LIVING AND INVESTING IN EUROPE
Accelerate your business with these expert tips on "Living and investing in Europe". Analyse and discover this TIP!
Brief description of the European Continent:
In this article we explain what Europe is from different points of view. The aim is to provide a overview of what the European continent is and what it offers to entrepreneurs from other regions of the world. Europe can be analysed geographically.
Es one of the continents that make up the Eurasian supercontinent, however, given Russia's desire to emphasise its presence straddling Europe and Asia, it has come to see Europe as a continent in its own right, stretching from the Iberian Peninsula to the Urals and from the northern shores of the Mediterranean to the Arctic.
Europe is the second smallest continent in the world and covers 2% of the planet's surface and 6.8% of the emerged lands. A history not without historical upheavals has resulted in a continent divided into a multitude of sovereign countries, the largest of which is Russia. Europe, and more specifically the Greek peninsula is considered the cradle of Western civilisation, and was succeeded by the Roman Empire, which left its cultural mark on the entire Mediterranean basin, reaching as far as the present-day British Isles.
The fall of the empire was followed by a major movement of peoples from Asia, which coincided with the beginning of the Middle Ages. This was followed by the Modern Age, which began with the Renaissance.
This period saw the expansion of European countries to other continents such as America, Africa and Asia. The milestone of this expansion was the discovery of America and the globalisation of world trade. Roughly speaking, the industrial revolution came in the 18th century.
Already in the 20th century, disputes between European countries led to major conflicts: the first and then the second world wars, which marked the rise of the United States to hegemonic nationhood.
The Cold War lasted until the end of the 20th century with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which until then had led the so-called Eastern Bloc, antagonistic to the Western bloc, which would end up founding the so-called European Economic Community. It was during these years that the so-called European Common Market was born.
The European population:
- It has a population of 510 million people. The most populous member state is Germany (82.2 million people and 16.11 PTw3T of the total) and the least populous is Malta (0.4 million and 0.11 PTw3T). Spain, with 46.4 million people, accounts for 9.11TDP3T of the EU.
- In the last decade, the number of people with European status has increased by almost 12 million. France leads the growth with an increase of more than 3 million, the relative numbers Luxembourg grows by 21%.
- The countries with the largest decrease are Romania with almost 1.4 million and in relative terms Latvia and Lithuania with 11%.
- In the EU, 161 PT3GTT are under 15 years of age, and 65 and over 191 PT3G are aged 65 and over. The country with the highest proportion of people under 15 years of age is Ireland (221 PT3T), 9 points behind Germany with the lowest proportion. Spain occupies an intermediate position with 15% of under-15s.
- The average age in Europe is 43, ranging from 46 in Germany, the oldest country, to 40 in Ireland, the country with the youngest people.
- The fertility rate for the 28 countries as a whole is 1.6 offspring per woman and an average maternal age of 30.6 years.
- Life expectancy at birth (LEn) in the EU is 80.9 years. Spain, with 83.4 years, has the highest nLLL among the EU countries.
- The main causes of death of people living in the EU are respiratory diseases 381 PT3T, cancer 261 PT3T, and external causes 51 PT3T.
The European common market:
- Also known as, Single European Market or European Economic Communityhas its origins in the European Common Market for Coal and Steel (ECSC) Treaty.
- In 1957 it was decided to take the agreement beyond coal and steel and the so-called Treaties of Rome were signed, creating the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
- Key milestones since then have been the signing of the Single European Act in 1986 and the creation of the European Union in 1992, marking the beginning of Economic and Monetary Union.
- The unifying trend at the institutional level continues to grow and the 2007 Lisbon Treaty establishes three classes of matters in which the EU institutions can intervene.
Those falling within the exclusive competence of the EU:
The European Union shall have exclusive competence, and the States may not intervene, in matters relating to customs union; establishment of the competition rules necessary for the functioning of the internal market; eurozone monetary policy; and common commercial policy.
SHARED COMPETENCES WITH MEMBER COUNTRIES:
- Residual shared competence is attributed for all internal market issues.
COMPETENCE OF MEMBER COUNTRIES WITH EU SUPPORT:
- Where there is no Community regulation.
- The internal market is an area free of borders and barriers between states. To this end, the system is based on a number of basic elements, which form the legal framework for the effective implementation of an internal market.
- Among these elements, it is worth highlighting what the doctrine has traditionally called the "Four Fundamental Freedoms", comprising the free movement of goods, workers, services and capital. In relation to these freedoms, the Treaties distinguished the so-called right of establishment.
- The internal market is also underpinned by common policies, notably the transport policy; of competence; of agriculture and fisheriesand the common trade policy.
The 4 Freedoms
They are enshrined in the Union Treaty and it does so by prohibiting any restrictions on them:
FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS:
- The free movement of goods implies the establishment of a customs union which "shall cover all trade in goods and shall entail the prohibition, between Member States, of customs duties on imports and exports".
- In the same vein, it provides for the adoption of a common customs tariff in its relations with third countries. On 1 January 1993, the Single Administrative Document (SAD) was generally abolished for intra-Community trade.
FREE MOVEMENT OF WORKERS:
- The free movement of workers is laid down in Article 45(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. European Union. Discrimination on grounds of nationality is strictly prohibited. with regard to employment, remuneration and other conditions of work, expressly providing for the rights of Community workers to move, reside and remain in the Community and, excluding from this regulation, employees of public administrations.
FREE MOVEMENT OF SERVICES:
- The free movement of services is defined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This freedom is thus recognised by the exclusion of restrictions on the freedom to provide services within the Union for nationals of Member States established in a Member State other than that of the person for whom the service is intended.
- The free movement of services thus covers two essential cases. The first concerns the provision of a service in the country of establishment of the provider, the recipient of which is not a national of that country but of another Member State.
- The second concerns the provision of a service in a country other than that in which the provider is established. In such a case, the provider is not obliged to exercise his right of establishment in the Member State in order to be able to provide the service, it being sufficient to comply with the same conditions that the Member State receiving the service imposes on its nationals.
FREE MOVEMENT OF CAPITAL:
- The free movement of capital is defined by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. At the same time, the free movement of payments is mentioned, which, given its nature, is regulated in the same way as the free movement of capital.
- Thus, as a general rule, any restriction on the movement of payments and capital, both between Member States and between Member States, is prohibited. non-EU countries and Member States.
- However, the following are envisaged, some exceptions the prohibition on restricting the movement of payments and capital. Firstly, restrictions in place prior to 31 December 1993 between non-EU countries and Member States relating to direct investment, including investment in real estate, establishment, the provision of financial services or the admission of securities in capital markets.
- Also, it is worth noting, the assumption that the Council unanimously decides to roll back the liberalisation of capital movements between third countries and Member States. This act will be adopted by a special legislative procedurewhich includes consultation with the European Parliament.
RIGHT OF ESTABLISHMENT:
- In addition to the Four Freedoms, the right of establishment of nationals of one Member State on the territory of another Member State is defined in a negative way, i.e. by prohibiting restrictions that could prevent or hinder it.
- The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states that the right of establishment comprises taking up and pursuing activities as self-employed persons and the establishment and management of companies. In any case, they shall be subject to the conditions which the country of establishment imposes on its own nationals.
Basic indicators of the European Union:
| Extension | 4 million kilometres |
| Population | 510 million inhabitants |
| GDP (2019) | 16.4 billion |
| Ratio to World GDP | 16% |
| 3rd largest economy in the world | China 16.4%. United States 16.3% |
| 27 Member States | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Spain. |
| GDP per capita in Europe | 30.600€ |
| Highest GDP per capita | Luxembourg 101.000€. |
| GDP per capita Spain | 25.400€ |
| GDP per capita Canary Islands | 21.000€ |
| Currency | € Euro (19 Eurozone countries) |
| Currency: Specific cases | Danish krone (Denmark outside the €). 7 Countries that do not yet meet the necessary criteria. |
| Official languages | 24 languages. Working: French, German and English |
| ORGANISM | LOCATION | FUNCTIONS |
| European Parliament | Brussels / Strasbourg /Luxembourg | Legislative Body of the European Union. |
| European Council | Brussels | It defines the general political orientations and priorities of the European Union. |
| Council of the European Union | (Brussels / Luxembourg): | European Council of Ministers. |
| ORGANISM | LOCATION | FUNCTIONS |
| European Parliament | Brussels / Strasbourg /Luxembourg | Legislative Body of the European Union. |
| European Council | Brussels | It defines the general political orientations and priorities of the European Union. |
| Council of the European Union | (Brussels / Luxembourg) | European Council of Ministers. |
| European Commission | (Brussels / Luxembourg / Representations in the Member States) | It guides executive power and legislative initiative. |
| Court of Justice of the European Union | Luxembourg | It accepts appeals from individuals and States and has advisory and contentious powers. |
| European Central Bank | Frankfurt | It is the central bank of the European Union countries that have the euro as their currency. |
| European Court of Auditors | Luxembourg | Responsible for the audit and control of the accounts of the European Union. |
Living in Europe:
It is a continent of large dimensions and very heterogeneous from an economic and social point of view. Living standards vary considerably from one country to another, which makes it very difficult to give a general overview valid for the whole continent.
As Europe moves towards economic and political unification, it is likely to tend towards greater homogenisation of living standards. There are many studies on the standard of living in different European countries. But, from the point of view of the non-EU investor-entrepreneur, there are some factors that must be taken into account when deciding where to live.
We offer some suggestions in this regard without giving more or less importance to each of them:
- At first place, It seems logical that the place of residence should coincide with the environments in which the business is to be set up. As we have seen, Europe is a very large market and it is normal to decide in advance which will be the priority places for action.
- The second criterion we suggest is that cultural aspects should be taken into consideration. It seems logical that a Spanish-American investor would prefer to live in countries more closely related to his or her culture of origin, Spain, Italy or Portugal, rather than in the countries of the North. Social benefits, quality of life, etc. This includes housing, education, health, but also security, climate, etc.
In any case, the decision must be the result of a thorough analysis. We provide some additional useful information:
Quality of life:
Europe is a continent with a high standard of living. The standard of living is calculated by measuring the price of certain goods and services in each country in relation to the income in that country. For this purpose, a common national currency is used, called the "purchasing power standard" (PPS). Comparing gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in PPS provides an overview of the standard of living across the EU.
The countries with the highest GDP per capita are Luxembourg with 101,000 Euros and the lowest Bulgaria with 8000 Euros. Germany has a GDP per capita of 43,000 Euros, France 33,000 Euros and Italy and Spain 27 and 25,000 Euros respectively.
In addition to the LFS, another indicator for measuring quality of life is the Social Progress Imperative which combines the degree of satisfaction of basic social needs, foundations of well-being and opportunities.
These criteria result in this ranking published by Bankinter:
Education in the European Union:
As in all the variables we are analysing, education is a competence that corresponds to each of the member countries. However, The European Union intervenes in certain strategic aspects aimed at ensuring equal opportunities, quality and competitiveness.
One example of such policies is the Digital Education Action Plan, which pursues a number of key strategic objectives:
- Foster the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem.
- Enhancing digital competences and skills for digital transformation.
Education and health care are the two workhorses of the so-called welfare state in Europe. This implies that the state becomes the guarantor and provider of education in all EU countries.
Thus, In Europe, states still retain control over most of the functions related to educational provision, to a greater or lesser extent depending on whether the systems are more or less centralised.
University education in some EU countries:
The countries discussed below offer free university education.
GERMANY:
The prestige of German education and the strength of its economy make Germany a popular destination for international students. University education is free of charge in some Länder, and in the remaining Länder, only administrative fees of no more than 100 euros per year are payable. The language of instruction is German, a language of great importance in fields such as engineering.
GREECE:
Enrolment in degree courses is free at all public universities in the country except the Hellenic Open University, which is a distance learning university. Classes are generally in Greek, but some degrees can be found taught in English, especially those dedicated to subjects with a more international perspective. Again, the beaches and the good weather are an incentive to choose this country as a study destination.
DENMARK:
Students from the European Union can access the high quality education offered by Danish universities free of charge. It is difficult to find degrees taught in English but there are some. Some are also taught in German. It is a expensive country to live in but if you can find a job you can apply for the Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU), which is a grant of around 750 euros per month given by the Danish government to university students.
SWEDEN:
As usual in the Nordic countries, Sweden offers free, quality education and a high standard of living, but it is also an expensive country. Degrees are usually in Swedish, but there are some English-language programmes designed for international students, especially at Stockholm University.
Let us look at other cases from other countries:
SPAIN:
Most universities are public, and are therefore financed by the State, through the central administration and the Autonomous Communities, and are governed by the general student admission system and tuition fees. is established by the relevant administration. The university system is made up of 85 universities (50 public and 35 private), as well as 322 research institutes and 78 science and technology parks.
FRANCE:
At FranceThe bachelor's degree (Diplôme National de Licence) is awarded over six semesters. Upon completion, students can access a master's degree, which lasts four semesters (corresponding to a bachelor's degree + 5 years of study). studies). There were 71 universities and 1 national polytechnique institute in April 2016. There is no concept of private university in France, but there is a concept of private faculty.
The registration fees in France The state covers most of the costs of accessible courses at public higher education institutions. The actual cost of studies is the same as anywhere else in the world: about 10,000 euros per year.
ITALY:
At Italythe university education is divided into three cycles, in which the following diplomas can be obtained: a diploma universityafter 2 or 3 years of study. A bachelor's degree, after a 4 or 6-year course of study. A specialisation degree, which takes a minimum of two years. Italy has 96 universities of which 17 are private.
The average tuition fees for a public higher education in Italy can range from €900 to €4,000 per year, depending on whether you are from the EU or not, the specific institution, as well as your programme and level of study.
Health in the European Union:
Each Member State is responsible for its own health policy, organisation and financing, scenarios which may result in different situations of accessibility, availability and level of payments of sick people when using care services.
The economic crisis has meant that in recent years the focus has been primarily on the profitability of each system, but there are other factors that have a marked influence on the more day-to-day aspect of healthcare.
- Who is most satisfied with their own healthcare system?
- In which countries does it take the longest to see a doctor?
- Are there paediatricians in Primary Care?
In the following analysis we look at the different parameters that define day-to-day healthcare in Europe. The EU complements national health policies by supporting the governments of its member countries to achieve common goals, share resources and overcome common challenges.
In addition to formulating EU-wide laws and standards for health products and services, it also provides funding for health projects across the EU. EU health policy focuses on protecting and improving health, equal access to modern and efficient healthcare for all Europeans, and coordination in the face of serious health threats affecting more than one EU country.
Disease prevention and response play a prominent role among the EU's public health priorities. Disease prevention concerns many areas, such as vaccination, the fight against antibiotic resistance, the fight against cancer and responsible food labelling.
Two specific agencies support national governments on health issues. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assesses and monitors emerging disease threats in order to coordinate the response. The European Medicines Agency is responsible for the scientific evaluation of the quality, safety and efficacy of all medicines in the EU.
PREVAILING MODELS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN EUROPE:
First of all, a basic differentiation should be made between National Health Services (Beveridge model) and Social Insurance Schemes (Bismark model).
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES:
- Directly controlled by the government.
- Funding comes from the state budget (state taxes).
- Universal access.
- Salaried medical practitioners.
- Government control and management with some private sector involvement.
- Some co-payments by users.
SOCIAL INSURANCE SYSTEMS (BISMARK MODEL):
- Organised around mutuals.
- Financing covered by employer and employee contributions.
- Joint management by employers and employees.
- The resources go to funds, which are non-governmental entities regulated by law.
- The "funds" contract hospitals, family doctors, etc. to provide services to the insured through contracts based on a budget or on a fee-for-service basis.
Private healthcare in Europe:
In Europe, private health services co-exist with public health services. In fact, there is a spirit of collaboration between the two, although not to the same extent in all countries. In any case, private healthcare plays its cards right and offers higher levels of agility in service and greater efficiency in management.
As a result, more and more European citizens are supplementing their (universal) public health care coverage with private insurance policies. The private healthcare sector is growing steadily and is an excellent alternative for business people arriving in Europe with their health cover contracted through insurance companies.
Housing in Europe:
Within the EU-27, there are large differences in how Europeans live in terms of the size and type of housing, its quality and whether ownership or renting predominates. The evolution of house prices for sale and rentals also changes significantly across countries.
We analyse the housing situation in the EU with the data from the European Statistical Office Eurostat.
- How have house purchase and rental prices evolved?
- Are there more owners or tenants?
In the European Union (EU), 70% of the population lived in owner-occupied households.The remaining 30% lived in a rented house at the end of 2019. The data in this Eurostat interactive publication show annual figures up to that year and therefore do not reflect the impact of the covid-19 crisis that has hit the whole continent in all aspects in 2020.
In Spain, the proportion rises to 76.2% of owners, but far from Romanians, Hungarians or Slovaks. These data and many more can be found in the report. The percentage of the population that either owns or rents the house in which they live is significantly different between member states. In the EU, 69.81 PT3T of the population live in their own dwelling, while the remaining 30.21 PT3T lived in rented houses.
BUT WHERE ARE THERE MORE OWNERS?
In Romania (95.8% of the population owns a house), followed by Hungary (91.7%) and Slovakia (91%) or Lithuania (90.3%). In all Member States, ownership is the most common way of living. Only in Germany is renting able to come close to owning, with 491 Tbp3T of the population renting, compared to 511 Tbp3T owning.
This is followed by Austria, with 44.81 PTP3T of tenants and Denmark, where 39.21 PTP3T of the population live in rented flats. Spain exceeds the European average, with up to 76.2% of owners compared to 23.8% of renters, although it must be said that this proportion has been growing towards the rental market in recent years, especially since the economic crisis of 2008 and the bursting of the real estate bubble.
Living in a house or flat also differs between Member States and depends on whether you live in a city or in the countryside. In 2019, 531 PT3T of the population lived in a detached house, which includes semi-detached houses, while 461 PT3T lived in a flat (only 11 PT3T lived in other accommodation).
Ireland (92%) had the highest proportion of the population living in a detached house, followed by Croatia and Belgium (both 77.6%) and the Netherlands (74.8%). Houses are more common in two thirds of the member states.
Buying a home in Europe:
Each country has its own legislation when it comes to establishing methods and systems of taxation for non-EU citizens wishing to buy a home in Europe. In general, there are no restrictions for non-EU nationals. Only one valid identification document and a current account opened in the country concerned.
IT IS WORTH GIVING SOME GENERAL ADVICE:
MAKE SURE OF THE TOTAL PRICE:
Normally the prices of the properties that appear on the real estate portals are not the final prices. You should find out what commissions and taxes you will have to pay at the end of the process.
These concepts can amount to an additional 10 to 15%.
PLAN THE SALE AND PURCHASE WELL:
Do not pay reservations or down payments without having a clear idea of the route to take until you have the key to the property in your hand, and be absolutely sure of the most suitable option.
If for some reason you change your mind once you have made a down payment, I could lose the money to the real estate company.
TAXES:
Normally, non-EU citizens pay the same taxes as EU citizens, but beware of legislative differences between countries. In Spain, taxes vary, depending on whether the property is used or new (new construction purchased directly from the developer).
The purchase tax is the VAT in continental Europe or IGIC in the Canary Islands. The amount of this tax can vary between 10 and 21% (be aware of the differences between nations). This tax is paid at the moment of signing the deed of sale.
Following the Spanish example, it will have to pay the Stamp duty (Impuesto de Actos Jurídicos Documentados) and payment will be made at the time of registration of the property. In the case of the purchase of a second-hand property, the transfer tax is payable.
OTHER EXPENSES:
Notary fees, Land Registry fees and, changes of utilities (gas, water and electricity, real estate commission 2 years 15%, mortgage costs (appraisal and interest rate agreed with the bank).
The case of France:
We stress the importance of identifying these concepts in each country. In the case of France will have to pay the notary's fees. These are controlled by the government and depend on the level of property taxes, but the sum of the fees cannot exceed 10 % of the value of the property.
Stamp duty is also charged at 5.8 % for properties over five years old, while newer homes incur a cost of 0.7 % plus VAT. However, check your initial contract and prices, since, properties are occasionally sold as "toutes tax comprises" (TTC), meaning that all taxes are included.
Once you own a residential property in France, you will also have to pay a land tax and local taxes:
- The "Taxe d'habitation"(housing tax): is owed by the persons staying in the dwelling. So, if the property is rented, it is the tenant who pays the tax. It is calculated on the basis of the rental value of the property, but the applicable rate depends on each municipality.
- The "Taxe foncière"(property tax): is the responsibility of property owners;
- "Cotisation foncière des entreprises"(CFE): is a tax payable by companies, calculated on the basis of the rental value of the property occupied by a professional. This tax is payable if the property is used for professional purposes. The person liable for the tax is the occupier of the premises.
- "Taxe des logements vacants": is a tax levied on unoccupied dwellings in certain urban areas at the owners' expense.
- "Taxe d'enlèvement des ordures ménagères".: This tax is levied to finance the household waste collection service and exists in most municipalities in France. The tax is payable by the owner or usufructuary of the dwelling or premises. However, if the property is rented, the tax paid can be recovered by charging it to the rental contract expenses.
RENTING A PROPERTY IN FRANCE:
It is very important to know that in France, in order to rent a property, the tenant must be able to prove that he/she has an income at least 3 times higher than the rental price, i.e. if the rent is 500 euros, the tenant should receive at least 1500 euros net and fixed per month. The French complain about the bureaucracy involved in the process of renting a house (Paperasse).
They therefore recommend that aspiring tenants prepare their rental dossier: sOnly a well prepared rental dossier will enable you to outperform all other rental candidates.
THIS IS THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW:
- Prepare the basic documents for renting your property.
- Provide optional documents (but they sometimes make a difference).
- Refuse to disclose certain confidential information.
- Make sure your case stands out.
- Find a guarantor quickly if you have a low income.
THE MANDATORY DOCUMENTS ARE:
- Photocopy of your identity card (or passport). Last three payslips or pay slips (if you are an employee) or last two balance sheets (if you are self-employed).
- Proof of address (electricity bill, landline phone, internet box, gas, etc).
- If you need a guarantor, he or she will have to provide the same documents.
DOCUMENTS THAT ARE NOT MANDATORY BUT SUPPORT THE PROCESS:
- Last tax notice (avis d'imposition his and/or the guarantor's, if any).
- Student card if applicable.
- Residence permit.
- Employer's certificate.
- Photocopy of local taxes (taxe d'habitation, taxe foncière) if the guarantor owns his home.
- RIB.
- Rent receipts for the previous rent.
ADDITIONAL GUARANTEES:
To protect against possible non-payment, it is not uncommon for a landlord to require your tenant to provide a guarantor. Clearly, it is your guarantor, i.e. the person who will stand behind you, who your landlord will ask to pay the rent if you are unable to do so.
But, given the economic consequences involved, the role of guarantor is not always easy to fulfil...
However, if you do not have a guarantor, there are alternatives:
- The bank guarantee.
- The Visale reservoir.
- The online repository.
Renting a property in Ireland:
We conclude these examples of buying or renting in Europe in different European countries by looking at the rental process in Ireland.
Documentation:
THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PROVIDED BY THE LESSOR:
- Household documents.
- Passport.
- Bank account into which you will receive the monthly payments.
- Registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, a body that regulates and licenses landlords to rent in Ireland. According to Irish law, all landlords must have this registration in order to rent, so ask your landlord for this paper.
BY THE LESSEE:
- Employment contract or letters from the English course.
- Irish bank account statement.
- Passports of all persons who will be living on site.
- References of the last landlord.
- Cover letter.
The contract:
Usually, the lease specifies each of the items that are in the property. This way, when you vacate, the landlord can verify that everything in the lease is there. AAt the same time, you will be sure that, everything you buy while you are in the property is yours, and there will be no confusion!!!!
Furthermore, the contract should include other conditions of the tenancy, such as what can happen if something is damaged in the property, how to act in such a situation and who is responsible.
Rent:
Under Irish law, the tenant is obliged to pay the rent on time and must also be very careful to ensure that the property is kept in excellent condition. It is also important to mention that the landlord has the right to inspect the condition of the property as long as he gives you the date of this visit in advance.
Similarly, if you intend to move out of the property, you need to give advance notice so that the landlord can find someone else to occupy it. As can be seen, there are no major differences in the requirements and regulations established in the different European countries in the purchase or rental processes.
Transport in Europe:
Addresses the mobility needs of more than 700 million people and its associated burdens. Europe's political geography divides the continent into more than 50 sovereign states and territories.
This fragmentation, together with increased movement of people since the industrial revolution, has led to a high level of cooperation between European countries in the development and maintenance of transport networks.
Supranational and intergovernmental organisations, such as the European Union (EU), Council of Europe and the OSCE have led to the development of international rules and agreements that allow people and cargo to cross Europe's borders, largely with unique levels of freedom and ease.
Road, rail, air and water transport are prevalent and important throughout Europe. Europe was the place in the world with the first railways and motorways and is now the location of some of the world's busiest ports and airports.
The Schengen area allows for unchecked border crossing between 25 European countries. Freight transport has a high level of intermodal compatibility, and the European Economic AreaThe EU's new trade agreement, which allows for the free movement of goods across 30 states.
ROADS AND MOTORWAYS
The European Union boasts the best road and motorway network in the world. Roads play an important role in EU transport, helping to link distant regions, promoting cohesion, competitiveness and economic growth by efficiently connecting markets and people. Europe's roads carry 76% of tonne-km and 92% of person-km (both bus and passenger car) of all internal EU movement.
This gives an idea of its great importance and explains why the Community pays attention to the constant improvement of the network, its integration with other networks (air, sea and rail) and to ensuring its sustainability. The Community has earmarked 78 billion euros between 2007 and 2020 to subsidise projects on the continent's road network. In this link (+) for more information on European road policy.
AIR TRANSPORT:
Also, in air transport, Europe has an important network of infrastructures and airlines that have seen their activity greatly improved thanks to the policies of unification of the European sky (Open Skies) and the liberalisation of the activity, which has contributed to greater competitiveness and to making air transport accessible to all segments of the population.
This positive development has been a key driver for sectors such as tourism, which, except for the Covid years, has been growing steadily. In 2017, 1.2 billion tourism-related air journeys were made in Europe. Low-cost airlines have had a positive impact in this regard. In 2017, the European airline industry had a turnover of around €150 billion, with an average year-on-year growth of 6.9%. It is to be expected that activity will return to the same pace in the short to medium term.
Expectations are that by 2022 the sector will reach a value of USD 199.5 billion, an increase of 33.1% from 2017 with an average annual growth of 5.9%. Over this period passengers will grow by 24.7% with an average annual growth of 4.5%, reaching 1.271 billion passengers. Despite changes in the habits of European consumers. Internet penetration in Europe has increased from 70% in 2014 to 90% in 2019. In addition, the e-commerce in Europe has increased by 11% in 2017.
In any case, European countries have an abundant network of local, national and international airports that smoothly connect all corners of the continent.
MARITIME TRANSPORT:
Transport maritime represents the 90% of the international trade of Europe and the 40% of the trade to the EU hinterland. With more than 1,200 ports with cargo movement that allow the trade and the connection between EU member states. The map explains the location of the 15 most important European seaports offering regular connections to ports all over the world.
THE SCHENGEN AREA:
The Schengen area is an area of Europe made up of 26 countries. which have agreed to abolish internal border controls to allow the unrestricted free movement of persons, goods, services and capital, following common rules on external border controls. It should be noted that not all members of the European Union (EU) or all European countries are part of the Schengen area because they are two different zones.
THE SIGNATORY COUNTRIES OF THE SCHENGEN AGREEMENT ARE:
- Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Luxembourg.
- Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are part of Shengen but not part of the European Union.
- The microstates Monaco, Vatican City and San Marino are de facto members of Shengen.
Ireland is a member of the European Union but is not part of the Shengen agreement.
APPLY THIS TIP TO YOUR PROJECT
TASK
Now that you have read this TIP on Living and investing in Europe, reflect on these questions:
- Which of the above aspects do you think would favour the establishment of your company in Europe?
- As a first approximation, which EU countries do you consider most appropriate for your investment? Why?
- Could you cite the four freedoms that inspire the European Union?
- 💻 PRACTICE with an expert in the next practical webinar.
- 🔎 CONSULT more related TIPs with this same theme.
- 📖 AMPLIA your knowledge by downloading this EBOOK y this EBOOK.
THINK ABOUT YOU
- 🚀 IMPULSA your company in the next acceleration programme, ¡book your place now!
- 🥁 PRACTICE with your project in this practical webinar, ¡apply for your place!
- 🌐 CONTACT with other entrepreneurs and companies, ¡register and take part in the next Networking!
THINK ABOUT HELPING OTHERS
- 🤝COLLABORATE as a volunteer: expert, mentor, inverter, awarding, Spreading the word, challenging, innovating, creating a TIP...
- 💬 RECOMMENDS this programme to reach out to more entrepreneurs by Google.
- 👉 SHARE your learning!
- 📲 SEND this TIP 👇
