who’s in charge of sorting this out,” he said “Once upon a time there were [systematic] customs checks here — trucks couldn’t just come and go like this,” Cimarelli added the mayor refuses to blame open borders for what has happened Jessica Dautruche is concerned about the impact of the trash on local wildlife Italian — I am a convinced European,” he said “But I would like Europe to see this problem.” There are health concerns to worry about too admits she is particularly galled by the potential impact on wildlife She has little hope that the problem is going to be resolved any time soon it’s that living next to such a stark symbol of over-consumption has encouraged her to check her own habits “I really try to consume as little as possible — I make my own cleaning products performers and cultural venues are hoping for extra cash to keep industry afloat Restarting education and child care are key for economic recovery — but could create new virus hot spots Inside the Parisian suburb earning unwelcome comparisons to Molenbeek Over 192,000 people commute to Luxembourg from the Greater Region for work Shutterstock the decision to move in 2005 from Luxembourg City to Audun-le-Tiche was motivated by his then partner’s pet dog it was difficult to find rental accommodation with dogs and kids,” he recalls They bought a house a mere ten-minute walk from the town’s CFL train station Not able to speak French confidently at the time Crowley left most of the administrative tasks to his French partner was tough and there were times he felt isolated “I felt I couldn’t go out and meet people because I didn’t feel confident in my language skills Going out in Luxembourg was difficult because I would have to drive home.” particularly when they had children and Crowley had to interact more with school staff While the school his children attend follows the French curriculum it is as diverse as any school you’ll find in Luxembourg His daughter recently told him of a new classmate who did not speak French very well “They are totally unselfconscious about the idea of speaking a second language at home.” Living in France forced Crowley to learn other things too a move which proved critical when the trains were replaced with buses “Everyone has a car and you get used to driving.” he was fluent enough in French to be able to handle the administrative tasks on his own he finds himself spending more time in Luxembourg than France With just 27 kilometres between home and work the distance wouldn’t be an issue if public transport were better or if there was no traffic is the hidden cost of having a bigger house and garden for the children “Because if you’re spending 2-5 hours per day on the road but you’re too tired to talk to them when you get in.” was the growing demand for childcare and pressure on the local after-school system as a result of families moving to the Greater Region “There’s been a boom because of the families moving there.” chose to apply for work in Luxembourg after the 22 March 2016 Brussels attacks She was finishing her masters in the Belgian capital and had been minutes away when the attack occurred at the Maelbeek metro station Luxembourg seemed a safer option and when she landed a job “Since I already lived in Brussels and had the titre de séjour [resident permit] I thought it would just be a matter of changing address,” she recalled Located 35 kilometres from Luxembourg City ­Arlon is proving increasingly popular with expats the number of foreign nationals living there more than doubled from 2014 to 2018 shared house where she paid €450 for a private bedroom especially if you don’t have the best salary and you’re at the stage where you’re still junior,” she said The low cost of housing meant that when things didn’t work out in her job she had enough saved to cover rent until she landed a new one all savings which gave her a bit of extra margin to enjoy the “many good restaurants in Arlon” Among the fond memories she shared of the year she lived in Arlon was the Maitrank festival a street party when bars serve a traditional flavoured wine Chirilà spent her free time hanging out with people in Luxembourg she found she had to turn down invitations “I remember there was a film festival in the city but I couldn’t go because I couldn’t get the train back I was close to crying.” Trains turned out to be a recurring issue of a life split between Arlon and Luxembourg Delays meant that it could take her up to an hour and a half door to door to reach work and she was frequently late was receiving a surprise bill for €248 from the local council for waste disposal and sewerage Chirilà eventually bit the bullet and rented a flat in Luxembourg City through a contact especially for people starting their career,” she said British national Karen Tomasi lived the cross-border life for three years when she bought a house in Perl-Besch choosing her travel times carefully to avoid getting caught in tailbacks While pros included the chance to live in a beautiful part of Germany as most of her friends were in Luxembourg as was her daughter’s school Tomasi said there were times she just used the house to sleep in After an interim period back in Luxembourg she dismissed Belgium and France because of the taxes and construction quality a small town not far from where she lived previously two-bedroom flat with breathtaking views over the Moselle and vineyards for €250,000 I took time to think about it and thought ‘I need another passport’.” ­Tomasi will have notched up 20 years’ residency in Luxembourg enabling her to apply for Luxembourg nationality under certain conditions She now lets out the flat to tenants and is finding her way through German administration for filing taxes not an easy task when you don’t speak German “It’s not like you’re moving to an international German city where they speak English,” she said Tomasi does not rule out one day living in Perl the number of expat cross-border workers has almost tripled over the last 15 years from 5,600 to 15,500 (900 of which are Luxembourgers) a Hungarian IT worker who coordinates the local Inter­Nations meetups we were getting 10-15 people attending our events before renting a 60-square-metre flat for €380 per month and then eventually buying a flat but for an equivalent apartment in the city it would have cost up to €2,000 per month with charges you can have a house in Trier with a private swimming pool,” he said Salem says he splits his social life between Luxembourg and Trier It helps that he has a car and is less reliant on public transport the frequency of trains between Trier and Luxembourg is expected to increase from one per hour to two He added that he often encounters Germans who speak English With foreigners making up 14.1% of the city’s population the commune has introduced German language courses for this new community There’s also a council lobbying for the interests of foreign citizens and the commune sponsors and supports initiatives to make foreigners feel welcome in Trier With public transport and infrastructure improvements planned and no sign that Luxembourg house prices will stabilise the trend for expats moving over the border only looks set to continue Retail Chaussea notified the Autorité de la concurrence of its plan to take over 71 stores formerly operated under the Chauss’expo banner Chaussea operates stores offering affordable footwear for men The 71 Chauss’expo stores taken over as part of the transaction are also active in the same sector The transaction is part of court-ordered liquidation proceedings (liquidation judiciaire) at the end of which the Lille Métropole Commercial Court decided to assign the aforementioned assets to Chaussea two key players in the affordable town footwear retail market where large specialist retailers (such as Besson Gémo and La Halle) operate alongside major food retailers the Autorité examined whether the planned takeover by Chaussea was likely to restrict competition in areas with stores operated by both banners the Autorité identified competition risks in the catchment areas surrounding the Chauss’expo in Audun-le-Tiche (57) Dunkirk – Petite Synthe and Quaëdypre (59) the transaction was likely to affect competition and there was a risk of price rises or a reduced offering to the detriment of consumers given the significant combined market share of the parties and the lack of sufficient alternatives Chaussea has undertaken to divest stores in each of the areas concerned to one or more competitors * “OR” indicates that Chaussea may divest either of the stores indicated for each of the areas concerned Where an offer is received for both of the stores The commitments will ensure that sufficient competition is maintained and that consumer interests are protected in the local retail markets for affordable town footwear The proposed buyers will need to be approved by the Autorité which will ensure their ability to provide a credible affordable footwear retailing alternative in each of the areas concerned The commitments are intended to safeguard adequate local competition The aim is to allow a competitor to take over the stores and their activities in order to safeguard competition in the area concerned thereby ensuring that consumers have a diversified offering in terms of prices and products The party cleared to carry out the transaction must present to the Autorité buyers capable of ensuring a valid takeover and then providing effective competition which will clear the effective divestiture of the store in question The divestitures do not therefore entail the closure of the stores While the effective conclusion of a merger is subject to clearance by the Autorité de la concurrence the Autorité may grant a derogation enabling the parties to finalise part or all of the transaction without waiting for the clearance decision in order to allow for the continuation of the business activities The granting of such a derogation is exceptional A derogation may be granted in cases where takeover offers are presented for companies subject to court-ordered liquidation (liquidation judiciaire) or receivership (redressement judiciaire) the granting of a derogation by the Autorité is without prejudice to the final decision taken at the end of the investigation Dual citizen Viviane Fattorelli was born in Esch-sur-Alzette but grew up across the border in Audun-le-Tiche she works as a French teacher at Schengen high school One could say Fattorelli is well-acquainted with the injustices experienced by those in cross-border situations she is not entitled to political leave in either of her home countries as she holds no national mandate in Luxembourg but cannot apply in France as she is employed by the Grand Duchy Despite numerous letters to both the Luxembourgish and French authorities the Franco-Luxembourg Intergovernmental Commission The municipality is suffering in terms of growth The population of Audun-le-Tiche has risen over the last few years to over 7,300 residents at the last census but the municipal budget is just 13 million euros although Fattorelli says many of these are "atypical" with the number of former Luxembourg residents moving across the border increasing as they cannot afford rent or mortgages in their own country anymore This phenomenon has had a knock-on effect on house prices in Audun-le-Tiche with rent prices undergoing a significant increase as a result Fattorelli was elected mayor three years ago and a significant cornerstone of her election campaign was residents' access to care Although there are four qualified doctors living in the municipality as the majority of doctors and nurses from the Greater Region tend to work in Luxembourg Although the local authorities are in the process of constructing a multi-disciplinary medical centre the fact remains that 60% of the residents have health insurance in Luxembourg This is another topic to be discussed by the IGC as the municipality has no sway over the matter Cooperation within the Greater Region is another issue Although Audun-le-Tiche is part of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Alzette-Belval which should in theory allow it to launch joint projects across various sectors Luxembourg has an agreement with 553 Belgian municipalities returning part of its revenue - 48 million euros in 2022 - to the local authorities annually to compensate for its residents who pay taxes in the Grand Duchy while making use of the infrastructure in their home towns There is currently no such agreement with France or Germany Fattorelli describes this as a "question of fairness" and a "sensitive issue between Luxembourg and France Tax compensation could take different forms Any such compensation is sorely required by Audun-le-Tiche to boost its meagre budget such as schools or nurseries," Fattorelli continues pointing out that the Grand Duchy should be paying its share in order to ensure social cohesion in the cross-border regions The successful raid followed several months of investigations leading to the arrest of five people who were apprehended on 1 and 7 June with three of them placed in custody and the other two placed under surveillance The raid carried out in Luxembourg and France with the support of French authorities led to the confiscation of 4.5kg of drugs (3kg heroin and 1.5kg cocaine) The drug gang was involved in the large-scale sale of heroin and cocaine in the border areas with activities concentrated in Audun-le-Tiche The investigation also revealed frequent trips made to the Netherlands and a rented apartment in France used to store drugs The sweep involved 70 police and customs officers and was carried out in two apartments in Audun-Le-Tiche and in the south of Luxembourg at three homes in Esch-sur-Alzette and one in Dudelange Audun-le-Tiche finished bottom of the pile in the Moselle department in the category of towns with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants in the 2024 edition of France’s Villes et villages où il fait bon vivre (towns and villages where it’s good to live) ranking Another border town close to the Grand Duchy came in last place for towns with between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants there was good news for one city across the border which was the only city in Lorraine to finish in the national top 50.Ranked first in the Moselle department and remains the second most pleasant city in which to live in the Grand Est region lost ground from last year and ranks a paltry 112th in the national list The top of the national rankings is dominated by cities in the west of France Bayonne and Biarritz occupying the top three places where it is considered most pleasant to live in 2024 the criteria for drawing up the list raises questions about whether border towns are fairly ranked The list is drawn up based on raw data supplied by public bodies in various categories deemed to be "important to the residents of a municipality" Some of the 187 criteria used puts border communities at a clear disadvantage as in certain categories only facilities on French soil are taken into account That means that towns close to the Luxembourg border who benefit from proximity to facilities such as an airport are penalised in the ranking because most of these amenities are located in Luxembourg (This article was updated on 14 February 2024 at 17:55 to correct that Audun-le-Tiche is in the Moselle department (This article was first published by Virgule. Translation and editing by Duncan Roberts) Public administrationGovernment to create administration overseeing housing aidNew office aims to improve access to housing support and reduce delays NextGenerationEUBrussels signals approval for €58m of extra Luxembourg fundingLuxembourg likely to receive fresh EU funds for worker training, housing improvements and digitalisation of public services EconomyHousing affordability remains low, OECD says in Luxembourg reportEconomic survey calls for housing and pension reforms and economic diversification in the Grand Duchy MortgagesPremiumIn home financing, interest rates are just ‘the tip of the iceberg’Credit advisor Marlon-Yves Nadler unpacks with the Luxembourg Times the challenges of accessing home loans in the Grand Duchy HousingPrivate developers disadvantaged in affordable housing sales, lobby claimsPrivate developers face stricter requirements for same properties than public bodies, argue real estate lobby group Chambre immobilière Affordable housingLuxembourg government bought 208 unsold private properties in 2024Housing Minister Claude Meisch confirmed no new affordable housing projects are currently under construction, though discussions are ongoing Off-shore investingPremiumCome to Dubai! Realtors set sights on Luxembourg buyers looking for better dealsBrokers anticipating that European buyers will continue to eye the high returns, tax benefits and luxurious lifestyle the Emirates offer HousingLuxembourg’s rental prices slip, as EU rents edge upOn average, monthly rent for an apartment in Grand Duchy is €1,779; rent for a house is €3,152 the site we will visit today served as an open air swimming pool for the Esch youth as well as their friends across the border when the city of Esch sought to increase the practice of swimming in the municipality Without sufficient water flow at their disposal the Mining and Metallurgical Society of Terres Rouges decided to adapt a pond in the area of Russange which belonged to the municipality This pond became the first swimming pool in the city of Esch baptised ERA after the Swimming Club which was founded that same year The site quickly gained in popularity and was developed into a leisure park until it suffered from competition when an indoor pool opened in Esch in 1950 the ERA site underwent a lot of development expansion was brought to a halt: the swimming pool no longer conformed to standards the pool was closed by the municipality of Esch which had hitherto rented the space for the symbolic value of a franc it would seem that discussions are ongoing concerning an eventual redevelopment of the site Esch could one day recover its outdoor pool and add it to the list of attractions in the city RTL photographer Domingos Oliveira takes you to hidden places lesser known locations and buildings with an interesting story 1) The first instalment captured the last moment of the agricultural centre in Mersch 2) We then visited Zenningen Zoo, which was closed in the early 80s.  3) Our third trip took us to Hesperange's eery swimming pool which now looks like the setting for an apocalyptic film. 4) The fourth photo series targeted the veritable ghost town "Cité Syrdall." 5) We also visited the iconic cinema Ariston in Esch, which opened in 1962 and closed in 2016 The cinema's history is an eventful one - from erotic films to youth theatre 6) In the sixth instalment, we took a trip down memory lane and revisited pictures of Luxembourg City's former "centre Aldringen," an underground parking lot and cultural hub that gave way to Centre Hamilius 7) The seventh gallery in the series took us to Luxembourg's former police museum 8) And in the 8th instalment we got to take a look at a cemetery for old fire engines 9) The 9th gallery visited the Lentilles Terres Rouges site in Esch 10) The 10th instalment explored the old ArcelorMittal works in Esch and Schifflange 11) The 11th photo series resulted in fantastic views of Birtrange Castle 12) The 12th trip was the Deisermillen mill in Grevenmacher. 13) For the 13th instalment, we looked at the old Diekirch brewery. 14) In the 14th gallery, we explored Schengen Castle Les endroits cachés du Luxembourg: le stade nautique ERA Passengers are warned to expect significant delays in the service for most of Wednesday morning. PoliticsLuxembourg lawmakers divided over Israel-EU relationsAttempt to find unified position on extension of EU-Israel trade agreement failed during divisive committee meeting World of workJob market last year grew at slowest pace since financial crisisLuxembourg created fewer new jobs in 2024 than any year since the 2008-9 banking crisis AustraliaAustralians mark election day with 'democracy sausages' and in 'budgy smugglers'Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called "budgy smugglers" to voting centers as they welcomed election day on Saturday (3 May) with some unique and quirky traditions. GrantsEU to propose €500m package to attract researchersPlan to double grant amount by 2025 and continue support in 2026 and 2027 Costs of six million eurosPremiumBus drivers unable to drive cost Luxembourg firm €6m annually Some given odd jobs or are idle, but could soon be employed by municipal councils World of workSpain to move ahead with plan to cut work week to 37.5 hoursThe bill is set to face a lengthy approval process in Parliament, where it’s uncertain to have enough backing from lawmakers Innovation and educationLuxembourg opens drone school to boost safetyEducation ministry has launched a civilian drone school, where pilots can hone their skills and share ideas These heavy vehicles are registered in Luxembourg parked in the narrow streets of residential areas who are understandably happy to be able to park close to home… especially since they are encouraged by their employers who are also relieved to avoid the costly parking fees for these vehicles in Luxembourg As a result, "France is becoming the car park for Luxembourg companies," as some mayors warned in 2021 the elected representatives of four border towns told our colleagues from RTL 5 Minutes the local authorities have had enough and are planning to introduce a bold measure "there are twice as many vehicles as there should be Parking has become the number one problem," Mayor Viviane Fattorelli explains At the heart of the problem are vans and lorries with the "yellow plates" from Luxembourg that are left all throughout town But the municipality has had enough and wants to introduce residential parking permits The idea is simple: residents of the municipality will receive a card that allows them to park a single vehicle (the one whose registration appears on the card) in their residential area But not just any vehicle: only light vehicles and certain small commercial vehicles larger vehicles will be excluded from the scheme and will have to use parking spaces in "non-blue zones." Drivers are free to leave their private vehicles in these car parks and return to home it will have to pay €90/year to obtain a second card "These €90 will not bring in much; the aim is to make it coercive especially to encourage people who have garages to use them because we have an unfathomable number of garages that are used to store something other than cars," the mayor says it will not be possible to obtain a third card Those who own a third vehicle will therefore have to leave it in their garage The first permits will be issued on 1 April 2023 and offences will be recorded from 1 July 2023 While the measure has been welcomed by some members of the public Fattorelli acknowledges that it is "a contentious issue; we've been heavily criticised since we launched our project." But at the same time "you can't imagine the number of complaints the number of times the police have to intervene because a van is parked in front of a garage." it will get worse and worse," the mayor says all parked in the narrow streets of the neighbourhoods." For the municipality the priority is to get the vans out of these residential areas and into designated car parks there is a project to create a large car park for 350 vehicles at the Audun station (the trains will soon be replaced by a high service level bus and a cycle track) And there will always be car parks where drivers can park without a permit It remains to be seen whether the measure will have the desired effect The owners of these vans have a major advantage: they are not afraid of being fined "We know full well that if we fine these vans it will never make it across the border," the mayor sighs few offences in Europe can be prosecuted across borders parking violations like these are not among them we are going to invest in wheel clamps to immobilise the vehicles," which will certainly be a more effective deterrent the mayor is determined: "Now that we've started this we're going to go all the way," she says to those who criticise chastising them for "weeping before we've even started fighting… We're going for it Schneider played a key role in the so-called "Srel case" which led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker in 2013 The case involved claims that Juncker had failed to stop illegal security agency activity Read more: Jean-Claude Juncker heard as witness at SREL trial Schneider's name was allegedly mentioned multiple times during the OneCoin fraud trial in New York in 2019 OneCoin was a cryptocurrency firm which operated as a Ponzi scheme The founder of OneCoin disappeared in 2017 after the firm had already raised four billion US dollars During the Srel trial in 2020, Schneider was acquitted in the context of the illegal bugging of electronics specialist Loris Mariotto in 2007 The communication department of Luxembourg Railways (CFL) warned of "delays and cancellations" between Esch-sur-Alzette and Belval Trains between Esch and Audun-le-Tiche are expected to gradually resume from 2.20pm onwards For more information on traffic alternatives and schedules, travellers are invited to consult the CFL mobile app or the schedule search at www.cfl.lu A big catch for Luxembourgish and French authorities who managed to break up an international drug trafficking ring earlier in June This was announced Wednesday morning by the Luxembourgish police Five persons implicated in large scale heroin and cocaine reselling between the two countries have been arrested and three of them remanded in custody Raids took place in two apartments in Audun-le-Tiche and four across the south of Luxembourg According to the Luxembourgish authorities the suspects travelled frequently to the Netherlands and one of the French apartments was solely used for drug storage A total of 4.5kg of drugs were seized (3kg heroin and 1.5kg cocaine) around a dozen mobile phones and a multitude of valuables The Luxembourg authorities stressed that "this success was only possible thanks to the good cooperation with the French authorities" A total of 70 police and customs agents took part in the raids and the arrests The special unit of the Luxembourgish police (USP) was also involved "We are in Europe and yet they are closing borders it is shameful!" declared organiser Sandrine Mlodzieniak who spoke to RTL Infos ahead of the demonstration on Friday The Audun-le-Tiche resident is at the helm of the protest action which will see demonstrators blocking part of the B40 between Belval and Audun-le-Tiche just outside of the French commune from around 4.30pm onwards "We are not going to create a filter barrier as cross-border commuters already spend enough time on the roads as it is Instead we are going to position ourselves at the zebra crossings where the road goes from two lanes to one and we will distribute leaflets to interested drivers." The protest action was triggered by a project which plans to close a cross-border road linking Belvaux in Luxembourg to Rédange in France to all cross-border commuters Luxembourg authorities will block cross-border workers from accessing the CR178 road using automatic retractable bollards which will only permit buses Luxembourg emphasises this plan is not a closure of the border while Rédange has issued traffic restriction orders on the small The measures have been controversial, redirecting traffic via a Micheville-Belval route which is already hitting its limits. Mlodzieniak has also launched a petition titled "No to the closure of the road between Rédange and Belvaux" which has already gathered over 2,000 signatures She has also installed a banner above a bridge spanning the Micheville road just before the first Audun-le-Tiche roundabout as the municipality risks suffering from the road closure Just like when there is traffic on the A31 drivers from Metz or Thionville descend upon Audun Our town is always congested when there are problems elsewhere." The Audun-le-Tiche bypass with the Micheville-Belval road was supposed to relieve pressure on Audun Maybe at the time it was the right solution We're told that Luxembourg is shutting roads to encourage people to use public transport but this does not currently suit the needs of cross-border workers Why don't Luxembourg politicians ask cross-border commuters what they need It's all well and good to tell us to cycle or use scooters that works when the commute is 5-10 kilometres I get up at 4.30am every morning so I can arrive at work in Merl by 7am and when they close the road there will be 4,000 more vehicles clogging up my commute If I took the train or the bus I'd be adding an hour or more to my journey get a bus that leaves Audun and goes to the Park + Ride in Hollerich adventure films and more are on the agenda for Villerupt’s 46th Italian film festival Photo: Festival du film italien de Villerupt The 46th Villerupt Italian Film Festival will showcase 70 films in different categories Some of the films that will be featured include Miracolo A Milano The films will take place in six different cinemas: three in Villerupt Luxembourg (Kulturfabrik) and one in Dudelange A collision between a car and a motorcycle was reported briefly after 7 pm on the A4 motorway between Steinbrücken und Foetz Two further people were injured in a collision on the A3 motorway between Bettembourg Junction and Dudelange at 0.50 am The emergency services from Luxembourg City were called to the scene Another motorist was injured on the B40 in direction of Audun-le-Tiche at around 1.20 am and was assisted by the emergency services a car crashed on rue de Niederkorn in Sanem two people were injured in an accident on the N27 between Dirbach and Goebelsmühle Police and firefighters were alerted to the tragic plight of a young woman this Friday morning The body of the 27-year-old was found hanging from the viaduct bridging the departmental road 16 Thionville police confirmed that they were alerted to the dead body this Friday around 8.45 am A specialised team of firefighters were tasked with the recovery of the body The death of the young woman is investigated as a suicide the French government decided to reduce the quantity of tobacco its residents are allowed to bring back from neighbouring countries While people were previously allowed to bring back up to 1 kg the new legal quantity is a mere 250 grams of tobacco Eager shoppers are thus risking major fines if they get caught with arms full of tobacco by French customs in the future the new measure does not seem to spark major enthusiasm with French shops One possible reason may very well be that a lot of them have already stopped selling tobacco a long time ago manager of the La Mu Presse tobacconist's in Audun-le-Tiche for the past 20 years is one of them: "The last tobacconist's who still sold tobacco in Audun-le-Tiche closed about 10 or 15 years ago… Before that Rogowski states that in view of the Grand-Duchy's low prices "it would be pointless to continue this activity" she also explains that even if Luxembourgish tobacco prices "miraculously" aligned with the French ones she would still not go back to selling tobacco again she makes most of her money with gambling: "60% of my turnover is Française des Jeux [the operator of France's national lottery games]" RTL has also spoken with another tobacconist (who prefers to remain anonymous) who is still selling tobacco: "It remains an emergency solution for people An emergency solution which was on the rise during the sanitary crisis because cross-border workers could no longer enter the Grand-Duchy "But when the lockdown measures were lifted She also does not believe that the limitations on tobacco "imports" from Luxembourg will change anything about this situation: "The measure will not be respected Luxembourgish tobacconists will not check where their customers come from" There is of course the possible fear of customs and fines the vendor predicts that if customs does not increase border controls cross-border workers will continue to buy their tobacco in Luxembourg at Tabathèque in Esch-sur-Alzette (Rue Jean-Pierre Bausch) the owners are in any case not noticing any particular changes since the measure was announced: "No but since then business has picked up again" The president of the federation of service stations in Luxembourg meanwhile told RTL recently that the sector is expecting a decrease in tobacco "tourism": "Service stations will surely notice it in their turnovers A first budget law to finance the new rapid tram is expected by December 2022 This will link Esch-sur-Alzette and later Belvaux to Luxembourg City The ambitious new project was presented by the Minister for Mobility François Bausch in two online meetings attended by some 550 people A new residential quarter called "Alzette" will be developed on the old Arbed industrial site and should be finished by 2028 at which point the new tram link should also be completed This will come in handy as around 10,000 people are expected to live in the area The rapid tram will be running alongside the A4 motorway to Esch Its top speed will reach 100kph and it is expected to transport passengers via Esch and the Belval site to Belvaux The main goal is to build a strong transport link between the urban centres of Luxembourg City and Esch The tram will be an important part of that puzzle With the development of the rapid tram link between Luxembourg City and Esch the rail line between Esch and Audun-le-Tiche will be scrapped and replaced by a bus service president of the Landesverband rail workers union he cannot understand how rail lines in Luxembourg could be abolished especially on a fairly busy line such as this "Reading the numbers provided by the ministry they claim 12 passengers per hour or train But I looked at the actual numbers this morning a normal workday in February had 808 passengers you can have up to 100 people going into Luxembourg City I know from my experience as a train driver that most of the people on this train get off in Esch and continue to Luxembourg These are commuters who would then be forced to take a bus to the station and change The risk is that these people will switch back to driving."The Landesverband has a meeting scheduled with the Minister for Mobility in two weeks Extrait Georges Merenz the CFL hopes to install benches and tactile paving on the platforms for increased accessibility rails services between Esch-sur-Alzette - one of Luxembourg's main transport hubs - and Audun-le-Tiche in France will be suspended temporarily A replacement bus service will therefore run from September 21 to October 27 Busses will run every half hour in both directions extending travel times by approximately ten minutes The CFL also announced additional works for the station's underground areas in the future.