19 Sep 2012: Expats in Spain to benefit from winter fuel payment following EU ruling

Thousands of expats could be eligible for a winter fuel payment under the terms of an EU ruling. The announcement is good news for the estimated 100,000 British pensioners who live in Spain, many of whom are not able to claim the allowance under current laws. Previously, elderly expats could only receive the payment if they turned 60 before leaving Britain and if they had left after the payment was introduced in 1998.

19 Sep 2012: UK business has confidence in Spanish market

Cotton Traders, a British clothing and footwear company celebrating its 25th year in business, has shown confidence in the Spanish market by expanding their offer into Spain, bucking economic climate and consumer confidence trends.

Founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith, Cotton Traders began selling rugby shirts through mail order using advertisements in the Sunday newspapers.

19 Sep 2012: President of the Government and German Chancellor host closing ceremony for Spanish-German Business Conference

Following a joint press conference held after their meeting Mariano Rajoy and Angela Merkel hosted the closing ceremony for the business conference held at Moncloa Palace in parallel to the meeting between the two leaders.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, Mariano Rajoy underlined the importance of the trade and investment ties that exist between Spain and Germany.

In his opinion, the strong bilateral ties between the two countries can only be explained by the integration process being enjoyed in Europe. “The Euro has facilitated economic and financial integration, and both Spain and Germany have benefitted in particular from that”, said the President of the Government.

18 Sep 2012: Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al Thani to proceed with Marbella port extension

Despite the Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al Thani reportedly putting Málaga Football Club up for sale, his project to extend the La Bajadilla Marbella Port moves ahead albeit with delays.

The representative of the Al-Thani Group, Moayad Shatat, has assured the Mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, that the port is a priority project for the company, Nasir Ben Abdullah and Sons.

18 Sep 2012: Catalonia’s answer to EuroVegas: six new parks with global themes

Catalonia has an answer for the people at the Las Vegas Sands Corporation — if they don’t want to build EuroVegas in Barcelona, then the Catalans will build six new amusement parks of their own.

The surprise announcement on Friday for the new theme parks to be constructed next to the current Port Aventura resort comes after unofficial reports surfaced this week that Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson has finally decided to take his EuroVegas project to Madrid instead of Barcelona.

18 Sep 2012: Madrid government rejoices at news of EuroVegas decision

he announcement that EuroVegas will finally be built in Madrid after months of uncertainty was welcomed with “great joy” by the regional government, which called the news “a liberation.”

“The regional premier’s determination has brought this project here over other serious candidates like Barcelona,” said a spokesperson for Esperanza Aguirre, of the conservative Popular Party (PP).

12 Sep 2012: Qatari Sheikh Wants To Build Puerto Banus II

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani, who recently purchased Malaga FC has unveiled his intention to build a second Puerto Banus style complex in Marbella’s Bajadilla marina.

The project would require an investment of 70 million euros and include the expansion of the marina with 400 additional moorings for small and medium-sized yachts.

12 Sep 2012: EURIBOR (official mortgage market reference rate) (August 2012)

Information

Publication of official mortgage market reference rates – EURIBOR, MIBOR and IRR on government bonds with two to six year maturities traded in the secondary market. The aforementioned rates only become official upon publication in the Spanish official gazette.

11 Sep 2012: Malaga was the only province in Andalucía with a reduction in unemployment in August

The unemployment figures for August in Malaga showed that despite many temporary contracts coming to an end, the number of people who are registered as being out of work fell by 46. This may not be a large drop, but it is the first time in a decade that unemployment in the province has fallen in August. Malaga was the only province in Andalucía where there was a reduction in the number of people who are out of work; 10,365 more registered as unemployed in the region last month and nationally, unemployment rose by 38,179 in August.

10 Sep 2012: Barcelona Ranked in Top 50 of World’s Best Cities to Live

Barcelona has been ranked 40th in the 50 cities with the best quality of life in the world. Madrid made it to 43rd. Other European cities on the list include Viena and Zurich.

The report studied 221 cities around the world, taking New York (which occupies 47th place) as the reference to compare various levels of quality of life, such as public services, the offer of nightlife and accommodation, the socio-cultural atmosphre, economic, political, social, educational and environment.

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