News
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East meets Nordics in EU road transport show-down
The Nordic countries are celebrating that the EU has finally approved rules aimed at fighting social dumping in the international road transport sector. Meanwhile, a number of low-pay countries in the east have asked the EU Court of Justice to annul them.
2 minutes -
Rovaniemi’s Santa is on his own a lot this year
Christmas music plays on speakers everywhere. The sun sets around 1.30 pm. Santa Claus Village in Finnish Lapland is like a wintery Las Vegas, but far less busy.
5 minutes
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Elves, dogs and reindeer suffer as tourists disappear from Arctic Circle
There seems to be more visitors to the post office than anywhere else in Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village – despite the risk of infection. Auli Sihvo has worked there for 20 years and seen how Santa has improved Lapland’s commercial pulling-power.
8 minutes
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Migration to the OECD nearly halved during Corona pandemic
As a result of the Corona pandemic, the number of migrants being granted visas and residence permits for an OECD country has fallen dramatically. During the first six months of 2020, the number fell by 46% compared to the same period last year, according to the OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2020.
4 minutes -
Norway falling on integration index – or is it?
Over the past five years, Norway has lost its position among the top ten countries with the most inclusive and generous migration policy, according to MIPEX 2020. But what does that really mean?
8 minutes
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Swedish employment law – a drama with many acts
The rules covering the labour market still create heated debate in Swedish politics. Time and again, this issue has challenged the government’s survival. It also highlights disagreements between the governing Social Democrats and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation LO.
6 minutes
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Danish drive against sexual harassment at work
Sexual harassment in the workplace must end, say the government and the social partners. Clearer rules for psychological work environments came into force on 1 November 2020.
5 minutes
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Iceland starting to miss “overtourism”
Few countries have seen a more rapid tourism growth than Iceland. For many years, the number of tourists rose by 20 to 25% every year. This led to a debate over whether Iceland was a victim of “overtourism” like Barcelona and Venice.
6 minutes
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Vaasa wants to attract more people by making them the world’s happiest
The Finnish city of Vaasa was at the very start of a campaign to make it the happiest city on Earth. Then corona hit. Now it remains to be seen whether the city and its inhabitants can create greater happiness in the depths of a crisis and a pandemic.
8 minutes
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Akureyri’s “unity government” to tackle the crisis
All five political parties on the city council of Northern Iceland’s largest city, Akureyri, have formed a coalition. Until the next election, they must work together to tackle the crisis created by the Corona pandemic and the loss of tourism income.
4 minutes