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The sun is shining, the hem lines have risen, the beaches
are packed and the holidays have begun. Summer is here and there are loads of
festivals happening all across Europe. Here are some of
the famous ones.
Barcelona Summer Festival
1st June –
30th August
Popularly known as the Grec, this festival takes place in a
Greek-styled amphitheatre near Barcelona’s
Olympic Stadium. It is one of the most famous art festivals in the world. It
hosts well-acclaimed dance, theatre and music performances ranging from
contemporary music and performance arts to classical and traditional acts.
Popular among local and international visitors.
A fusion of avant-garde theatre, drama and dance, Festival
d’Avignon is one of France’s
oldest and most prestigious cultural festivals. It was founded in 1947 by Jean
Vilar, a controversial French director and
has now gained international acclaim. Performances take place all across the
city – in churches, cloisters, squares and the Palace of the Pope. If you’re
interested in modern theatre, dance and drama, it doesn’t get better than this.
ImpulsTanz, Vienna, Austria
10th July
– 10th August
ImpulsTanz is a major contemporary dance festival held in Vienna
every year. Thousands of dancers, choreographers and teachers from around the
world come together at ImpulsTanz making it an event you’re unlikely to forget.
If modern, bold, unconventional and contemporary describe the kind of event you’re
looking for, look no further.
Love Parade is the largest techno gathering in the world. About
1.5 million ravers joined this mobile party in previous years. This year, the
party is scheduled to take place in Dortmund.
So
book your tickets now and join one of the world’s largest street parties.
Salzburg Festival
26th July
- 31st August
The Salzburg Festival is a show for the classics lovers.
This year’s show is set to host well acclaimed names in opera, concert and
drama. Held in Mozart’s birthplace of Salzburg,
there’s hardly a more fitting location for it. During the festival, for five
continuous weeks, the city attracts world class talent and audience alike.
Medieval Spectacle, Carcassonne, France
7th July –
29th August
As the name says, the Medieval Spectacle is in fact, just
that. Set against the backdrop of UNESCO’s World Heritage site of Carcassonne,
this event lets you experience the old days as it once was. Artists and
troubadours entertain visitors in the walled city - jousting, fencing and
acrobatics performances abound. For a day trip back in time, this might be the
perfect option.
Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
4th July –
19th July
This star-studded jazz festival boasts of big names in the
business from R.E.M to Quincy Jones. If you’re planning to hit some of the main
performances, be sure to book tickets well in advance. For some free fun, join
the street parties and free entertainment that sprouts up all over the city.
Festival of the Near
Death Experience, Las Nieves, Spain
29th
July- to be confirmed
Now, here’s a weird one. Ever have a near death experience?
Well, these guys in Spain
have a rather bizarre way of sharing their tale and expressing gratitude. Every
year, at the Festival of Near Death Experiences, people who’ve had near death
experiences attend church in a coffin carried by their family members. The perfect
time and venue to discuss and exchange stories, don’t you think? This strange festival takes place in the little town of Las Nieves on the border of
Portugal. After service at the packed church, a procession carries the statue
of Santa Maria to the cemetery and
back.
Please note that there may be changes to the dates, events
and line-ups at the festivals. For detailed information, check the official
websites.
We’ve all had those dinners we’ll never forget. Maybe it was
the delicious food, the incomparable company, the superb service or the
stunning setting… either way it was a meal to remember. And here are five more unique
dining experiences from across Europe you’re not likely
to forget in the near future.
Dans le Noir, London
Imagine having your dinner and the lights go out.If you’re dining at Dans
le Noir, chances are that the lights will
stay out throughout your meal. Dans
le Noir is a ‘Dine in the Dark’ experience started
by the Paul Guinot
Foundation, an organization that supports
the blind in France.
The main aim of the restaurant is to promote awareness of what it is to be
blind. As a result, all waiters are visually impaired and in an ironical
fashion, they are the ones that guide the guests through the pitch black
restaurants. Diners are asked to leave all potentially light-emitting gadgets
outside the restaurant. The complete blackness of the setting tunes up your
sensory experience and the rest of the meal is a guessing game as you grope
around figuring out what you’re eating. The concept has become a hit and a
chain of Dans le Noir
restaurants have opened in France,
London and Moscow.
Isn’t it really annoying when the waiter gets your order
wrong? Or seems to ignore you completely? If you're in ‘s Baggers, you won't have that problem. That’s because it doesn’t have any waiters. ‘s Baggers
is the first automated restaurant. Customers simply use touch screen TVs to
browse the menu and choose their meal. The order is sent real time to chefs
upstairs (still of the old-fashioned human kind) who prepare the fresh,
delicious meals. Once ready, the meal is put in a pot, given a sticker and a
colour to match the customer’s seat and then sent sliding down a
rollercoaster-like conveyor belt to reach the correct table.
Here’s one for all you potato lovers. This restaurant pays
homage to the humble spud. Potatoes have a starring role in all of the
Kartofelkeller’s dishes. And there are almost a 100 of them to choose from.
The Absolut Ice Bar is quite a cool experience and I mean
that literally. Temperatures in the Ice Bar are well below zero. You’ll be given
a cape and a fur coat to stay alive for the forty minutes or so that you’ll be
in the ‘Below Zero’ zone. Drinks are served in fist-sized hollow ice cubes and
you can pick them up from the ice blocks that make up the bar. In fact, all
furniture is made of ice and once your forty minutes are up, you’ll be escorted
to the warmer zone. Ice bars are gaining popularity and have opened up in London
and Amsterdam too.
Feeling a little adventurous? Then Archipelago is for you.
Featuring an exotic menu including gnu, crocodile, locusts and kangaroo- just
to name a few, this restaurant is definitely a walk on the wild side. For the
more faint hearted, chicken, lamb and an extensive vegetarian menu is also
available. Weird ingredients, crazy combinations and eclectic décor make this
dining experience one you’ll remember long after.
Spring is in full bloom and summer holidays are just around
the corner. For those of you who are looking out for fun ways to spend this June,
here are a couple of my favourite festivals all over Europe.
International Festival
of Music and Dance, Granada, Spain 20th June – 6th July
Set against the jaw-dropping architecture of the Alhambara,
the international festival of Music and Dance is a must visit for anyone who
loves music with a generous helping of exquisite architecture. The city of Granada
comes alive during the festival and the streets are filled with guitarists,
Flamenco dancers and music lovers from around the world. Music ranges from the
classical to world music. Definitely worth a visit.
Fete de la Musique or the Music Festival in
Paris is a
fantastic way to enjoy free cheer in the city of lights. Hundreds of musicians
gather in cafés, streets, bars to show off their skills to obliging locals and
tourists. An air of camaraderie and merry-making pervades. Performances include
everything from jazz to hip hop, rock to classical.
Kiel Week Sailing Regatta, Germany Last full week of June
If you love sailing, this is the event for you. Kiel Week is
an annual sailing event held in Kiel
and is the largest sailing event in the world. The party begins on the Friday
before the official opening of the event with Soundcheck, a music festival with
stages all across the city. The event boasts of international competitors,
renowned regatta and non-stop celebrations.
International Viking
Festival, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland 12th -18th June
This Viking Festival takes place annually in Hafnarfjordur,
a small town near Reykjavik. This
is a chance for Vikings both native and those visiting from abroad to get back
to their roots. The festival is a fun way to take a peek into the Viking
lifestyle. You can pick a fight with burly Vikings, check out ancient arts and
crafts and enjoy a traditional Viking feast. Too much schnapps? No problem,
crash at one of the hotels nearby.
This is the oldest and most extensive dance festival in the
Nordic region. It boasts of classic premieres, over 100 dance events, courses,
performances, club nights and cruises.Time to put on those dancing shoes and head north.
This is an annual festival of music, dance, theatre, cinemas,
circus, poetry, food and an overall celebration of life. An
entertainment-packed three days but book in advance to make sure that you’ve
got a spot on this hot ticket. Find out more and reserve your tickets here. http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/
Please note that there may be changes to the dates, events
and line-ups at the festivals. For detailed information, check the official
websites.
If you ask frequent travellers going to or departing from London what is their biggest advice, they will often answer: avoid Heathrow. The UK main hub, one of the busiest airport in the world, has had a long reputation for its problems, delays, congestion, baggage lost and unfriendly for most passengers. However a big hope was lifted a few month ago by the opening of the new Terminal 5 on March, 27, dedicated to British Airways sole occupier of the new building. The result was a shameful fiasco with tens of thousands of baggage lost and the nightmare for travellers lasting days as BA and the airport owner BAA were trying to restablish the situation.
However, BAA was confident. At the Queen's inauguration, the new facility was described as the "state-of-the-art" that was going to end the worsening experience of passengers in Heathrow. Heathrow's owner, BAA, said it expected the new baggage system at T5 to work "perfectly". It was needed as the competition is reinforcing. The new treaty agreement of open skies between the US and UK is likely to trigger a new price war as the market of transatlantic flights deregulates.
According to the Guardian, "a price war is already under way due to the intense competition between
the three carriers that operate the Heathrow to New York route: BA,
Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. However, US competitors
Continental, Delta and Northwest are also among the carriers launching
new Heathrow to New York routes. A total of 7,112 extra seats and 39
new flights a week will be added to the route between London's airports
and New York, a rise of 6% on last year."
Therefore, as the British operator is still struggling to sort out the situation, it is wise to avoid Heathrow and to try to find out other ways around London. You can use other airlines than BA and fly from T1, 2, 3, 4 (and some BA flights for short-hauls, Singapore, Australia and Bangkok have not moved to T5 due to the chao - you can find which plane is departing from where on ba.com/Which terminal). And you can also view other operating companies in Stansted and Gatwick airport here.
Gatwick, in South London, offers a wide range of flights to Europe (BA to France, Budget airlines to Italy, Denmark...), Middle East (Emirates to Dubai... ), Asia and North America. The facility is much better (albeit the difficulty due to specific security mesures in UK airports) and there is a fast train linking the airport to London Victoria in 30 minutes (or a normal train in 40 minutes). Stansted, east, is mainly used for budget airlines (such as Ryan Air or Germanwings) but NYC is served by American Airlines. Lutton, north of London, serves also more than 30 international destination including Africa. Eventually you can also use City Airport, close to Canary Wharf (the new business center in London) but with smaller airplanes and short-hauls.
When transiting, avoid London and especially Heathrow and prefer hubs such as Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt. In order to find more information on flights around the world, updated daily, you should subscribe to www.oagflights.com (annual £99 - €130).
Germany has long
been a shrine for beer lovers from around the world. Two of the biggest
and
most popular beer festivals in the world take place in Germany. The
most popular is Munich’s world renowned Oktoberfest which strangely
enough takes place
in September. The second most famous beer festival is the Stuttgart
Beer
Festival. There are officially two Stuttgart festivals, one in spring
and one
in autumn. And here’s the good news – the Stuttgart Spring Festival is
just
around the corner. Let’s take a look at these three big and happening
places to
be if you enjoy guzzling gallons of your favourite brew.
Stuttgart Spring Beer Festival
This is an annual fair that will be taking place in Stuttgart from April 12th to May 5th
this year. It will be happening
in the traditional fair grounds of Stuttgart’s Bad Cansstatt district.
This is
a slightly smaller version of the autumn festival but none-the-less,
it’s big
enough to attract the attention of beer lovers from across Germany and
Europe.
Some of its key attractions are its live bands, huge Ferris
wheel, roller
coasters and of course the unending flow of freshly brewed beer. All in
all, a
fantastic way to get ready for the beer season.
This is the second biggest beer festival in the world, second only to the Oktoberfest. This year,
it will be taking place between September 26th and October 12th
in Bad Canstatt, Stuttgart. This festival, also known as the Bad Canstatter Volksfest
started in 1818 when King Wilhelm 1 sponsored the festival after years of
hunger. Today, it attracts millions of visitors and houses seven huge beer
tents.
Key attractions include the world’s largest mobile Ferris wheel, tons of
roller coasters and rides, the French village where visitors enjoy a touch of
French food and music, a grand parade which traditionally takes place on the
first Sunday of the festival, fireworks on the 3rd October (which is
the German Reunification Day) and of course, an unending supply of beer.
When one thinks of Oktoberfest, images of crowded beer
tents, huge beer mugs handled by big bosomed women in drendils and men
in lederhozen come to mind. All of which is true. But no words can truly
describe the experience of thousands of people crammed in a huge carnival
atmosphere enjoying the lively Bavarian music and its equally popular brew.
Each year over six million visitors throng to the Oktoberfest to be part
of this heady experience.
This year the Oktoberfest starts on September
22nd and offers its visitors a rollicking time till the end on 7th
October. Key attractions include live music, costume parades, fun fair rides
and roller coasters and an open-air music concert. If you’re looking for an
experience you’re not likely to forget, head for the Oktoberfest this
year.
Europe was founded on principles of tolerance and freedom of
movement for the population and the business. Brussels was lobbying the
European Community to become the host of most of the European
institutions and is now broadly seen as the capital of Europe.
Therefore, it is awkward to see that it is actually in the country
symbol of Europe (one of the sixth founders), and mainly in the
neighbourhood of the main city, that we observe now all the signs of
communitarian and racism.
One country, 2 languages, no unity
There are 3 linguistic communities in
Belgium: Flanders (with 6 millions inhabitants - but not all speaking Dutch), Wallonia (3.4
millions), Brussels-Capital (1 million) and some Eastern cantons speaking German (70,000). Contrary
to what you might think, the country is not bilingual, but apply two
strict monolingualism: in Flanders, the official language is Dutch,
in Wallonia the official language is French. only Brussels-Capital
(city of Brussels + additional neighbourhood) is officially bilingual.
In order to make things more complex, Brussels is inhabited by more
than 80% of non-Dutch speakers, but is located in Flemish territory.
The
"lingual" border follow a line that can start from about Tourcoing (in
France) to Maastricht (in the Netherlands). Initially, at the birth of
Belgium, in 1830, the country was meant to speak French, as it was the
most important language at the time, and symbol of modernity. However
from that early date it ignored that actually 60% of the country was
not made by French speakers. This is the law of 8th November 1962 that
fixes the boundaries and the 19 counties in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Amongst those limits, the law defined 6 counties in the area of
Brussels, 10 along the lingual border and in the German areas, where
inhabitants can address the local authorities in their language,
disregarding whereas they are located in Flanders or in Wallonia.
Nowadays, in addition to the language complexity, there is an economic
reasons that push the Flemish part of Belgium to demand for more
autonomy: unemployment is 17.7% in Wallonia (20.9% in Brussels) but
only 6.43% in Flanders. And because of fund transfer within the
country, the Northern territories (with a local Flemish government) are actually subsidising the French
speaking areas in the South (with a French-speaking government).
Linguistic discrimination
Since the last election, with the government of Yves Leterme (or the
body he tried to form following the victory of his party at the
national election in 2007), the Flemish appetite has proven to be
hungrier than ever.
The Flanders government has voted, since last
May, a new text aiming to remove the French names from Flanders:
amongst the 39 cities that were hisorically named in both languages,
the road signs will appear now in Dutch only, i.e Bruges will be only
Brugge (easy), Courtrai will only be Kortrijk (more difficult) and Montaigu only Scherpenheuvel-Zichem.
In
the area of Brussels-Capital, the cities of Brussel-Halle-Vilvoorde
(Dutch), Bruxelles-Halle Vilvorde-(French) or BHV represent a
district formed by Brussels (bilingual) and Halle-Vilvoorde (Flemish).
Historically, there was always facilities to speak French in the latest
2 areas (one knows that Flemish speak better French than Wallons
speak Dutch). However recently, due to vows of Flemish
authorities, it seems that nobody will understand you if you speak
French in any official building (as the city hall) - or at least it
looks like they understand perfectly but cannot speak it. However there
is no problem to discuss the same matter in English.
Since
December 2006, the Wooncode (Flemish accommodation law) states that it
is necessary to speak Dutch - or at least willing to do so -
in Flanders, to be able to apply for a social accommodation (council
flat). In addition, in some areas in Flanders such as Zaventem,
Volvoorde, Zemst or Hoeilaart, the sale of land to promotion price is
now reserved to Dutch-speakers (which means also, for the Flemish
community, people born in Flanders) or people following language
courses in a registered school.
In March, the local authorities
of Liedekerke (22km from Brussels) have decided the non Dutch-speaking
children from 6-12 will be excluded from the playground areas. Other
decisions have been taken such as to forbid any mention of French on
the outside boards in cities of the bilingual zone of Halle-Vilvoorde
(you cannot display A VENDRE on you property anymore and must write in
Dutch TE KOOP, but apparently you can show SALE or any other language but French) or to punish children
who speak French even in playground at schools located in Flanders.
Other example, in Overijse, the local council have decided to suppress
the French writing part of the monument engraved in memory of 2 French-speaking
Belgian who escaped during World War II.
Condemnation from the UN and European institutions
Of course the Flemish authority decisions have raised more and more suspicion outside but also inside. De Morgen,
leftist Flemish newspaper, express concerns and talk about linguistic
apartheid alike situation. In the last week of March, Marino Keulen,
Minister in charge of interior affairs in the Flemish government, has
cancelled the rules set in Liedekerke. He is already under pressure as
the Council of Europe is currently investigating as some
French-speaking mayors in the Flemish areas have not been officially
recognised by Flemish authorities as they failed to address letters in
Dutch only to their French fellow citizen. The Council of Europe has
already condemned tree times (1998, 2002 and 2005) Flanders for its
treatment and discrimination towards the French-speaking community. The
United Nations has published recently a report stating that the fact of
reserving council accommodation to certain category of the population
based on place of birth and language was ethnic and regional
discrimination.
The European Court of Justice has also published a report
stating that the 30th March 1999 law of the Flemish parliament, setting
a healthcare system reserved to inhabitants of Flanders or
Brussels-Capital only is actually against the European freedom of
movement. In 2004 the rules were changed in order to include those
living in other countries... but always excluding inhabitants of
Wallonia. Since then, no change.
Belgians have humour... but until when?
Most
of the jokes of April's fool were addressing the political and
community divide in Belgium. Thus, a Wallon Minister explained in the
newspaper La Dernière Heure, that he intended to realize
"French corridor" in Flanders, by buying back the parts of the E411
motorway located on Flanders territory to allow French speakers to
drive from Brussels to Wallonia. On the French TV RTL-TVI, the news
displayed a report showing the in the Flemish city of Meise they
decided to test a way of cutting all phone conversation in French. A
test that will be extended in all Flanders territory if successful.
Again a joke, but that shows what is the main concern of Belgians
nowadays...
Amsterdam
is probably as well known for its canals, tulips and bikes, as for its
red light district and coffeeshop (as the name does not explain
clearly, places where you can legally smoke cannabis/marijuana as well
has having a drink).
But now the area known for its sex-shops,
sex-shows and brothels, is slowly changing, with the voews of the city
council which has decided recently to clean up the expanding sleaze,
crime and violence in the historic district (mostly blaming Eastern
European pimps and international organized crime attracted by the
Netherlands' lenient policies). The city bought 5 brothels and let for
free for 1 year the 18 windows (out of 500 according to the IHT) to
young artists, photographers and fashion designers.
Now, when you
walk along the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal, you might give for excuse
looking at designer ateliers while staring at the nearly-naked mannequins
cavorting in the red windows... or vice and versa.
Dating from the age of the empire, the non-domicile status was designed during the Napoleonic wars in the hope to get cash from workers in America. The law lets foreigners (and their British born children) claim a non-domiciled status and therefore put aside some of their wealth and income from Britain. Thus, 10% of the population living in Britain (bankers, but also east European workers) are entitled to use it , whereas the rest of the population are liable for tax on their income and gain worldwide.
We published an article back in October, explaining that the government, under the pressure of the opposition, was planning to tax a lump amount of £30,000 for anybody wishing to keep the protective non-domiciled status. Now, as explained in The Economist, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is back-tracking on the issue to tax foreigners. The fact is, according to the aticle, that 115,000 people who claimed non-dom status in 2006 still paid £4 billion in income tax on their earning in Britain (in 2006-7 tax year, HMRC collected £125 billion in income tax), and contributed £12 billion in GDP. Additionnaly they could pay up to £ 3 billion in VAT and £300m in property transaction.
In comparison the new rules would have raised £650m a year, with maybe only 3,000 people leaving Britain. However the Labour government added new rules that would have force non-doms not only to disclose their interest in offshore trusts, but also, potentially, to pay tax on earnings made and kept abroad, even retrospectively. It prompted immediately fears and concerned, and an army of consultant manage successfully to lobby the government... until the next attempt, maybe?
UPDATE 12/03/2008:
The UK pre-budget was released in Parliament yesterday by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling. Here is part of the speech (I put in bold the 2 important assertions):
Mr Deputy Speaker, we welcome the contribution made by people born outside the UK who choose to come and work here. They are an important and central contributor to our economy’s growth and prosperity.
They pay taxes on their earnings here and also pay tax on money they bring into the country from abroad.
But for those non-domiciled individuals or families who have chosen to make Britain their home, I believe that it is right and fair that they should, after 7 years, pay a reasonable charge to maintain the right to be taxed differently from other UK residents.
Beyond that, as I have said before, we will not seek to charge UK tax on offshore income or capital gains that is not brought into the UK.
This new charge will be implemented from April. There will be no further changes to this regime for the rest of this Parliament or the next.
Last October I said that I would consider a scheme to which claimed to raise an additional £2.8 billion. On closer examination it was clear that the sums that did not add up. Not for the first time given the source. And I have rejected it.
We will continue to be vigilant against tax avoidance and we are publishing today further measures to ensure fairness for all taxpayers.
Therefore a £30,000 levy will be put on those who seek to keep on their non-dom status after 7 years of residence in the UK.
2006 was definitely a big year for Petite Anglaise: "dumped, dooced and outed, but also snagged a book deal" according to her own words.
Petite
Anglaise was blogging under anonymous coverage about her life in Paris,
that she made home 10 years ago, the familiar expat gripes, and
sometime evolving to talk about her relationship and single motherhood,
writing always with talent that was awarded several times by satin pyjamas.
Catherine Sanderson (the English Bridget Jones as she was described by the Daily Telegraph) became even more famous the day when the stupid-old fashion company where she was working in, the now condemned British accountancy firm Dixon Wilson, decided to fire her for gross misconduct [1] (that is the name they gave for having a blog).
As the famous French blogger Loic Le Meur said: "again a firm that completely miss out the point"
and actually in France as in UK, the reactions where very sharp against
the Dixon Wilson (which tempted to back tracked their act) and
attracted more than 8000 articles on on Google: influential Frenchblogs where talking about it and supporting Petite Anglaise, here and there, but also the French and UK mainstreammedia and even International press were giving a lot of exposure to the news. All is well summarized on the blog here.
No surprise (except maybe for the firm) but Dixon Wilson lost and was condamned
for unfair dismissal with a large amount of money to be paid (not even
talking about its reputation as an employer being completely shattered -
look at the 3rd and 4th link here).
But
the year was not going to finish there as in the meantime, recognising
the high value of her writing, the UK publishing company Penguin signed her for
a 2 book deal as it was reveal later on by the Telegraph. The first (link above) is capturing a year
in the life and loves of a young single mother abroad. The second book is likely to be a novel.
[Two minute segment on the French national news, 29 April 2007]
[Catherine Sanderson on BBC Breakfast]
Petite Anglaise has clipped a collection of links talking about the book here.
I definitely recommend!
Petite Anglaise - US Edition available from June 2008
[1] accused of bringing the company into disrepute due to references to her work, tho never mentioning the name of the firm, she described her boss as "very
old school... He wears braces and sock suspenders (although I don't
have any firsthand experience of those), stays in gentlemen's clubs
when in London, and calls secretaries 'typists.'" Shocking indeed
On which economic sector are you acting and what is its advantage?
My activity is devoted to Financial Coaching (advice) for individuals. The advantage is that my services are tailor-made.
Can you talk about your activity?
I’m sure that Financial Coaching can be useful for expats since French legislation for real estate (de-fiscalisation), and the French "financial" system itself may be complicated for a person who arrives in France to spend only a few years.
In my opinion, my services enjoy two clear competitive advantages:
I can propose them in English.
I am completely committed to my client: to his/her concerns and ambitions. Together we define a financial strategy in order to meet his/her objectives. Our action plan is based on his/her personal context.
Can you talk a bit about your company?
You can find the description of my services at www.coach-financier.com.
I am a Spanish expat working in the financial sector in Paris, for more than 3 years now. This web was born one year and a half ago, when I decided to buy an apartment in Paris and once I realized that there was no real tailor-made and human financial advice offer in the market. So I joined my professional experience with my personal experience and this activity was born.
Can you tell us something about yourself, about your background?
As I had the opportunity to mention before, I’m Spanish native…
From a professional point of view, I’m Deputy Head of a department of approximately 15 people at an International Bank devoted to lending to big corporates, such as EDF, Bouygues. Once I ended my International MBA in Madrid (part also in Mexico city) 8 years ago, I started to work for companies like PwC and KPMG before joining the banking sector.
I moved to France because I wanted to have a personal experience abroad. Before, I have also been living in Mexico City for some months.
Do you offer additional services?
I’m currently working on developing this activity for enterprises as well. “Financial Coaching to Enterprises” will be available soon. The aim of this new activity is to advice and to support entrepreneurs just building their projects, and to runners of their own business in difficulty.
What is the profile of your clients?
It can vary, but principally, individuals looking for a real estate investment. For example, I was contacted by a French man who wanted to buy an apartment in the center of Paris, but he wanted to be sure that he could afford it. Indeed he needed a second opinion. He needed to get some back-up regarding the decision he was going to take. He was also looking for some other information such as, what the paid-in should represent, how much would represent the related costs (notary, etc). So I analyzed his situation (actually, he could comfortably buy), I explained him the buying process from the beginning to the end, what he should pay special attention to, what he should not forget when negotiating with banks. We also did some calculations about what his monthly repayments would represent under different assumptions.
Other individuals come because they have to take a decision and they need someone to discuss with about. For example, “I am very emotionally attached to an apartment, but something tells me that I should sell now given the current price peak in real estate. What should I do?”.
Some people contact me because they need a strategy to reach a financial objective. For example, “I’m 55. I have made some extra-cash during the last years. I would like to get retired in 3 years. How should I better use this extra-cash in a simple and safe way in order to reach this objective?”
What is the difference between a “financial coach” and a personal “financial consultant”?
A “coach” is not a “financial consultant”. In special for the impossibility of having an expertise in all the financial areas (tax, pension, investing).
In contrast, a financial coach is a professional with a long-track record and successful experience in the financial sector. If needed, the coach will inquire and deepen on the different specificities of the financial system (tax, pension, investment).
The person who comes to a financial coach does not necessarily for the technical knowledge of the coach. He/she does because he/she wants to be accompanied and guided, or simply because he/she needs help to reach a financial objective or wants to get a second opinion about a decision that he/she needs to take. In my opinion everyone has at least one financial objective (to stop working for example??). The individual and the coach define together the strategy to reach this objective according to the context of the individual.
What services/information/help do you provide to other companies/individuals?
As I had the opportunity to mention before coaching to enterprises will be available soon.
Can you speak about your service/project and the difference regarding competitors?
Compared to Anglo-Saxon countries, this is a pretty recent activity. Obviously, there are other experienced financial coaches in the market. My competitive advantage is that I can propose my service in English in France and that I’m an expat myself.
Are all the product offers specific to you company?
I guess that the fact that I also propose the service in English as well as my background makes the service specific. In contrast, it is true that there are other financial coaches in the market.
What is your activity on the Internet?
This is my only activity. A new version of the web will be available soon (hopefully!!)
What advantages/discounts could you offer to our readers?
The first consultation would be 100%-off (with no limit of time).
Threat of reality? According to the UK Daily Telegraph, Inland Revenue is carrying out a crackdown on people evading UK income tax by using offshore bank accounts, i.e. using their credit card to pay for living expenses in the UK.
The American Internal Revenue Service (IRS) carried out its own review on tax evasion through offshore accounts in 2002. Under the IRS rules, American
taxpayers are liable for US tax wherever their income is generated. The rules is slightly different in the UK where the ordinary resident is only taxable on its income generated or spent in the UK (that is likely to change next April).
20-25 inspectors based in Liverpool, with a budget of £66 millions, have been assigned by Gordon Brown to target task fraud from British savers in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar,
Switzerland and elsewhere. A number of banks have already complied with the Revenue's request for co-operation and have forwarded account details to the body.
advertisement. Accountants, financial advisers and credit card companies are likely to follow suit in the near future.
The OECD (Organisation of
Economic Cooperation and Development) and the European Commission, have
put pressure on offshore centres to combat money laundering and tax
evasion and urged banks located in offshore jurisdiction to put in place such anti-laundering processes.
The article of the Daily Telegraph is threatening enough that it could have been written by an Inland Revenue member: "Tax evasion is a crime. Banks who pass depositors' details on to the Revenue would be unable to let the person know they were doing it. It is therefore possible to be under investigation without knowing it." Funny enough, the Telegraph advert on the page is for HSBC's offshore saving account .
We were talking about the rules put in place for air travelling in Europe after the terrorist attempt in Heathrow airport 2 years ago and the paranoid feeling that was spread in England on the behalf of the feel scared factor "feel good factor". There was specific rules applying to passengers departing (the official rules say also entering... but my own experience showed me even travelling with a full bottle of water in my 2 hand luggage from Dubai to Gatwick airport) from UK airports (because everybody knows that terrorists won't be using any other airports) such as only allowed to carry ONE item of hand baggage, smaller than the normal European regulation.
So you might be glad to learn that even such stupid sensible rules are coming to an end and the UK Department for Transport has given approval to a number of UK airports to remove the one-bag restriction on hand baggage. As a result British Airways and other companies will re-introduce its two-piece hand baggage allowance for passengers departing from the following airports with effect from 7 January 2008:
London Heathrow
London City
Aberdeen
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Manchester
Newcastle
New rules (hmm not so new for the rest of Europe) are:
one standard-sized bag - maximum size of the bag must not exceed 56x45x25cm (22x17.5x9.85in) (including wheels, pockets and handles)
In addition, one laptop sized bag, handbag or briefcase
A 23kg(51lbs) maximum (for British Airways) bag weight applies and you must be able to lift the bag into the overhead lockers in the aircraft cabin unaided.
Unfortunately the one-bag restriction will remain in place at the following very unsecured British airports: London Gatwick, Jersey, Newquay
PS: yes, I might have made some comments in this informational article... but those who travel a bit there by plane will surely understand why...
In April 2007, non domiciled residents had a warning: filling in a self-assessment tax return they were, for the first time, asked to declare on what date they changed their domicile. They will also have to confirm if they have ever been domiciled in the UK as well as stating the date on which they came to live in the UK.
Following the proposal of the Conservative Party to tax non-domiciled residents, saying they would levy a fixed £25,000 annual charge on anyone claiming non-domicile status, the Labour government had been under pressure to bring in new legislation.
In order to assess the impact of what is currently only a pre-budget proposal, Adexpat gives us the following explanation.
The 2008/2009 pre-budget report unveils a significant will to levy tax on resident but non uk-domiciled expatriates who have earnings arising abroad, untaxed in the UK under the combined non remittance and non domicile rules.
The pre-budget states that the plans are to amend quite a few rules, and we have highlighted the most relevant:
1. The calculation rule for days of presence in the UK : The day(s) of arrival and departure will now have to be included in the total.
As we understand it, this means that people coming on Monday and leaving on Friday who used to be regarded as spending 3/7 days in the UK will now spend 5/7 days in the UK , and very likely more than 183 in a tax year.
2. 7 year rule
Anyone reaching or having previously reached 7 years in the UK will be taxable on their worldwide income, unless they choose to use the remittance basis rule and pay a 30.000 GBP fixed tax charge. In short, you will need to earn a lot to reckon that the 30.000 GBP tax is a light bite. For the rest the 40% bite may be a massive one.
3. The definition and rules for Remittance will be reviewed in order to increase the scope of income liable to tax.
Using the year of remittance versus the year an income arose will not be accepted anymore
The Source ceasing Rule will disappear
4. Non domiciled IT Contractors (or else) using Channel Islands schemes via trusts to legally convert their income into non taxable income may lose that benefit.
This is only a pre-budget, but it sends a strong enough signal of what is to come.
Although it is quite difficult to quantify the impact on expatriate demography, it will clearly make the UK a lot less attractive to many high earners as the UK income tax rate is quite high, and the cost of living in London the highest in Europe .
And as I heard this morning if the money is not there anymore, why not choose quality of life instead!
This article is not a legal statement and should only be read as a view expressed by the writer.
For more explanation about the status of non-domiciled, you can read the Guardian:
"The non-domicile rule is a distant echo of empire. It allows some residents of the UK to cite some other country as their real domicile and then, unlike all other residents, to pay UK tax on their earnings in the rest of the world only if they "remit" the money to the UK."
And read about the current status on the Inlande Revenue website.
Guide to the new rules for carry-on/hand baggage in European airports (EU+ Switzerland, Norway,...) from the 6th Nov. 2006
Liquids and liquid substances in your carry-on baggage must be packed in containers with a maximum capacity of 100 ml (1/10 litre)
You may pack more than one container, but no more than you can fit into a one-litre plastic bag
Authorities specify that the bag must be a ‘transparent, re-sealable
bag with a maximum capacity of one litre. The closing mechanism must be
an integral part of the bag. You may for instance use re-sealable
“freezer bags”, available from many major supermarkets.’
Get hold of a bag that meets the authorities’ requirements – and pack your liquid containers in this
At the airport, help is at hand
At the airport, signs, information flyers and airport staff will remind you of the new rules
In the initial period, bags will be available at the airport free
of charge, but please regard this as an option of last resort; the more
passengers packing correctly before they leave home, the quicker
passengers will be able to pass through security.
Be prepared at the security checkpoint
Have your bag of liquids ready for separate x-raying at the security checkpoint
Remove computers and other large electrical items from your carry-on baggage – such items must be x-rayed separately
Remove your coat at the security checkpoint. It too must be x-rayed separately
Duty-free: you can buy tax-free goods at the airport as usual
You can buy goods as usual beyond the security checkpoint
Articles bought at the airport beyond the security checkpoints
(including spirits, perfume and other liquids) are exempt from the new
rules
You can buy tax-free goods at the airport as usual, but please be
aware that your will receive your goods in a sealed bag, which must
remain sealed until your final destination
For passengers in transit from non
European countries, items bought in duty-free might be confiscated as
it is difficult to trace their origin.
through the airport security search point. This is the maximum bag size allowed through security.
Please note that other bags, such as handbags, may be carried WITHIN the single item of cabin baggage - not in addition.
We organised a get-together in Milan on Monday the 9th October.
The meeting point, recommended by a friend, was Solci's, a famous wine bar in Milan). Very good choice as the wine was excellent (I recommend a Negroamaro Maime 2003). And last but not least, it was served in the traditional Italian style of aperitivo: with plenty of ham, saucisson and cheese with bred to eat with.
It was the occasion to meet with Massimo, Simona, Alberto, Tiziana, Brigitte...etc. Most of them actually meet regularly in events organized by partyamo.com in Milan (you will recognise some people here and there and here also).
You can see all the photos of the event in the album section.
Isn’t it really annoying when the waiter gets your order
wrong? Or seems to ignore you completely? If you're in ‘s Baggers, you won't have that problem. That’s because it doesn’t have any waiters. ‘s Baggers
is the first automated restaurant. Customers simply use touch screen TVs to
browse the menu and choose their meal. The order is sent real time to chefs
upstairs (still of the old-fashioned human kind) who prepare the fresh,
delicious meals. Once ready, the meal is put in a pot, given a sticker and a
colour to match the customer’s seat and then sent sliding down a
rollercoaster-like conveyor belt to reach the correct table.
Feeling a little adventurous? Then Archipelago is for you.
Featuring an exotic menu including gnu, crocodile, locusts and kangaroo- just
to name a few, this restaurant is definitely a walk on the wild side. For the
more faint hearted, chicken, lamb and an extensive vegetarian menu is also
available. Weird ingredients, crazy combinations and eclectic décor make this
dining experience one you’ll remember long after.
Germany has long
been a shrine for beer lovers from around the world. Two of the biggest
and
most popular beer festivals in the world take place in Germany. The
most popular is Munich’s world renowned Oktoberfest which strangely
enough takes place
in September. The second most famous beer festival is the Stuttgart
Beer
Festival. There are officially two Stuttgart festivals, one in spring
and one
in autumn. And here’s the good news – the Stuttgart Spring Festival is
just
around the corner. Let’s take a look at these three big and happening
places to
be if you enjoy guzzling gallons of your favourite brew.
There are 3 linguistic communities in
Belgium: Flanders (with 6 millions inhabitants - but not all speaking Dutch), Wallonia (3.4
millions), Brussels-Capital (1 million) and some Eastern cantons speaking German (70,000). Contrary
to what you might think, the country is not bilingual, but apply two
strict monolingualism: in Flanders, the official language is Dutch,
in Wallonia the official language is French. only Brussels-Capital
(city of Brussels + additional neighbourhood) is officially bilingual.
In order to make things more complex, Brussels is inhabited by more
than 80% of non-Dutch speakers, but is located in Flemish territory.
Amsterdam
.
In April 2007, non domiciled residents had a warning: filling in a self-assessment tax return they were, for the first time, asked to declare on what date they changed their domicile. They will also have to confirm if they have ever been domiciled in the UK as well as stating the date on which they came to live in the UK.
