Latest news with #EEA
NDTV
3 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Portugal Is Offering A Digital Nomad Visa Under Rs 9,500 To Work And Live There For A Year
If you wish to work remotely with a backdrop of sunlit cobblestone streets and ocean breezes, Portugal can be your next workstation. Portugal offers a Digital Nomad Visa (D8 Visa) to freelancers and entrepreneurs who want to live and work legally in Portugal. What You Need To Know Introduced in 2022, Portugal's Digital Nomad Visa allows non-European Union or European Economic Area citizens to reside in Portugal for a maximum of one year. There are two types of this visa: 1. Long-Term Residency Visa This visa is valid for 4 months, which can be followed by a 2-year residence permit. It can be renewed for up to 5 years, which can then lead to permanent residency or citizenship. 2. Temporary Stay Visa Valid for 12 months with multiple entries. This visa can be renewed up to 4 times, but it does not help you get a permanent residency. It is obvious that people who want to live and stay in Portugal for a short period can aim for a temporary stay visa. Eligibility The applicant should be at least 18 years old to apply. You should be a non-EU/EEA national to apply for this type of visa. This includes Indians. Your monthly income should be at least 4 times the Portuguese minimum wage, which would be somewhere 3,480 euros (Rs 3,53,843 approximately). You will need employment proof for remote or freelance jobs. You must have a valid passport and all other travel authorization. Health insurance that covers your stay in Portugal is required. You should have a clean criminal record from your resident country. How To Apply Step 1: Check your eligibility and collect your employment proof. Step 2: Prepare all the required documents Step 3: Fill out the visa application form available from the Portuguese consulate or embassy. Pay the visa fee, which is 90 euros (Rs 9,156 approx.) Step 4: Make an appointment with the Portuguese consulate or embassy and submit your application along with your documents. Step 5: Wait for approval to come. Once your application is approved, you will be allowed to enter and live in Portugal. Step 6: Apply for a residence permit once you arrive in Portugal if you have opted for a long-term visa. This should be done before your visa expires. The Pros You can bring a spouse or partner with children. Legal right to live and work remotely in Portugal. You will have access to the Schengen area. You can apply for a residence permit if you apply for a long-term visa. Good weather and a great lifestyle. The Cons
Euractiv
2 days ago
- Health
- Euractiv
A vaccine against cancer – but not for everyone
Some EU countries are beating HPV-related cancers, but others fail to provide life-saving measures. When Kim Hulscher sits upright at a table, her right leg swells. This is a lasting effect of lymphedema, a common cancer-related condition she developed after her cervical cancer treatment. 'I have to buy shoes that are twice my size because my foot won't fit into normal ones,' she says. Now, more than a decade after her diagnosis, she is speaking at the European Parliament during a conference titled 'Accelerating Progress Towards the EU's Goal of Eliminating HPV Cancers,' hosted by the European Cancer Organisation and the vice-chair of the Health Committee, Tilly Metz. Hulscher is there as co-chair of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology – and as a cancer survivor committed to helping spare others what she went through. Hulscher's cervical cancer, like many others, was caused by a type of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can often be prevented through vaccination and detected early through screening. Far from elimination Yet Europe is still far from stopping these cancers. According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer elimination means reducing incidence to fewer than four cases per 100,000 women. The most optimistic projections suggest that Europe could achieve this goal by 2050. In 2022, the ratio stood at 56 per 100,000 across the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Around 130,000 women were newly diagnosed, and 14,000 died. HPV-linked head and neck cancers also remain significant causes of mortality. In 2022, 86,000 people were diagnosed, 74% of them men. These cancers caused about 26,000 deaths across the region. Vaccination at a young age is the most effective way to prevent such deaths. Once sexually active, HPV infection is nearly unavoidable. 'It is as contagious as a cold,' said Hulscher. Another participant put it more vividly: 'HPV is like glitter – it gets everywhere: in your car, in your pockets. So it doesn't have to be penetrative sex to catch it.' Often, HPV infections clear up on their own without causing lasting damage, and only about a dozen of the over 200 known HPV types are cancer-causing. However, the only sure way to avoid infection with these is to live like a nun or a monk. Last year, the European Council adopted recommendations urging countries to fully vaccinate at least 90% of girls and significantly increase uptake among boys. All EU member states now offer gender-neutral vaccination. Only five EEA countries – Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, Iceland, and Norway – have reached the 90% coverage target for girls. 'There is a lot of work to be done,' said Karam Adel, principal expert at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. He also noted a 'huge disparity between West and East,' with some countries reporting female coverage well below 50%. The price of inaction According to conference participants, vaccine scepticism, limited registries, and underfunded national vaccination programmes remain major roadblocks. The benefits of prevention, however, are not only medical but also financial. In a study involving six European countries (Romania, Poland, France, Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany), Maarten J. Postma, professor of medical sciences and an expert in health economics, estimated potential savings of €2.75 billion between 2030 and 2060. All it would take is for these countries to reach the 90% HPV vaccination target by 2030, along with WHO-recommended screening and treatment goals. 'We should conceive vaccination – and prevention in general – not as a cost but rather as an investment,' said Postma. Still, awareness remains low. "Consistently, studies show that whether it's children, young adults, or parents, people are unaware of the consequences of HPV infections," said Adel. He also stressed the importance of ongoing screening, even for those who are vaccinated, as vaccines do not cover all high-risk HPV types. Metz echoed the call for stronger education. "To truly eliminate HPV, we need progressive, inclusive, and scientifically accurate education – because empowering young people with knowledge is one of the most effective forms of prevention," she said. (de)
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
New consultation on work permit system announced
A new public consultation on the occupations covered by the employment permits system has been announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The system provides for employers to recruit workers with skills that are in short supply into Ireland from outside the UK, EU or EEA. There are various types of permits with those intended to address critical skills shortages prioritised for access. More than 20 areas are of employment including professions in the engineering, healthcare and technology sectors are covered by critical skills permits. A wider variety of roles are covered by other permit types including general employment permits and in these cases additional evidence is routinely required that suitable employees capable of carrying out the role cannot be found within the EEA. READ MORE Last year about 40,000 permits were granted to workers from outside the EEA with just over 15,000 issued in the first six months of 2025. Healthcare has tended to dominate the figures in recent years though substantial numbers of workers in the ICT, hospitality and other sectors are also included in the figures each year. The last review of the occupations lists was carried out just two years ago when 11 additional roles were placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List and 32 were added to those eligible for a General Employment Permit. Announcing the new consultation, details of which are available on the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment website where submissions can also be made, the Minister, Peter Burke, said it was important to keep the process under constant review because of its importance to the economy. 'As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves. This full review will allow us to ensure the system remains up-to-date in a way that serves both workers and employers.' Minister of State, Alan Dillon, said the review, which opens on Wednesday and runs until September 19th will allow employers and other stakeholders to provide feedback on how the current system is working.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Government to review work permit occupations lists
The Government has announced the opening of a consultation period to allow stakeholders make submissions on the work permit occupations lists. The Critical Skills Occupations List consists of jobs that are in short supply in Ireland and across the European Economic Area (EEA) including roles in areas such as medicine, ICT, sciences, finance and business. The Ineligible Occupations List consists of occupations for which there is an adequate supply of labour and skills, and for which an employment permit will not be issued. The last review of the occupations lists took place in 2023, and resulted in 11 additional roles being placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List, and 32 roles being made eligible for a General Employment Permit. As part of the review process, submissions are sought from employers, representative bodies, Government departments, agencies, and other interested parties relating to occupations currently included on or absent from the lists. "At a time of full employment, with over 2.81 million people at work, and with 90,000 new jobs created in the last year, it is vital that we continue to have a strong and flexible employment permits system to allow non-EEA nationals to fill the skill and labour gaps we cannot access in Ireland or Europe and to ensure our economy remains competitive," Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said. "As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves," he added. Alan Dillon, Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, said that non-EEA nationals that fill skills and labour gaps in the domestic economy are a vital part of the Irish economy. "Where employers or stakeholders are facing challenges in recruiting a specific occupation and believe it should be eligible for an employment permit, or believe a certain occupation should move onto the critical skills list, now is their opportunity to share this feedback," Mr Dillon said. Submissions will be accepted through an online consultation form on the Department of Enterprise website and will be open until 19 September.
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Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
These 2 Countries Have the Cleanest Coastal Waters in Europe, Report Finds
If you're dreaming of a European beach vacation, there are two countries with exceptionally clean water that you might not have considered. The European Environment Agency (EEA), in cooperation with the European Commission, has released their European bathing water assessment for the 2024 bathing season, which declares that Slovenia and Lithuania have tied for first place for the cleanest coastal waters in the world. The report assesses bathing water quality across 22,127 sites in the 27 EU member states, plus Albania and Switzerland. In the most recent assessment, 85 percent of the locations met the stringent standard of 'excellent' bathing water quality, while 96 percent met the minimum quality standards. The sites include beachers, rivers, lakes, and swimming holes, which are all tested by national and local authorities for bacterial quality of coastal bathing waters—defined as waters "situated on the sea or transitional water coastline"—was found to be generally better than that of rivers and lakes. It's all part of the EU Bathing Water Directive, which was adopted in 2006. It's important to note that both Slovenia and Lithuania, while rated most highly, also had a relatively small number of sites tested, with only 21 tested in Slovenia and only 16 in Lithuania. But, the sites cumulatively gained top marks. 'The results … show that Europeans can confidently bathe in the vast majority of the EU's bathing sites that meet the EU's bathing quality standards,' Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure. Slovenia, which famously has 29 miles on the Adriatic Sea, recently announced the launch of a digital nomad visa that will be available from November 2025 and will allow remote workers to live in the country for up to a year, similar to schemes available in other EU countries including Greece, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Germany, and Estonia. The most popular bases for a coastal Lithuanian vacation are Palanga, Neringa and Klaipeda. In 2024, Lithuania was ranked the happiest country in the world for young people under the age of 30, according to the World Happiness Report. In 2024, Slovenia's neighbor Croatia was ranked the highest for the cleanest coastal waters by the report, with 894 bodies of water tested.
