The EuRApean Spring 2022

In this issue; • How to Talk to Ukrainians About the War • The Picture in Russia • Legal Update • Member News • Welcome New Members • Seville Update • EGQS Updates • New Training

Spring 2022 www.eura-relocation.com

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cam+A cam+B Coaching Approaches in Mobility

Coaching Approaches in Mobility

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The EuRApean Contact Us: Meadowside Wattis eld IP22 1NH +44 1379 640883 www.eura-relocation.com Contributions on all aspects of mobility are welcomed for publication in the EuRApean. If you are a member of EuRA and would like to contribute news about your company please get in touch. Please contact Dominic Tidey, Managing Editor dominic@eura-relocation.com or Maria Manly, Editorial Consultant maria@eurarelocation.com Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the EuRApean are not necessarily those of the publisher unless otherwise stated.

Contents 19 Seville Update

5 Letter from the President

21 Social Media Updates

6 Feature; How to Talk to Ukrainians

22 Feature; Revised EU Blue Card Directive

7 MIM Report

26 Feature; Why and How Technology is Needed to Leverage the Temporary Housing Industry’s New Business Model

8 Feature; The Impact on Russia 9 EuRA’s E-Book 11 EGQS Updates 12 Legal Update

28 New Members 35 Member News 43 Seville By the Numbers

EuRA / ARP Spring Lunch & Awards 2022 London April 28 EuRA International Relocation Congress 2022 Seville May 31 - June 3 EuRA Global Conference 2022 Costa Rica November 2nd & 3rd

Published by: EuRA Diss IP22 1NH UK

Notes from the Editor The war in Ukraine has shocked us all to the core. The security that has endured for a generation in Europe has been shattered and we now face a humanitarian catastrophe. In an issue of The EuRApean last year, Maryna Rych of ABEA in Ukraine submitted an article about the steps they had taken to physically and emotionally support their clients through the dark days of the pandemic. This is what the members of EuRA do. They put aside their own needs and fears to give comfort and confidence to their clients.

In this issue Svitlana Mozharivska, Head of Legal for Abea in Ukraine writes about how to talk about the war with Ukrainians, “not to harm, but to support”. We send them and their teams and families all our thoughts and prayers.

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Save the Dates!

4 Letter from the CEO

Our Consultant for Immigration Sophy King hosted an informative session on how our members across the region are reacting and it is live on our YouTube Channel - https://youtu.be/ _wsHJoPz680 We will be continuing to host further sessions.

We have been working hard, thinking of how we can support the people of Ukraine and the refugee crisis that has unfold in Eastern Europe. We’re not there yet, but it has been touching to have had many members reach out to ask what they can do.

Our first action was to start a fund in the EuRA Foundation to support the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund. You can donate via our JustGiving page at https:// www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ eurafoundation

seems right to celebrate when others are being persecuted. However, the core of humanity is connection and fellowship and this is our opportunity to exhibit all that is best about ourselves.

The EuRA Family is the antithesis of conflict, it is the essence of connection and family and that is what we will celebrate in Spain. The values that we hold as people and as a community cannot be dimmed. We may all feel paralysed by our inability to directly help the people of Ukraine, but our spirit and community exhibit the fact that good must always triumph.

So we will gather, we will fundraise, we will show our support in the ways that we can and we will meet and re-kindle the deeply held friendships that have shaped our careers and made what we do more than a job. And in the meantime we will stay united to support right and good in any way that we can.

Dom Tidey

Next will be Seville. The excitement and enthusiasm for the conference is huge, but now tempered by humility. It never

Managing Editor

Letter from the CEO As Dom said in his editorial, the war in Ukraine has deeply shocked and saddened us all. The board and team are working to gure out what best we can do to support the refugee crisis and our members across the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with their teams and families.

Our thanks to Svitlana Mozharivska of Abea in Ukraine for her wise and heartfelt words on how to communicate with Ukrainian people “not to harm, but to support.” See page 6.

Our members in Russia have also been very impacted by the war.

They cannot travel or assist clients or move money. This is a human tragedy the likes of which we haven’t seen in Europe in decades and our industry can help. David Gilmartin writes about the impact the war has had on expats in Russia in this edition.

As you know we are crowd funding to support the Red Cross and the UN Ukrainian Humanitarian fund and any contributions are fantastic. Go to https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/eurafoundation We are in the nal stages of planning our Seville event and the excitement is building! As Dom said, it’s dif cult to think of this as the celebration we were all planning after three years of being

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Tad Zurlinden

apart, but even against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, we will come together to exhibit friendship, kindness and collaboration, the very opposite of con ict, hatred and war. This is what we can do, we will come together and we will stand united against con ict as a family. At the moment members of our family are suffering and we will support them however we can.

I have written to our members across the region to express the support of EuRA and asking what we can do to help. We hope to be able to pool resources to help members be able to give out accurate updates to clients.

In the meantime we are working away as normal which makes us all feel a little better. The team and I are working towards our London joint event with the ARP in April.

We have a great turn out from the UK and Europe and are really looking forward to seeing everyone.

It’ll be a good day and is being held at the Tower Hotel right next to Tower Bridge so easily accessible by underground from the stations that serve all the major airports; Liverpool Street for Stansted is just 2 stops away, Paddington for Heathrow about 30 minutes away and Victoria for Gatwick about the same.

The Seville Whova App is now live.

All delegates are listed so you can start to plan your meetings around our really comprehensive programme. The conference will begin on Tuesday with three symposia; Corporate Housing, Immigration and Working with

Direct Clients. These do need to be booked separately and Corporate Housing and Immigration are full from our lists of 2020. Briony will be sending reminders for you to book in for Direct Clients via the Whova App. I have the privilege of meeting our brilliant Board in May just before the conference in an exciting location that may well be a conference destination. As many of you may be aware, we have had to change the make up of the Board due to the current wave of mergers and acquisitions and the fact that three Board Members now work for the same company.

So with great sadness Susana Bourne and Pierre Jeronimo will be standing down before the end of their terms. They have both been superbly engaged Board Members who have given great contributions over the years, and who I am also proud to call friends. They will be sorely missed.

There are three brand new modules in the EuRA Academy; Sustainability in Mobility (and a session during the conference will focus on many of the topics and will include our lead trainer Paul Barnes), Anti-Money Laundering and a brand new comprehensive Introduction to the EuRA Global Quality Seal. Coming soon is Duty of Care which is being developed for us by Tracy Kautzmann and Lucy Foster of Impact Group.

For those of us who will be there, it will feel wonderful to be together in Spain.

Letter from our President Dearest EuRA Colleagues,

Michèle Bramstoft

It should be effortless to write about springtime, generating relocation recognition, & our upcoming, long awaited sensational Seville conference.

And yet, I’m challenged to induce my usual optimistic fervour as I sit here asking myself: “Who is

interested in war?”

Looking for a silver lining, I see global humanitarian instincts & actions become stronger. Compassion for others is something that is always in style.

How do we, the EuRA Global Family, cope with yet another major crisis with new shared global repercussions?

If there is one thing our EuRA community has in common, it’s our resilience, our adaptability, our willingness to give support in meaningful ways.

And leave it to our very own, Tad & Dom to be the trailblazers in this realm. They organized a fund to aid humanitarian organizations, United Nations & Red Cross.

These organizations are already established in the Ukraine due to Covid.

Should you want to donate through the EuRA JustGiving page, you have the choice of sending your donation to the fund or directly to the UN or Red Cross - https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/eurafoundation It’s what we can do as a starting point.

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Let’s also keep our Russian members in our hearts as well. They need our support – if only emotionally.

How are you coping?

Covid also made most of us take a deeper dive into our personal wellbeing. It’s common knowledge that mental health is as important as physical health.

Does this sound familiar?

“Place the oxygen mask over your own mouth rst, before helping others.”

When we take care of ourselves rst, we are better able to take care of those who need our help.

Mindfulness, meditation & generating compassion for ourselves & even for our foes, is a good place to start, at least for me.

Please nd outlets to keep yourself in a good mental state. Stay positive because being positive is about being open to & looking forward to things getting better. It also has the side bene t of keeping you healthy.

Do you feel privileged? I do. Despite the new global setback, most of us can attend our conference in Seville. I am grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to welcoming you to the 22nd annual EuRA Congress [and elaborating on my EuRA 2022 vision of Generating Relocation Recognition 😊 😊 ] in a few short weeks.

Until then, keep well.

Kind Regards, Michèle president@eura-relocation.com

Please – EuRA Needs You!!

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We ask you to help us nd other meaningful ways to support those in need. Your ideas are welcome!!

“How to Talk to Ukrainians About the War: Not to Harm, but to Support ” Now only babies probably, do not know about Ukraine. From the very rst days we, ABEA team, have received dozens, hundreds of messages from partners from all over the world. We hold our deepest gratitude! The support provided by the nearest countries, in particular Poland, Slovakia, Romania - it is not possible to convey in words, not to sing in songs our appreciation. Messages, calls, suggestions from customers, potential partners, and even competitors from all around the world are impressive and show that we have built resilient and good relationships and most importantly, how to stay a human.

Therefore, we have had the courage to prepare a short list of things that will make it easier for you to communicate with a Ukrainian, just in case you want to not just communicate, but really support.

1. Call a spade a spade This is probably the only case in life where tolerance and a desire to soften up the edges can lead to worse consequences in comparison with straightforwardness. In Ukraine there is war. We know that this terrible word is very scary. The word is blocked in social networks, children's textbooks and minds of those who want to distance themselves. However, more than 8 million refugees, destroyed cities, wrecked houses do not allow to call this horror "con ict", "invasion", "dif cult situation" or other moderating words. War. Acknowledge this in a conversation with any Ukrainian and he/she will be grateful to you for the truth.

2. Keep in touch We have got many discoveries and selfknowledge during these weeks of war.

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Feature: Svitlana Mozharivska, ABEA Ukraine

Who did you call / write rstly after the explosions?

How did you react: left or stayed in the country? Did you work or volunteer?

However, we swear that we really remember every text, every good word of support. Please, feel free to write and ask. Even in a few weeks, even in a month every word and message matter a lot to us. They are important. They keep us going in the basement to the sounds of bombing & destruction of houses or to the birdsongs in forced immigration.

3. Do not ask us about the Russians and when we can be friends We do not know if it is worth explaining here. Since we have chosen an open topic for the article, we will be honest with you.

Yes, we have a lot of family connections, friendly ties and working links. However, for us this issue is now like rubbing salt into the wound. We do not know when the war will end and how. We do not know how we will communicate further with Russians and whether we will do it. Every question and every mention pour white salty crystals on an open bloody wound and make us burn so hard that we want to howl.

4. Don't ask us about plans for the future On February 24, 2022 our lives, plans and dreams simply came to an end. Everything we wanted stopped to be relevant. All our prayers were substituted by one prayer. 35 million people - Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Jews or even atheists (yes, even they started praying) - began to ask the God to stop the war.

Yesterday we stocked up on groceries for a week, planned to go skiing until the end of the season and planned a summer holiday, not to overlap with colleagues' vacations.

Today we are planning to go out to provide humanitarian aid to migrants (if air alarms allow), nd medicines for parents (if alarms allow) and send to the other end of Ukraine by post or a complete stranger who has promised to deliver these medicines, because who we are to disbelieve a man with honest eyes. Tomorrow (if air alarms allow, of course) we will do the same thing - help a little, work a little, write steadily "how are you?" to our families and friends, and pray, pray, pray.

We do not have any de nite answer about plans for the future.

But better ask us what we will wear to the Victory Parade in Kyiv. We all know the answer. From our side we invite you to buy Vyshyvanka (traditional Ukrainian embroidered clothes) and be ready to come to Ukraine for a parade, walk along wide Khreshchatyk Street (the main street of the capital), eat the famous Kyiv pastries (the most famous pastries in Kyiv), drink fragrant coffee in Lviv, swim in the sea in Odessa and rebuild Kharkiv.

We want to say - see you soon!

Svitlana Mozharivska, Head of the Legal Department, ABEA Relocation

New MIM+ Modules Coming Soon!

Over the past 20 months we’ve been making access to the MIM, MIM+ and CAM Programmes free for all members and have had over 10,000 downloads of the modules which is fantastic!

As we all start to get back to pre-Covid work patterns, we are planning our programme of new MIM+ Modules for the rest of this year and for 2022.

The Sustainability in Mobility Module is now live in the Academy and we have had great feedback.

“I completed the Sustainability module today and it was excellent. Thank you so much, opened my eyes wide” - Rohit Kumar Ikan India.

Primary Trainer Paul Barnes brings the topic to life and interviews people across the industry to get a sense of where we are going with this important topic. We’d like to say a special thank you to Paul for donating his development fee entirely to charity.

We will be following up on the excellent module in a session led by Paul in Seville.

Our Legal Guru Gordon Kerr has also developed a MIM+ half module on Anti Money Laundering. This important topic has wide ranging impacts on our industry and staying compliant with the rules across Europe will be key for all members. Gordon will be following up with two Zoom webinars in April and May. Martina Scharwey our Consultant for Quality has developed an entirely new “Introduction to

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Growth

• You are Your Brand • Collaboration in the Next Normal • Coaching Approaches in Mobility, four modules

the EuRA Global Quality Seal” which is 100% free for all members to certify and gain 50 credits towards MIM and MIM+ certi cation.

• Sustainability in Mobility • Introduction to the EGQS • Anti-Money Laundering

Coming Soon!

The Coaching Approaches in Mobility (CAM) course is made up of four programmes each consisting of three fascinating modules. We developed this programme 10 years ago in conjunction with Oxford Brookes University and our Strategic Consultant for Education has fully renewed it and it’s now available for free in the Academy. Completing all four programmes is worth 200 credits.

Duty of Care Our Primary Trainers Tracy Kautzmann and Lucy Foster have been working on a brand new module dissecting Duty of Care in our industry and how members can best be aware of both the obvious and not so obvious duties owed by companies to their relocatees. This will go live after the Seville conference.

All new courses launching in the Academy will be free for all members to certify for the rst month.

You can also just check the EuRA Academy where you will nd all the courses. Don’t forget you need to create your identity and in order to get to the free access codes you need to go to the EuRA Training page and log in. If you have any problems just contact us.

All the amazing content in the Academy will still be free to EuRA Members, but we are charging €50 again for the Quizzes which enable you to get your certi cates and credits. But if you’re in it for the learning and you’re a EuRA member or work for one, we don’t charge for the knowledge.

Our current MIM+ Programme consists of: • Legal Compliance in Mobility • Achieving Business

Don’t forget you can mix and match modules to suit your learning needs and gain your credits to get your quali cations. So you could do one Fixed syllabus module, two CAM modules and one MIM+ module and graduate at the rst tier which is MIM Graduate and requires 200 credits. Two further modules will get you to MIM+ which requires 300 credits in total.

Below are downloadable guides with everything you need to know;

• Guide to Qualifying with EuRA • Routes to Qualifying Explained

“The War in Ukraine and Impact on the Expatriate Population in Russia ” Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, days after the end of the Olympic Games in China, and one day after the Russian national holiday celebrating “Defenders of the Fatherland”.

Within days of the invasion sanctions were imposed on Russia by the international community, and as of 9 April 2022, more than 600 companies had withdrawn from Russia or divested themselves from Russian ties, either as a result of sanctions or in protest at Russian actions.

The initial reaction among the expat community in Moscow was shock and disbelief, followed by panic.

There was an immediate understanding that Russia had crossed a red line and that life for the international expat in Moscow would never be the same.

At the time of the invasion some of the international schools in Moscow were on half term, and families were holidaying outside Russia. Most of those families did not return to Russia, and probably never will. Their rented houses and apartments, household goods, pets, school places were all left behind.

For those corporate assignees who were in Moscow at the time, most took swift action, and left the country before European countries introduced ight bans. They also left their lives behind them in Moscow.

By February 28th ight bans had been implemented between most European countries and Russia. For those who were not on time to leave before the ight bans, other options opened up. We assisted our clients’ international families to leave by minibus and car to Helsinki, by foot across the border to Estonia, even ying to Kaliningrad and walking across the border to Poland, where they were met by a driver to take them home.

After the exodus of expatriates, relocation companies in Moscow have been busy sorting out the affairs that families left behind; rent agreements to be cancelled, household goods to be packed and shipped, pets to be evacuated. The lack of international transport, and a recent round of sanctions, mean that many families’ household goods are still in storage in Moscow, and it is not clear when it will be possible to get them shipped out.

It’s two month’s now since Russia launched the socalled “military operation” against Ukraine, and there is no sign of willingness from the Russian side to reach any sort of truce. The media in Russia has

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Feature: David Gilmartin - Troika Relocations

ramped up the anti-Ukrainian and anti-western rhetoric, following the well-worn script that is depressingly predictable.

border. By the time we arrived they had been there for eight hours, and their original bus had departed without them.

In Moscow, the initial panic in the expat community, and the local population, has eased. Most corporate expats have left the country, and our role now primarily consists of cancelling leases and packing up their apartments.

So we took them on board with us. Three of the group were Ukraine nationals who had been living and working in Russia for some time, but felt they could no longer stay. “Russia is bombing our country. How can we stay here?”. Two, a young couple from Zaporozhiya, hoped to remain in Finland. The third, an IT freelancer, planned to apply for a Canadian visa.

Another unexpected role is assisting Russian nationals to secure the documents they require to leave and work abroad. It is estimated that 500,000 Russians have left the country since the war broke out; a brain drain of unprecedented magnitude.

Many of these have simply decided they cannot live in a country that wages war on its neighbour, while others will be young men of army age eeing the threat of conscription to a battle they do not believe in. Thankfully, we see many of our clients and partners helping their local employees leave Russia at this time.

A predictable side effect of the sanctions and uncertainty in daily life is that people have start hoarding. Not toilet roll, as witnessed in the West at the start of covid, but altogether more logical items.

Medicines are in short supply. In recent weeks many friends and colleagues with medical conditions have not been able to nd the drugs they need – for cancer, epilepsy, thyroid, diabetes. From our conversations with many of the big foreign Pharma companies, they have rethought their approach towards the country in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine. A common theme seems to have emerged whereby Pharma companies will attempt continue to serve the Russian market, purely to provide life-saving medication to the people who need it. However, the initial reaction of anyone who lived through the 90’s in Russia is to stock up now on the important items, leading to shortages in the pharmacies for the time being.

The fourth passenger had an altogether more harrowing story, which we only learnt after we had passed through Finnish border control. After he had been processed by border police, he came in to the waiting room, and asked nervously if any of us had Viber on our phones, so he could call his mother.

About nineteen or twenty years old, he lived all his life in Kherson, in southern Ukraine. He had been forcibly evacuated a week earlier by Russian troops, rst to Crimea, and then across the bridge in to Russia. He somehow made his way by train to St Petersburg, and was on his way to Helsinki for a ight on the Wednesday night to Paris. Due to the delays at the Russian border he had missed his ight. He was understandably distraught, and as he only had his Ukrainian mobile, with no roaming, he couldn’t make contact with his family. I downloaded Viber to my phone and we managed got him in touch with relatives in France so he could seek advice. After many back and forth conversations between his family, the border Police and our bus driver, it was agreed we would take him with us Helsinki airport, where he got a new ticket for the Thursday morning, and he is now hopefully safely in the arms of his relatives in France.

I myself left Russia at the end of March, by train to St Petersburg and then by minibus to Helsinki.

At the Russian border, one of our party, a Canadian national, did not have all his documents in order, as he had overstayed his visa. Border guards were polite, but took him aside while they checked everything, which resulted in a two hour delay.

While our fellow passenger was being processed, our bus driver was asked by border guards to take four Ukrainian passengers with us to the Finnish side. They had been travelling from Russia to Finland by bus, but had been detained for questioning and extended document checks at the

David R Gilmartin, GMS, Founder & CEO Troika Relocations Moscow, Russia m: +7 903 799 8592

The EuRA E-Book!

We are working hard to get Relocation Recognition and one way of doing this along with our YouTube Brie ngs and Virtual Summit sessions is by putting together an E-Book with anecdotes that really show the great value of what we do in our industry! If you have a tale to tell that you would to see in print, just let us know!

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EuRA Global Quality Seal Newly Certi ed and Re-certi ed Members Congratulations to our newly certified and re-certified EuRA Global Quality Seal Members

Newly Certi ed Japan Mobility - Sep-21

Cooptalis Move France/Link Mobilite Dec-21

Newly Recerti ed

Ikan Relocation - Feb-22

Eres Relocation Spain - Apr-22

Home Conseil - Feb-22

Formula Group - Mar-22

Professional Organizing - Feb-22

Partners in Relocation Group - Mar-22

Start-Up Services GmbH - Feb-22

Expat Relocation AS - Mar-22

Connectiv Ltd - Jan-22

Relocation AS - Mar-22

Palladium Mobility Munich E.K - Oct-21

Online Training There is a full module in the EuRA Academy

Free to all members. This module of ve components covers everything you need to know about setting up a process management system. You'll learn how to build your Quality Manual and how to implement all the required policies to ensure you're completely

compliant for the future.

Even if this isn't the right time for you to go forward to your of cial audit, it's a great time to learn how to implement a process management system across your organisation. Following these three (free to EuRA Members) modules will simplify the process, led by a true expert in quality management.

https://euraacademy.thinki c.com/courses/ introduction-to-the-eura-global-quality-seal-2022

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Introduction to the EGQS Watch the film

Feature:

“EuRA Global Quality Seal Update 2022” Each year we bring together a group to review and update the EGQS. However for the last two years we felt that this was an unnecessary addition to the stress levels of our members! But as we get back to volume business, we have updated the Quality Standard.

Sustainability Policy Guidelines to help members reach the new KPI’s in the Standard. This has been sent to all quali ed members along with the new standard.

We always ask members to rate the Seal and we have continued to get a 92% excellent or above average for the last 7 years, which we’re very proud of!

Our Strategic Consultant for Quality and EGQS Project Lead Martina Scharwey, polls both our members holding the Seal and the Audit Teams to nd out what changes they feel may be welcomed and also how they rate the Seal itself and the process.

We have also a new requirement for members to add a Diversity, Equality & Inclusion policy in their Quality Manual and again, we have prepared a draft policy framework to help members design their own.

We focussed on building on our Sustainability requirements and asked the following question “Is sustainability an issue that you need to consider in your company today or in the near future?”

We also now require certi ed members to have a minimum number of team members quali ed in the rst level of the MIM Programme. As a result we have made MIM Quali cations FREE for those staff required to qualify.

75% of members said yes. We then asked “If yes, why are you concerned with the topic of sustainability?”

78% said due to client requests with the next largest reason being legal compliance. As a result we have implemented a new version of our Environmental and

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One good thing that has come out of Covid is the new process of remote auditing that we put in place in March 2020. This we are pleased to announce will be a permanent feature of the process for certi ed members who remain with the same audit partner, either BV or DQS. If you move to a new auditing company, we ask for the initial audit to be face to face. Members are also required to pass with no major nonconformities in the last audit to qualify for a remote process.

The UK currently leads the league table in having the highest number of quali ed members closely followed by Germany and the Netherlands. But in terms of a representative percentage, it’s Norway and Romania who win with 75% of members quali ed!

There is a full MIM+ Module on how to go about building your Quality Manual in advance of having your audit and it is 100% free for all members to certify and is worth 50 credits towards MIM and MIM+ Certi cations. So if you have ever thought you’d like to get EGQS Certi ed, there has never been more support available or more incentives to do it then there are right now!

Come and meet with our audit partners DQS and Bureau Veritas in the Exhibition area in Seville.

Martine will also lead three sessions on the seal; “Update 2022”, “Getting EuRA Quali ed” and “EGQS Best Practice Workshop”. Check the Whova App for details and see you there!

All Things Legal ……….April 2022 Gordon Kerr Looking back at the legal questions which I’ve received in recent months provides evidence that business is getting back on its feet again. There is a pleasing familiarity about being asked for opinions on issues around personal data, contract clauses, antimoney laundering rules and VAT. And, in most parts of the world, Covid-related travel restrictions are easing.

But all our business challenges of the past two years are surely put into perspective by the suffering and the bravery of the people of Ukraine at this time. It is a reminder that, even in 21st century Europe, freedom and democracy can never be taken for granted.

On that necessarily solemn note, I would like to share a variety of legal updates which I hope will be helpful to your business: • The Djokovic Affair: can you dismiss an unvaccinated employee?

• Practical jokes in the workplace – can your business be liable?

• The cost of losing employee data • More UK SMEs are opening of ces in the EU • Copyright law – be careful about using photos of cute animals!

• Trademarks – be careful about upsetting UEFA!

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Gordon Kerr EuRA Strategic Consultant Legal gordonkerr@gklegal.co.uk

If there is a particular legal topic that you would like me to cover in a future edition of The EuRApean, please feel free to contact me anytime.

The Djokovic Affair: can you dismiss an unvaccinated employee?

I have just been watching an interview with Novak Djokovic. He refuses to be vaccinated against Covid-19. As a selfemployed sportsman, he is free to make that choice, but it meant that he was unable to defend his Australian Open title and he

may face similar bans from the French and US Opens.

So what happens if one of your employees holds similar views to Djokovic and refuses, on principle, to be vaccinated?

indicated, as a practising Rastafarian, an objection on religious grounds. The claimant was dismissed for “failing to follow a reasonable management instruction”.

A UK employment tribunal has considered the case of a care worker who declined vaccination in early 2021.

In Allette v Scarsdale Grange Nursing Home Limited an employee was dismissed from her role as a care assistant at a home providing residential care to dementia sufferers. The home had been hit by a Covid-19 outbreak in December 2020 with 22 residents and 33 staff (including this employee) being infected and a number of deaths had occurred.

The court considered whether the dismissal was an unjusti ed interference with the employee's right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It found that the employer's aims of protecting staff, residents and visitors and not breaching the terms of their insurance were legitimate. The imposition of the mandatory vaccination policy met a pressing social need to reduce risk.

Although the employee had genuine fears, they were unreasonable given the lack of any medical authority for her position. Given the nature of the employer's business and the vulnerability of its residents, the interference with the employee's private life was proportionate. The employee's scepticism of the of cial Government advice on the vaccine was not a reasonable excuse for failing to follow the instruction to get vaccinated.

Following the outbreak, the employer made vaccination a condition of continued employment. The employee was concerned about vaccine safety, believing it had been rushed through testing and she had read stories on the internet about a Government conspiracy.

At a disciplinary hearing she also

Cases such as this are always decided on their speci c facts and circumstances, but it is helpful to know that if an employer has reasonable grounds for enforcing a vaccination requirement in the workplace, this will not be treated as a breach of an employee’s human rights.

Employment rights do of course vary

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from country to country and any decision to dismiss an employee on grounds such as this should only be taken after consultation with a local employment lawyer.

Practical jokes in the workplace – can your business be liable?

employed by TCLL thought it would be amusing to hammer pellet gun targets he had placed beside the ear of a contractor who was working on the same site. The explosion that followed caused the contractor to suffer noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

The contractor brought a claim that TCLL were vicariously liable for their employee's negligence. In rejecting the claim, the Court of Appeal held that the actions of the employee had not been reasonably foreseeable. The Court held that:

The legal doctrine of “vicarious liability” means that a business can be held liable for the crazy actions of a single, mischiefmaking employee. If this stupid or deliberate action results in a claim for damages being made by another employee or a member of the public, then it’s a sure thing that the legal claim will be laid at the door of the employer.

For this reason, businesses should ensure that they have adequate insurance to cover such claims.

A recent case in the English Court of Appeal considered the issue of how far the vicarious liability of an employer should extend. Should a business be liable for the actions of a practical joker in the workforce?

In the case of Chell v Tarmac Cement and Lime Limited ("TCLL"), a tter

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"The tters were employed to carry out their respective tasks using reasonable skill and care, and by implication to refrain from horseplay. It would be unreasonable and unrealistic to expect an employer to have in place a system to ensure that their employees did not engage in horseplay."

This judgment has come as a relief to employers and their insurers. If employers were to be liable for pranks that simply happen to occur in the workplace it would make them responsible for actions that they could not reasonably foresee and therefore risk assess.

In a relocation company context, you probably feel that this level of of ce “horseplay” is unlikely. But consider the situation where a disgruntled employee, with access to HR records, decides to post online some sensitive information

on other employees. Your business may have to defend a compensation claim from these employees …. and you will be grateful that you arranged that insurance!

The cost of losing employee data

What is the cost to your business if you cannot nd personal data requested by an employee?

Evidence of SME Moves from UK to EU During 2021 there was anecdotal evidence that, faced with increasing paperwork and customs problems, more and more UK SMEs were shifting parts of their business facilities away from the UK and opening for the rst time in EU countries such as Germany and The Netherlands. This has been con rmed by an Institute of Directors survey of 635 business leaders which found that a quarter were considering moving some of their European operations outside of the UK and 16 per cent were already doing so. Three- fths said that their costs of trading with the EU had risen and nearly half said that they were doing less EU business or had stopped trading entirely.

According to a recent case against Tesco, which was settled out of court, the answer is £3,000!

A Tesco employee had requested the information, which included sensitive medical information comprising notes from counselling sessions and details of her post-natal depression, as part of an unrelated employment tribunal claim.

Despite an extensive search, Tesco were unable to nd the records which covered a period of 15 years.

The important legal point here is that protection of personal data (particularly sensitive data) is not only about GDPR compliance, but is also necessary to protect your business from compensation claims.

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The food and drink sector is an example of this. Exporting from the UK now requires an understanding of the different VAT rates and food standards regulations in multiple EU countries. These postBrexit levels of complexity are just too dif cult for many smaller businesses.

However, by setting up a new distribution

hub, in a location such as Rotterdam, much of the pain can be avoided. There is also the advantage of lower corporation tax in The Netherlands for companies with relatively low pro ts.

It will be interesting to monitor this trend in the year ahead. If the trend accelerates, it could turn into a major headache for the UK government.

Copyright law – be careful about using photos of cute animals!

carefully and ensure that there are no “rogue” photos or other illustrations which could be subject to copyright.

Even national governments can accidentally nd themselves in breach of copyright. Next year, Croatia will join the Euro. To celebrate the event, a competition was held to design the country’s rst Euro coin. The winning entry featured a very cute pine marten resting on a tree branch. The Croatian National Bank was delighted with the outcome and paid out the prize of €10,000 to the winning designer. A happy outcome. Except …

It turns out that the designer had copied a photo, taken in 2005, by a Scottish photographer called Ian Leach. Mr Leach was not happy. Neither was the “designer”, who has been forced to return his prize. As for the Bank, it has gone back to the drawing board and now has to create a new Euro coin - again!

For many relocation businesses, their rst encounter with copyright law is when a letter arrives from a copyright enforcement agency, such as PicRights, claiming that an obscure photo on your website is subject to their client’s copyright. The letter will demand that you remove the offending photo from your website …. and pay compensation of something like €500!

Now this may sound like a scam.

Unfortunately, it’s a perfectly legal scam – and most businesses will pay something just to get rid of the problem. The only real solution is to review your website

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As for Mr Leach, he con rmed that he has no plans to sue Croatia and wishes them well in choosing a new design. A true Scottish gentleman!

Animal lovers among you may have spotted that this story is illustrated with a photo of a koala bear. My defence is that the koala photo is copyright-free and, unable to nd a free pine martin photo, I opted to sacri ce accuracy against the risk of EuRA receiving a breach of copyright claim!

Trademarks – be careful about upsetting UEFA! Staying with the bizarre world of intellectual property (IP) claims, I feel that I have to draw your attention to a recent claim involving UEFA, the governing body for European football.

It has now been agreed that a restaurant in Germany can carry on offering a “Champignons League” mushroom pizza after UEFA backed away from legal proceedings over infringement of IP rights in its Champions League.

The owners of Pizza Wolke, in Giessen, near Frankfurt, had posted on their Instagram account an image of a letter from UEFA which threatened legal action – which UEFA now claims was instigated by an “overzealous local trademark agent”.

On re ection, UEFA concluded that the witty name is not likely after all to devalue a competition which last season offered prize money alone of up to €85 million. They concluded their statement with the observation that “some people are making a meal of this story”. Groan!

For further information on either of these new legal services, please contact me at gordonkerr@gklegal.co.uk or call +44 (0)7850 080170.

The Legal & Tax Report is produced for The EuRApean by Gordon Kerr, EuRA’s Strategic Consultant - Legal Services.

Gordon can be contacted at gordonkerr@gklegal.co.uk.

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Seville 2022 - Our Brilliant Sponsors!

Conference Sponsor

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Seville 2022 - What a Programme!

It’s been a very long time coming! Delayed four times, but when we nally meet in Seville it will feel like we’ve never been apart.

We have an all new theme for 2022, Reset | Revive | Thrive.

When we asked for session submissions we had an extraordinary response and have one of our strongest programmes ever.

Tuesday begins with the Immigration and Corporate Housing Symposia, but this year we have added a third, Working with Direct Clients. If you would like to join email Briony.

Our Opening Keynote Speaker is Ben Smith whose quest to end childhood bullying saw him run 401 marathons in 401 days raising €400,000. Ben and the 401 Challenge is one of the most inspirational and courageous stories of the last decade and he’s off again, this time to the US. Our fabulous Conference Host Frances Edmonds is with us to keep us inspired and on time!

Our rst Plenary on Thursday will look at the RMC DSP Supply Chain.

Our Welcome Reception on the stunning pool terrace overlooking the Plaza de España will be a chance to enjoy a glass of Cava or two in the evening sun with friends old and new.

Friday as always is our Plenary day and we will take the theme Reset | Revive | Thrive for our three sessions.

Reset will bring back together the WECan leadership team for a review of where we nd ourselves in 2022.

In Revive we will look at how two of our industry sectors, Corporate Housing and Immigration were heavily impacted by the pandemic and what they did to survive.

In Thrive we will talk with a panel of true innovators who changed their business models to t new service delivery needs and what that means for their future.

We also have our intrepid Igniters who will as always light the re of inspiration.

Our breakout programme looks at Radical Collaboration, Business Expansion, DEI, Sustainability, Crisis Management, Remote Leadership, Business Leaders’ Priorities and just for fun, Speed Networking!

We also have our own sessions looking at Getting Quali ed,

But a EuRA Event

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would not be a EuRA event without some serious fun and networking and 2022 is no exception.

Our Closing Keynote is Dan Trommater, an educator, trainer and world class magician who will look at how the world is changing and that the way we’ve always done things, may not be our best way forward.

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Best Practice in the EGQS, EGQS Update, the Newcomers Reception and of course the AGM!

Our Gala Dinner venue is spectacular and we have some great surprises in store. The Hacienda Montelirio houses one of the greatest collections of vintage carriages in the world.

For our Fenomenal Friday Fiesta we have a true foodie experience at the Barranco Mercado with over 20 food and cocktail stalls and of course a little bit of dancing, or for those who prefer the quiet, cocktails in the outdoor bar by the river.

Add to that three networking lunches and that fabulous bars in the lobby and by the pool and there is no shortage of opportunities and places to meet! But don’t just enjoy the sun, join us for a terri c programme of sessions with some brilliant minds bringing us up to date with the state of mobility!

EuRA’s YouTube Channel #eurabrie ng #eurapresents

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

We’re running EuRA Brie ngs each month and they’re really popular! They’re available for members to join and only to members On Demand for the rst month before being made public on our YouTube channel.

EuRA Brie ngs - Just Click on the Link to View the Recent Sessions

• • • • • • •

Changes to Immigration to Help Ukrainian Refugees Mergers & Acquisitions RMC DSP Forum February EGQS Update 2022 The Bene ts to DSP’s of a Directorship Board Anti-Money Laundering Post Brexit VAT Rules

And coming up: • Regular regional updates with members • Legal Updates • Corporate Housing • RMC DSP Forum Also we have regular Member Video Podcasts, catching up with our amazing members across the world - if you’d like to take part email Dom Tidey

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EuRA’s Social Media 2022 #eurabrie ngs #euraintercultural #eurawillbetogetheragain #euraseville We have been working hard to increase online recognition of our industry through our social media presence.

On LinkedIn we have a feed page, the “Of cial EuRA Members Group” our “Legal Peer to Peer Sharing” Group and an “EGQS” Group. We post links to all our brie ngs and interviews on LinkedIn, the EuRA Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram.

If you have anything you would like to share please go right ahead! The more we can share, acknowledge and highlight the amazing work of our industry all over the world, the better we can create recognition!

Please follow EuRA’s presence on all the links are below!

https://www.linkedin.com/company/eura

https://www.facebook.com/eurarelocation

https://www.instagram.com/eura_relocation/

https://twitter.com/EuRA_Relocation

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Feature:

“Revised EU Blue Card Directive Adopted by Council of European Union” On 7 October 2021, the European Council adopted the Revised EU Blue Card Directive with the intent to streamline and harmonize the current EU Blue Card infrastructure throughout the region.

Although long heralded as a premier immigration option for the European Union to attract highly-skilled non-EU nationals, the program has faced frequent criticism for being overly complicated, having inconsistent regulations in different member states, and, in some cases, providing only limited advantages compared to national work and residence authorization schemes.

The new rules, which will replace the existing ones, attempt to address these shortcomings by further standardizing the conditions of entry and residence for quali ed candidates, expanding the eligibility criteria and access to labor markets, and facilitating intra-EU mobility for principal holders and their dependents alike.

The revised directive entered into force on 17 November 2021 (20 days after its publication in the Of cial Journal of the

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European Union on 28 October 2021). EU countries now have until 17 November 2023 to implement the revised directive into their national legislation.

culminated in the revised directive recently adopted by the European Council. As Javier Moreno Sánchez, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), recently said:

EU Blue Card Background

“We must do everything we can to improve legal migration to Europe and, above all, facilitate the arrival of quali ed workers who contribute to the development of our continent. A more attractive and viable scheme adds real value to the existing national schemes. In the future, we intend to go further so that workers in medium and low-paid jobs can contribute to our society in the same bene cial way that Blue Card holders can now.”

First introduced by the European Council in 2009 via EU Directive 2009/50/EC, the program’s intent was to attract highlyskilled non-EU nationals to work and reside in the EU by offering incentives such as eased mobility between EU Member States and increased employment exibility. In practice, however, the EU Blue Card remains under-utilized in most Member States and is often seen as a more restrictive option than national work and residence permits for two primary reasons: 1. the advantages of the Blue Card are mostly for the employee and do not bene t the employer, and 2. the application process for the Blue Card in many countries is more dif cult than for national schemes.

Recognizing these shortcomings, the European Commission rst presented a proposal to revamp the Blue Card scheme in June 2016 and this proposal has

What’s Changed?

The revised Blue Card Directive has many signi cant changes and new advantages, the most notable of which include: • Shortening of Required Employment Contract/Job Offer Validity – employment contracts/job offer should be of a minimum validity of

six (6) months compared to the current 12-month minimum requirement.

• Shortage Occupation List Updates – a list of shortage occupations is included in the new Directive and will be subject to regular revision.

Applicants in these shortage occupations will bene t from easier eligibility requirements compared to non-shortage occupation applicants.

• Expansion of Acceptable Quali cations – relevant professional experience will need to be considered as an alternative to higher educational quali cations: in lieu of the requirement to have a higher education

quali cation (such as a university degree), applicants in shortage occupations can demonstrate at least three (3) years of relevant professional experience and applicants in nonshortage occupations can demonstrate at least ve (5) years of relevant professional experience.

• Lower General Salary Thresholds - Shortage Occupations (and recent graduates applying for a Blue Card within three (3) years of having obtained their quali cation): should earn at least the average gross annual salary or at least 80% of the salary threshold set for the EU Blue Card application in the EU Member State

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concerned. This is down from the requirement of current directive that salary should be at least 1.2 times the average gross annual salary.

- Non-Shortage Occupations: should meet the speci c salary threshold chosen by each EU Member State for Blue Card applications, which would be at least 1.0 times but not higher than 1.6 times the average gross annual salary.

• Expedited Processing for Recognized Employers – processing time reduced to 30 days for employees registered through a “recognized employers” scheme.

• Increased Intra-EU Mobility Bene ts - Work Permit not required for EU Blue Card holders to exercise short-term business in other EU Member States for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The new directive de nes business activity as “a temporary activity directly related to the business interests of the employer and to the professional duties of the EU Blue Card holder based on the work contract in the rst Member State, including attending internal or external business meetings, attending conferences or seminars, negotiating business deals,

undertaking sales or marketing activities, exploring business opportunities, or attending and receiving training.”

- Ability to work in other EU Member States: EU Blue Card holders will have the right to move to work in a second EU Member State after only 12 months of residence (down from 18 months) in the rst EU Member State.

Applications for an EU Blue Card in the second Member State can be submitted under a simpli ed procedure while in the rst Member State, or not later than 30 days of entry in the second Member State.

Work must be able to begin no later than 30 days after the date of submission of the application.

• Ability to Travel Within the EU – the new EU Blue Card Directive facilitates travel of Blue Card holders so that they don’t require further visa or authorization for 90 days in any 180-day period for business purposes in the whole of the EU (not only in the Schengen Area).

• More Opportunities for SelfEmployment – an expansion of the scope of acceptable activities for EU Blue Card holders includes having the right to exercise self-employment activities in more circumstances.

- Dependent applications should be processed alongside the principal applicant’s application and these dependents will also be allowed to accompany the principal applicant immediately.

- Spouses will be granted work authorization.

• More Favorable Conditions with regards to Unemployment – the EU Blue Card shall not be withdrawn and its renewal shall not be refused in the event of the unemployment of the EU Blue Card holder, except where: - the EU Blue Card holder cumulates a period of unemployment exceeding three (3) months and has held an EU Blue Card for less than two (2) years; or - the EU Blue Card holder cumulates a period of unemployment exceeding six (6) months and has held an EU Blue Card for at least two (2) years.

Previously the EU Blue Card could be withdrawn when the period of unemployment exceeded three (3) consecutive months or when it occurred more than once during the period of validity, regardless of how long its holder held the permit.

• Shorter Period During Which Approval is Required for Change of Employment – Member States will only be able to require a change of employment noti cation during the rst 12 months of legal employment by the Blue Card holder for the purposes of labor market assessments (reduced from the current two-year period). While a change of employment noti cation may be required after the rst year of employment, the authorities will not be able to conduct a labor market test to determine if the vacancy can be lled by a local candidate.

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• More Favorable Conditions for Family Reuni cation

• Additional Application Options – applying for a Blue Card from within the EU and/or swapping from other EU residence permit categories to the Blue Card while in an EU Member State will be facilitated.

Finally, it is important to note that the revised directive maintains that EU Member States can still issue national residence permits for the purpose of highly-quali ed employees, as long as the national permit is not issued under more favorable conditions than those of the EU Blue Card when it comes to recognition procedures for employers, processing times, government application fees, and access to self-employed activities.

Newland Chase Insights The current EU Blue Card scheme might be described as “great in theory, but challenging in practice.” These new rules endeavor to make the program more attractive to employers and non-EU nationals alike, not only in theory but in the execution and infrastructure of the permit itself. A few key items to keep in mind as Member States begin adopting the revised directive over the next two (2) years: • Expect the EU Blue Card option to become more popular in EU countries as the permit begins to provide similar or better advantages as some national schemes for highly-quali ed applicants.

• Consider leveraging your current and future EU Blue Card holders to EU and intra-EU moves in the future.

• IT companies should be aware of the special regimen of shortage occupations in the Information and Technology sector.

Newland Chase will continue to monitor and report on the implementation status of the revised directive over the upcoming months and years. We are uniquely positioned to successfully manage your EU Blue Card needs. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any speci c questions regarding this program.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenariospeci c advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Case for any case- or company-speci c assessments.

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Speakers

Feature: Alex Shahabe, President of OWL

“Why and How Technology is Needed to Leverage the Temporary Housing Industry’s New Business Model” As technology expands, the productivity gap continues to widen for booking companies that have not yet implemented a digital solution. As necessity is the mother of invention, the pandemic has pushed us further toward solutions to the challenges related to the traditional housing process.

Temporary corporate housing is an industry undergoing a rapid shift toward an online multi-connectivity solution. Ditching the inef cient, time-consuming, and expensive traditional process, new technology platforms lower costs, increase speed and transparency, and leverage local knowledge uniformly.

Without incorporating these advances, sourcing companies using the outdated method potentially lose millions. The research and data speak to a uid reality where data must keep up in real-time.

The why’s of needing a new business model to adapt and remain scalable and pro table include (1) pace of growth, (2) demand expectations, (3) mobility, and (4) need for digital connection. The how’s and bene ts of incorporating technology are naturally driven by advances in AI and digitally delivered customer-centric services.

Why plan and act now? According to SpendEdge, temporary housing has revived and is thriving, with a predicted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.44 percent from 2021 to 2025. Today’s booking digital transformation provides solid bene ts. With unanticipated growth pre-pandemic, temporary housing players require new levels of ef ciency where mobile access is critical. As we break down the problems that have risen

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to the top of traditional booking, the solutions are fresh and liberating.

housing process—with their solutions and bene ts covered in the next “how” section.

Temporary Housing is Back and Growing

• Higher fees for middleman suppliers increase costs for buyers. The extra layer is signi cant, estimated to be about $1200 per average reservation.

The pandemic transformed the world of health as well as the workers of our time. As commerce reopens and blossoms, completely different working circumstances have emerged. Workers are steadily returning to the workforce—and often need a temporary place to live while transitioning to new or term positions.

When the market dropped during the height of COVID-19, some suppliers were forced or chose to end their agreements with apartment communities. Heather James, CRP, GMS, estimates that the temporary housing inventory reduction was as high as 30 percent in North America. Now, as demand exceeds inventory, temporary housing holders need faster ways to connect new developments and transition locations to the workers hired.

The work-from-home movement during the pandemic also increased the demand for furnished housing, leading to unanticipated growth for new entrants into the temporary housing market. For example, the corporate housing company Landing was aiming to operate in 30 cities but grew to 75 cities in response to the pandemic.

Why the Traditional Booking Process Costs Money and Time As technology expands, the productivity gap continues to widen for booking companies that have not yet implemented a digital solution. As necessity is the mother of invention, the pandemic has pushed us further toward solutions to the following “why” challenges related to the traditional

• You don't always have access to the local experts. Many temporary housing companies rely on call centers for booking, but if the property location is outside the call center market, the representative probably isn’t extremely familiar with the booking area. They may have to contact another provider to provide local information, and it may not be trusted veri ed.

• The traditional booking process is inef cient and time-consuming. The backand-forth communication adds four to ve business days to the booking timeline, sometimes more with time zone and international differences.

• Administrators recreate the wheel every time they book a property for a client. There is no easy way to save a pro le or apply it to all inquiries, requiring the administrator to re-enter the speci cations per the buyer's request.

• Dashboard reporting is lacking or nonexistent. Any extrapolations or calculations are analog and dependent upon the buyer's time and energy.

• Details of local market pricing uctuations get lost or ignored. For example, the price of a one-bedroom property in San Diego increases in the summertime but decreases in the winter, which someone outside San Diego might not know. Without built-in

• Buyers have limited access to available properties. Many excellent local and global suppliers with fabulous temporary housing options do not have a dedicated sales force or substantial marketing budgets to promote their properties.

How Incorporating Technology for the Temporary Housing Procurement Process Bene ts All With new demand and growth on the horizon, and the overall push for digitalization, it's clear that creating an online multi-connectivity experience that is ef cient and safe is essential for the future success of a player in the mobility industry.

This portion of our analysis drills down to the how’s behind the why’s.

We have identi ed seven bene ts for the temporary housing industry to increase ef ciency and pro tability by leveraging available software technology: • Eliminates fees in the booking process.

When you use software to book with a supplier directly, you remove the middleman—reducing costs. Eliminating that layer of fees adds back into your pro t, bene ting your bottom line. Further, some platforms provide a at-rate fee, as opposed to a daily fee or percentage of stay, which controls costs.

In conclusion, temporary housing’s new business model calls for a digital platform solution.

Implementing an all-encompassing digital experience alleviates many problems within the temporary housing sector. High-tech solutions also remove extra layers—reducing costs and timelines. Digital solutions are often able to provide reporting automation for temporary housing costs and create buyer preferences in the portal pro le, simplifying bidding for RFPs. With access to local expertise, end-user information such as pricing uctuations is delivered close to real-time. Best of all, suppliers with excellent inventory can even the playing eld with suppliers who have many more resources for marketing their inventory.

As the “why” of the demand for temporary housing grows exponentially, multi-connected digital interactions are the answer, the how, to improving the experience, providing services safely, and increasing market share in an industry with growing demand. Therefore, ensuring business models incorporate the why’s and how’s listed here is foundational for sustained managed growth within the temporary housing industry.

• Gives you direct access to the suppliers at the property location.

Platform support and chat features allow you to interact with someone who has local insight into the area. Local experts can share details from traf c to school districts, all in real-time, without leaving the platform. One may have access to more than 500 suppliers in over 1,500 global cities using today’s marketplace technology.

• Saves time during the booking process.

Technology allows you to submit a request and receive multiple options from local suppliers within a few hours. Inventory updates continuously for real-time results at the time of inquiry. Also, direct access to inventory suppliers eliminates the extra calls and related response times created with questions from the end-user.

• Eases the administrative burden in bookings and RFPs. Technology streamlines communication and stores buyer preferences in their pro le. Software can push the buyers' priorities to their quotes, eliminating the need to resubmit preferences each time. When working on a Request for Proposal (RFP), property data is readily available.

• Provides market insights re ecting current trends in the local market.

Software functionality can present current cost estimates based on the move-in date and size of the apartment. This enables companies to have access to pricing at the time of occupancy.

• Opens access to inventory from a broader array of suppliers.

Aggregate sites provide not only a worldwide base of inventory but also access to smaller, more specialized suppliers. These suppliers often don’t have the budget or infrastructure for nationwide marketing but have quality inventory that can quickly meet the buyers’ needs.

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adaption during consistent seasons, such changes cause confusion.

Author Alex Shahabe, President of OWL ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alex Shahabe is president of OWL and is recognized as a temporary housing industry thought leader. OWL is a collaborative marketplace that helps streamline the housing procurement process and increase ef ciencies from one central location. With expanded inventory options to choose from, OWL provides the ability to source the best available solution for each housing need. Participating companies can post requests at no cost and book directly with the best local supplier that meets their needs. This ability enables suppliers to manage dynamic pricing with greater speed and ef ciency while avoiding the current daily fees charged by other platforms. The OWL Interactive Cost Savings Calculator demonstrates how OWL is the most cost-effective option compared to other industry resources. For more information and to get started on OWL, visit https://owlmarketplace.com.

“Radius ” Relocation in Israel - It's More Than a Trend - It's a Need As "Forbes" identi ed in 2020, Israel has become one the leading Hi-Tech countries in the world. Numerous publications and even heads of states refer to Israel as the "Strat-Up Nation", or humorously as the "Silicon Wadi". The reasons for the meteoric climb in Hi-Tech related jobs and positions that originate in Israel are rooted in a unique combination of resources: higher education, the widespread use of English and the straight forward, "not beating around the bush" attitude that has become a staple of Israeli cloture. The Israel hitech sector has been rapidly growing, with employment in the industry now exceeds 300,000 workers, representing 8.7% of the country’s workforce. As the job growth continues to grow stronger, with surging demand for talent outpacing the supply of quali ed workers, many local and international organizations that are based in Israel are looking for various relocation and real-estate solutions.

Even the world changing events of 2020 and 2021 have not slowed down the demand for relocation solutions from traditional to out-of-the-box creative ideas for transporting and housing employees who arrive to Israel and require corporate housing solutions. The past few years have proven that mid-term relocation has become a popular and effective working method for various global organizations who nd themselves in need for high quality corporate housing solutions. This also implies to other factions of international businesses operating in Israel as well: the Monorail project, for example, is a nationwide, fteen year project that requires an ever adapting personnel mobilization.

Another example is the content industry, with an emphasis on streaming services productions that come to Israel regularly to produce original content.

When it comes to corporate housing, whether coming to Israel for a long-term stay or a short visit, intentional organizations require the best solutions. The demand for quality, comfortable and even exciting real-estate properties in key locations in Israel is in surge, as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Herzliya, Ra'anana, Ashkelon and Be'er Sheva has become the leading cities that house corporate gures, while working in Israel. The combination of welcoming warm weather, Israel being a Mediterranean Sea Shore country and the various culture and leisure opportunities all make corporate housing in

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New Member Focus:

Israel a key factor in keeping an organization's employees happy and comfortable.

Who Is Radius?

This is why Radius decided to focus on innovation, high quality investments and top-of-the-line hospitality to create a unique circular real estate vision of leisure and corporate housing. With their numerous years of experience combined, Radius founders realized that exciting locations, along with 360° service and hospitality are the key factors when it comes to maximizing the potential of the relocation process and corporate housing. When it comes to a short or midterm corporate housing solution, Radius circles their clients with support, so the process includes minimum effort and maximum comfort for the guest.

As the needs of global organizations are ever evolving, sometimes the simple solutions for corporate housing may not be enough, which is why Radius focuses on the over-all process, from Property Development and up to the nest details and attention during the guests' stay; this due to being a boutique enterprise, which allows Radius to offer the attention, exibility and care that makes the service stellar.

Radius' unique service offers every organization, no matter its size, tailor-made housing solutions in Israel, with exibility and numerous options for various needs and requirements. Due to Radius' vast experience in the elds of Real-Estate and Relocations, the company can work directly with global corporate housing organizations, private investors and entrepreneurs and also relocation companies who are in need for housing solutions. Radius works with all industries and supplies housing solutions to various needs - from high-tech organizations to various international infrastructure personnel who come to Israel to take part in projects such as the Monorail, Ashdod Port and more.

Radius' Founders and Key Executives Radius was founded according to principals of its activity, with three partners combining their unique set of skills into one entity that can provide the all-around corporate housing experience: Alon Tambor is a leading entrepreneur with an expertise of turning overlooked properties into shining pillars of hospitality, all around Israel, with speci c focus on the countries' most unique and sought after neighborhoods.

Alon has of over 20 years of real-estate investment

experience, with a diverse portfolio of privately held properties.

Ran Attas came to Radius with over a decade of experience in real-estate law and relocation innovation. After building a promising development and management portfolio, full of international contracts in business relocation, Ran focuses his innovative attention connecting the dots around the corporate housing guest.

Golan Tambor is an expert of improving asset performances, with a proven track record of maintaining the highest level of hospitality, and a keen eye for the smallest of details. Golan owns several boutique apartment hotels, and has a sharp sense for real-estate ventures.

Radius Reinvents Corporate Housing in Israel Radius supplies unique properties that offer extra

Every organization has its speci c requirements for their members, and Radius makes sure the entire process is handled with the upmost attention and care. From various global infrastructure organizations and up to international start-ups and high-tech companies - Radius offers its clients the following services: • Corporate Housing - Single Apartments and Buildings • Nationwide Housing Solutions, in all major cities and neighborhoods in Israel • Fully Furnished properties, equipped to the smallest detail • Meet & Greet • Airport Transfer • 24/7 Customer Support •Prime Locations •Premium Work Stations, suited for all business oriented needs Radius is Re-Inventing the Circle

value and character; single apartments, entire buildings, it can be any property that strikes the imagination and holds the potential to give the corporate housing experience that extra avor. These properties are managed in-house by Radius, working with their long time collaborating partners, who all re ect Radius' core DNA and values - superb management and customer support, extra-care hospitality and comfort, and a high awareness the constantly evolving needs for global businesses.

Radius' local partners include top-of-the-line contractors, suppliers, architects and designers.

When the property is fully furnished and equipped with everything needed to make the guests' stay as pleasing as possible, Radius make it available to their clients - relocation companies, business partners and private clientele. Radius takes pride with the fact that they do not make a property available unless it has been vetted and carefully approved to the highest housing standards.

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In just two years, Radius has become one of Israel's leading innovators in corporate housing, building a diverse clientele base and accommodating various global organizations, each to their speci c needs. Radius do everything in the circle of corporate housing and relocation; from start to nish, connecting all the dots for the corporate and its employees - in the most exciting and interesting locations in Israel. Setting a new standard of service and experience, Radius' team believe that good hospitality requires the perfect balance of feeling comfortable and feeling catered.

Radius is excited to work with your organization.

Allow yourself to focus on what matters to you, and allow Radius to focus on everything else…

Contact us 33 Pinsker St. Tel Aviv +972.3.603.4983 of ce@radius-ltd.com

New Member Focus:

“AFL Consulting The A-Z relocating service for your employees from Asian countries ” Established in 2007, AFL Consulting (AsiaFinland Law) is the legal expert and immigration consultant with a solid professional background and practical business mindset. We always aim to provide dedicated relocation service from Asia to Finland and be a genuine companion on their journey to Finland.

THE A-Z SERVICE Understanding how our clients from Asia would have to worry about when deciding to relocate to a very different country like Finland with their family, such as: nding accommodation, transportation, applying for a bank account, and dealing with the winter... Many unnamed concerns could be very confusing without any local guidance.

Hence, AFL's services are designed to ease off our clients' minds to enjoy their journey to relocate to Finland peacefully.

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Typically, other relocating consultant companies only offer paperwork support, such as lling in the visa application and other documents for clients. At AFL, we assist applicants in preparing the applications for residence permits to avoid rejection. In addition, we assist rejected applicants in court appeals. Moreover, we follow you every step of your way to Finland with our dedicated service.

During the long duration from applying for a residence permit until adapting to Finnish culture, AFL always follows up to answer all questions and provide proper instructions so our clients can be the most prepared. Furthermore, with our valuable network, we can also nd suitable specialist occupations for our applicants in Finland so they can feel secure and happy to live with their families here.

When choosing our service, the family can also arrive together, unlike many other bene ts that require separating family members or temporary stay in one stop before moving to Finland. We offer an of cial, legalized, transparent residence application service that will ensure our client's and their families happiness and success.

WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT? 1. Professional Finnish lawyer Mr. Jani Kaulo is a well-known business lawyer and networking expert. He holds a Master of Laws from Finland and a Master of Business Administration from the UK. He is also Chairman of FinlandSouth East Asia Business Association (part of FinnCham). In addition, he has more than 15 years of experience working as a lawyer. During his career, he has worked in several front-line business law rms in Finland.

2. Assisting companies to enter Southeast Asian market We bring long-term business cooperation to Finnish companies entering the South East Asian market, especially Vietnam, with a clear strategy and trustable support from government authority and local partners.

We Assist Finnish organizations in contracts, legal, due diligence studies, and other legal matters in Vietnam in Finnish, English, and Vietnamese languages.

Besides being a reputable lawyer in the Vietnamese community in Finland, Mr. Jani Kaulo is also the chairman of the Finnish - Southeast Asian business association. He has speci c networks with many large companies in Finland.

Therefore, AFL provides recruitment services to offer job opportunities in Finland for our clients before they even arrive.

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3. Support on relocating employees to Finland The process of transferring work and accommodation for employees is never easy. AFL's service will assist in making this process seamless so that employees can ensure their work performance at the most optimal cost. Mr. Jani Kaulo also assists in consulting commercial, investment, and related legal issues for recruitment.

AFL BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF EURA We have been proud to be a part of EuRA since November 2021. This cooperation ensures our trustworthy service. We will take this as an excellent opportunity to support our clients better.

“NSEW Mobility - Hungary’s Best Kept Relocation Secret!”

For NSEW Mobility, joining EuRA was the next logical step in the growth of a successful company that has previously chosen to remain the best secret in relocation services in Hungary.

With a history of excellent service to several large corporate and industry clients, Budapest headquartered, NSEW Mobility, prefer to take one step at a time.

“Too many companies overstretch their customer service and nances in a rush to win more business and end up letting customers down,” says Brigitta Ferenczi, the leader of the relocation team at NSEW Mobility. “We have a company culture of steady growth that allows us to maintain our reputation for quality and accuracy in everything we do,” she added.

That attention to detail is applied across the range of services provided by the multilingual team: • • • • •

Visa and Immigration Arrival & Departure Services Home and School Search Tenancy Management Ongoing Assignment Support

From Visa and Immigration to Arrival and Departure Services and everything in between, the NSEW Mobility team apply a

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New Member Focus:

proven approach to their work. Brigitta calls it “process with personality”. Their work is founded on planning and accuracy, she explained. “Without a detailed plan of meeting a speci c customer’s needs, you are lost,” said Brigitta. “We have great relationships with our customers and government authorities, but the relationship with customers and local authorities grows from a foundation of trust in meeting expectations and standards.”

In terms of geography, NSEW Mobility serves all of 93,000 square kilometers that make up the country Hungary. Budapest clearly represents most of the relocation activity in the country. Home to the headquarters of some of the largest banks and companies, the city is a leading nancial center and one of the most beautiful and livable places in Central and Eastern Europe.

But some customers are also exploring other Hungarian cities. “We are currently working on a project in Debrecen, Hungary’s second largest city,” explained Brigitta.

For the team at NSEW Mobility, the chance to expand relationships through EuRA is an exciting time. “For the team it’s a great challenge,” said Brigitta. “We understand that industry associates have a choice of suppliers in Hungary. We look forward to showing why we are their best choice. At the end of the day, our reputation for the quality of our work and speed of communication will be our best advert.”

About Brigitta Ferenczi - From Gymnastics to Relocation As the leader of the relocation team at NSEW Mobility, Brigitta Ferenczi knows a thing or two about hard work, planning, and working with others. Born in Budapest in 1986, as a young girl, Brigitta represented Hungary as an acrobatic gymnast for several years at European and World Championship level events.

After nishing university with a BA in Economics, Brigitta spent time in the travel industry in Turkey before returning to Budapest in 2016 and joining the growing relocation business at NSEW Mobility. In 2019 she was appointed leader of the business.

Based upon her experiences living in other countries, Brigitta appreciates the stress and challenges that are faced by customers and translates that understanding into both empathy and communication to remove the administrative burden from the client.

With a strong interest in Hungarian culture, Brigitta and her team like to provide a positive rst impression to foreign customers arriving in the country. Making them feel at home as soon as they arrive, customers often refer to her staff as “their rst trusted friends in Hungary”, a relationship they seek to maintain long after the customer is settled.

When she is not working, Brigitta enjoys watching soccer (a game she modestly says she is too clumsy to play) along with painting and cooking. When summer comes, Brigitta can be found hiking or on the water, rowing or paddle-boarding.

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New Member Focus:

“MW Expat Solution Services GmbH” Expats know Expat’s needs MW Expat Solution Services GmbH was formed by the managing director Matthias Wolf and Markus Lampert to meet the needs of the evergrowing expat community in Germany.

Based in to Munich and in the center of Berlin, with its network of partners reaching the whole of Germany, MW Expat is perfectly situated to offer professional insurance solutions and pension savings schemes to Germany´s ever growing expat community.

As an independent insurance broker, MW Expats works together with all the major insurance companies represented on the German market today. This places the company in a position to nd the insurance cover that most suits the client’s needs at the best possible value for money.

Within MW Expat are more than 30 years of experience in dealing with all aspects of expat clients and are very successfully working with relocation rms to the advantage of their mutual clients. “From our experience so far, collaboration with partners has been bene cial to both parties and we have always been able to agree terms without issue. We believe that the most important feature that we can offer is the knowledge that our clients are in good hands and that we strive to nd the best possible coverage for the - which is not necessarily the most expensive”.

It can be very dif cult for someone arriving to decide which risks are really relevant and in which areas

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added protection and security is needed.

Coupled with a different language and culture and on top with a complicated insurance system, means that very few expats actually obtain the insurance cover that they really need. Whilst they have other things on their minds such as a new job or nding somewhere to live, so they often take the path of least resistance and end up with insurance cover that is completely unsuitable to their needs or just too expensive.

This is where MW Expat comes in and offers their helping hand. “We take the time to explain this fully and help clients from initial advice to the lling out of application forms, whilst at all times making sure the client understands the process.”

MW Expat employs almost 30 people from 13 different nations, so we are able to understand the wishes of our customers and proudly carry our claim: Expats know Expat’s needs. https://mw-expat.com

Members’ News Advertorial CIBT Expands Document Services Capabilities with Acquisition of Blair Consular Services CIBT, the global leader for travel visas, immigration and document services, operating under the CIBTvisas and Newland Chase brands, has acquired Blair Consular Services Ltd (“Blair”). Formed in 1967, Blair is Europe’s oldest and largest export documentation provider, headquartered in London with additional offices in the Netherlands and the United States.

Today CIBT offers fast, easy, and secure document legalization, apostille, translation, and notarization services, including: • Export documents, such as certificates of origin and commercial invoices • Legal, corporate and IP, including patent and trademark, documentation • Legalizations for the pharma, healthcare, food and agriculture industries • Documents required for relocation, such as marriage or birth certificates and employment contracts • Letter of Credit documentation service, including preparing the documentation and bank presentation

Through this acquisition, we welcome more than 60 new team members to the CIBT organization. Adding Blair’s document services capabilities to our own will further position the Company as a leader in legalizations, export trade, and document services.

With 16 years’ Blair employment, CIBT is proud to announce that Vicky Jackson has stepped into the role of Senior Director of Sales and Operations and will be leading the Blair business.

To read more click here

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CIBT Partners with Tripkicks, Simplifies Visas for International Business Travel Partnership Increases Visibility of Visa Requirements During Booking Process

CIBT, the global leader for travel visas, immigration services, and legal document solutions, has partnered with business travel technology company Tripkicks. The result places vital travel visa information at the beginning of the booking journey where it belongs. An add-on to business travel programs, Tripkicks influences behavior and empowers travelers with the knowledge they need for a successful trip: knowledge that now includes CIBT visa intelligence.

The integration alerts travelers to visa requirements from CIBT before they book. Now travelers know their travel document requirements in advance of booking so they plan correctly. Customers of the CIBT and Tripkicks partnership automatically link business travelers to a dedicated CIBT portal for in-depth visa and travel information. This functionality is now available within Tripkicks for companies using SAP Concur for their online booking tool.

“

Business travel compliance has never been more complex. Visa requirements have shifted upstream in the travel booking process and are now at the forefront when considering business travel. We are thrilled to partner with Tripkicks enabling companies to maintain travel management compliance and enhance the employee travel experience.” – Eric Scheinerman, CIBT CEO Jeff Berk, Tripkicks CEO, said, “As organizations increase international travel, it is important to empower travelers with all the necessary information. We’re excited to partner with CIBT to connect their expertise to business travelers during the booking process so that travelers know exactly what to expect.”

Members’ News Advertorial Ukraine-Russia and Immigration: What You Need to Know As the situation in Ukraine escalates, so too does the emerging immigration crisis for individuals fleeing the country and employers working to ensure the safety of employees and their families. Newland Chase has produced a number of resources that you can access here: Webinars On-Demand Webinar | Ukraine and Russia: Mobility and Immigration Impacts (11 March 2022) During this 30-minute live webinar, our panelists provide updates on immigration options for Ukrainian nationals and third-country nationals exiting Ukraine, a spotlight on the UK (immigration options for Ukrainian nationals outside of the UK), restrictions on Russian/Belarussian nationals and impact on businesses with operations in Ukraine.

On-Demand Webinar | Ukraine and Russia: Mobility and Immigration Impacts (4 March 2022) This 30-minute live webinar covers immigration situation for Ukrainian nationals, immigration situation for thirdcountry nationals legally resident in Ukraine trying to flee the conflict, impact on Russian nationals and impact on businesses with operations in Ukraine including remote work hubs.

Immigration Alerts and Updates • EU Adopts Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian Citizens, Initial Information Announced • In-Depth Alerts: United Kingdom Immigration Updates • EU Issues Operational Guidelines for Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) (2001/55/EC)

To read more click here

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Newland Chase Names Daniel Morris as Director and Counsel, Advisory Services Newland Chase is pleased to welcome Daniel Morris as Director and Counsel, Advisory Services.

In his new role, Dan will advise multinational corporations on all aspects of employee global immigration and mobility and provide strategic guidance on how to achieve business objectives.

Dan’s appointment sees him return to Newland Chase after a two-year hiatus.

“

We are delighted to welcome Dan back to Newland Chase. He is an expert in his field, and we know his wealth of industry experience and proven track record of building client relationships will reinforce our position as a leading global immigration services provider.” – Steven Diehl, Executive Vice President, Newland Chase

To read more click here Michael Du Joins Newland Chase as Managing Director, China Newland Chase has announced Michael Du as Managing Director, China. In his new role, Michael leads the company’s corporate visa and immigration service delivery under the operating brand, Newland Chase-FSG, to its growing client base of foreign companies operating in China and Chinese companies expanding globally.

Newland Chase-FSG is part of the strategic joint venture of our parent company CIBT and Shanghai Foreign Service (Group) Co., Ltd – the leading provider of human resources services in China.

“

Newland Chase-FSG is excited to welcome Michael. His extensive industry experience in progressive leadership roles will serve our clients and our business well. I am confident his success will only continue, and his leadership will serve as a catalyst for even faster growth in the China market.”

– Nicolas Derbyshire, Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial Seventh Annual Arpin Strong Golf Tournament raises over $22,000 for charity The Arpin Charitable Fund announced today that its Seventh Annual Arpin Strong Golf Tournament / Bob Sullivan and Mark Dearborn Memorial has successfully raised $22,107 for charity.

The Arpin Charitable Fund, also known as Arpin Strong, was formed to help those in need during natural disasters, or when unfortunate circumstances arise, by participating in community-based volunteer projects and fundraising events throughout the year.

The organization’s board members were thrilled to host its largest fund-raising event of the year on 15 October after having to cancel in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although this year’s charity golf tournament was scaled back to ensure proper social distancing protocols could be followed, the event still garnered a full complement of golfers for the 9hole course. Overlooking beautiful Narragansett Bay, the Jamestown Golf Course, located in Jamestown, Rhode Island, is believed to be one of the oldest public courses in the United States.

“Arpin Charitable Fund is enabling starving people across Haiti, Malawi, and the Philippines to grow nutritious food and organizations to get solar, storage, solar irrigation, and food drying equipment, such as the Ecogenesis outreach program in the Philippines, which is helping to increase farm yields, preserve food, and helping members of the community get access to electricity support in a community center,” said Timothy Maurer, President, the Global Institute For Transformation® (GIFT).

To read more click here

Arpin International Group Raises $1,090 to Benefit Sarah’s Circle During the Worldwide ERC® Global Workforce Symposium Arpin International Group is pleased to announce that its recent Virtual 5K Run raised $1,090 to benefit Sarah’s Circle, a Chicagobased nonprofit organization serving women who are homeless or in need of a safe space. Located in Chicago’s Uptown community, Sarah’s Circle has supported thousands of women since 1979.

Held 19-22 October to coincide with the Worldwide ERC® Global Workforce Symposium in Chicago, IL, this was the first time global mobility professionals gathered at a large-scale in-person industry event in almost two years. Even so, many of our colleagues were unable to attend due to covid travel restrictions; however, that did not stop them from participating virtually. Running enthusiasts throughout the world joined in the event locally and posted their time on social media. We congratulate and applaud all participants for their energy and passion for helping others.

At the close of the event, Arpin International Group’s VP of Business Development, Michael Hughes, and Director of Global Business Development, Curt Smigel, visited with Stephanie Nilson of Sarah’s Circle to deliver the donation personally. “It was an honor to contribute to the local community in Chicago and be a helping hand to Sarah’s Circle.

They are doing phenomenal work building back the lives of so many homeless women.”

To read more click here 37 - The EuRApean Spring 2022

Members’ News Advertorial Arpin International Group Honored with Sterling Lexicon Gold Award for Service Excellence Arpin International Group’s GSA (General Services Administration) division was honored to receive the Gold Award for Service Excellence from Sterling Lexicon. This prestigious award recognizes supplier partners that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to customer service and quality.

“We are honored to once again receive recognition

by Sterling Lexicon for our continued efforts to afford each customer with the best moving experience possible, said Mark Greene, Senior Vice President – GSA Division, Arpin International Group.

“As a family-owned company with over 120+ years of experience, we’ve been successful by looking at each move from our customer’s perspective. We will continue to work hard to exceed every customer’s expectations by listening to and anticipating their needs.”

Sterling Lexicon holds its annual Celebration of Suppliers’ ceremony to honor industry partners who have provided exceptional service to its clients.

Arpin International Group is proud to partner with Sterling Lexicon to provide seamless execution of services to meet the U.S. Government’s strict regulatory requirements and advanced security protocols.

To read more click here

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Arpin International Group promotes Ronnie Blanchard to general manager, GSA services Arpin International Group is pleased to announce the promotion of Ronnie Blanchard from GSA supervisor to general manager, GSA services.

In his new role, Blanchard will be responsible for daily operations, account management, overseeing domestic moves, managing claims, and assisting with the creation of internal templates—all while maintaining a highly-efficient and motivated operations team. He will also lead the effort to support GSA team members’ growth and professional development, provide leadership and training to coordinators to ensure Arpin’s standard operating procedures are adhered to, and educate staff on individual account needs. Blanchard will retain responsibilities as supervisor for high-profile moves while assisting the GSA division with establishing long-range plans. He has recently become a member of LACMA, FIDI39, and IAM Young Professionals’ clubs.

“Ronnie has been an integral part of the GSA team’s continued growth within the industry and success of the GSA division at Arpin,” said Matthew Somweber, director of operations, GSA, Arpin International Group. “He leads by example and is dedicated to enhancing the culture and skill levels for all employees. I am looking forward to watching him excel in this new role while continuing to grow personally and professionally.”

Blanchard joined Arpin International Group in 2014 as a coordinator and was promoted to team lead in 2018, supervisor in 2019,…

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial Arpin International Group unveils its 2022 Moving For A Cause charitable campaign

Arpin International Group announces promotions

Arpin International Group is pleased to unveil its newest charitable outreach campaign, “Moving For A Cause.” This latest CSR initiative is being spearheaded by the company’s non-profit arm, Arpin Strong. It aims to prove that there’s no limit to how we can collectively advance transformative solutions to the defining social and environmental issues of our time.

“To help us realize our vision of creating lasting change in the world, we’ve expanded our charitable outreach to include input from Arpin’s valued customers,” said Peter Arpin, President of Arpin International Group. “At Arpin, we believe in building meaningful and enduring relationships with our customers. The ‘Moving For A Cause’ campaign provides our customers with an opportunity to get involved with causes that they are passionate about.”

The program works by allowing each customer to choose between five global charities upon the completion of their move. Arpin will then donate to that charity on behalf of the customer to say, “Thank You,” for affording us the privilege of servicing their move. The charities selected for the inaugural year are: Ocean Conservancy, Global Institute For Transformation, Habitat For Humanity, Wreaths Across America, and The Trevor Project. The program is open to Arpin’s corporate, military, and private-residential customers. We hope to donate a minimum of $35,000.00 to the selected charities based on customer engagement.

To read more click here

Arpin International Group is pleased to announce the promotions of Tracy Cole, Kevin Amatucci, and Karen Bannon.

“Tracy, Kevin, and Karen all have a lot in common: hard work, smarts, willing to change, adapt, and always willing to help and nurture others. All three have been with Arpin for many years, and have made us a much better company. In their new roles, now, more than ever, they will guide AIG to what we believe is a very bright future,” said Peter Arpin, president of Arpin International Group.

Tracy Cole has been promoted to vice president of operations. Cole is a relocation professional who began her career in international household goods removals with Arpin International Group in 1999. As vice president of operations, she is responsible for daily operations, international supply chain management, and managing existing account relationships by providing client support services to Arpin’s key global accounts, as well as the company’s service teams managing the customer experience. …

Kevin Amatucci has been promoted to vice president of operations. He joined Arpin in 2013 and has over 29 years of experience in the household goods relocation industry. Amatucci is responsible for the day-to-day management and strategic oversight of international corporate relocations and its domestic FastPACSM program. This includes developing and implementing account management teams for Arpin’s top clients, setting staffing goals, training team leaders, and serving as a point of escalation for the operations team. …

Karen Bannon has been promoted to director of marketing and ESG. Bannon has nearly three decades of moving and storage industry experience. As director of marketing and ESG, Bannon is responsible for managing and reporting on sustainability initiatives to minimize the company’s environmental impacts and maximize its positive contributions to the world in close partnership with cross-functional global teams. …

To read more click here 39 - The EuRApean Spring 2022

Members’ News Advertorial Gerson Relocation Welcomes Sarah Jones As Pricing And Vendor Manager Sarah joins Gerson Relocation, the premier international removals, relocation, and assignment services company, at an exciting time following their recent rebranding and further expansion. Sarah brings with her a wealth of knowledge gained over 19 years in the relocation industry.

With her experience Sarah is the ideal candidate to build positive and long-term relationships with the quality supply chain that supports Gerson Relocation.

Tony Dullaghan-Stone, Director General Manager for Gerson Relocation commented “We are all excited by the growth of Gerson Relocation and we are delighted to welcome Sarah to the company at this pivotal time, we wish her every success in her new role.

To read more click here Welcome to Lilia Mileva to the LuxRelo Team as Administrative Manager As our focus remains on providing exceptional service to our clients, LuxRelo is delighted to welcome Lilia Mileva as LuxRelo Administrative Manager and Immigration Specialist. For the last 17 year Lilia worked in the hospitality industry including 13 years in Luxembourg. She brings her extensive experience in customer service and will help us to improve the quality of immigration & relocation services we are providing to expats relocating to Luxembourg. To read more click here

LuxRelo is happy to announce that David Soum has been promoted as Relocation Manager LuxRelo one of the leading provider of relocation & immigration services in Luxembourg is pleased to announce the appointment of David Soum as Relocation Manager. “David brought us his experience of the hospitality industry, and will help us to continue improving our customer service and bring LuxRelo to the next level” explained

Stéphane Compain, CEO & Co-Founder.

To read more click here

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The Region’s Leading Relocation Company Announces New Ownership Dubai, 15th December 2021 – Executive Expatriate Relocations (EER) has just announced an exciting change in ownership. From 15.12.21 the company will be jointly spearheaded by its current Managing Director Marie O’Neill and its Operations Director, Aideen Hopkins. Founded in 2005, EER has established a reputation as the region’s leading relocation, immigration and corporate services company, much of which is down to the visionary work of O’Neill and Hopkins during their tenure as senior leaders.

The evolution of their role to co-owners is expected to propel EER to even greater heights as they set forth with an ambitious framework of expansion in both service provisions and geographical reach.

A Pedigree of Success Having worked with the company for eleven and nine years respectively, Marie and Aideen have already demonstrated their immeasurable skill at running a successful and stable organisation in their capacity as senior leaders and board members. Their transition to coowners appears to be somewhat of a natural progression given their obvious commitment to EER and its growth. Both women have shown an uncanny ability to adapt where necessary, make essential tough decisions and successfully implement transformational initiatives for the betterment of their clients all over the world. Given all this, it is no wonder that amongst their clients, team and industry insiders this news is being met with widespread applause and the consistent feedback that both Marie and Aideen represent the best possible future for EER. Simon Scott, Vice President at Altair Global, shared his excitement at the announcement, “Marie and Aideen have steered EER through the ups and downs of the last few years with thoughtful precision and insightful action, always ensuring that, as clients, we never experienced a dip in performance.

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial

Help AMS support children’s literacy in Africa Africa Mobility Services (AMS) is marking its 10th year in operation with a new initiative aimed at helping children in Africa with their literacy studies.

The project, called ‘The Right to Write’, potentially involves the whole of the global mobility industry. It aims to collect 10,000 pens or pencils (1,000 for each year of AMS’s business), donated by companies at this year’s IMA, FIDI, Harmony and IAM conferences.

“Almost every company produces pens or pencils as giveaways,” said AMS CEO, Kim Becker. “We are asking our friends and partners to donate some of them for distribution to Africa’s children. They are simple, but vitally important items that really make a difference to the kids’ education.”

Charnel Francis, the company’s Business Development Manager has been collecting pens and pencils for Africa’s children for over six years and has seen the dramatic impact they can make. “Each child gets through around 10 pencils and 10 pens a year,” she explained. “The pens help their education, education contributes to employment, employment provides wellbeing for the families which leads to sustainable communities and economic benefits for everyone.”

So if you are attending these conferences, please take the trouble to take a few extra pens, whether they carry your company branding or not, for donation to the AMS campaign.

The campaign works ‘hand in hand’ with the AMS ‘Hockey Dreams’ program that focuses on education, coaching, mentorship and development for rural African communities.

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NYC Navigator launched a partnership with PiVT to support employee social wellbeing Pivt and NYC Navigator have entered into a strategic partnership to improve social support for relocated employees and their families. Pivt is the first mobility-focused social networking app provided to relocated employees as a wellness benefit, designed to improve the social well-being of employees on the move, increase retention, and help usher in the era of business without borders. Within the app, users can connect with other relocated individuals and their families, as well as gain access to community experts for local resources and recommendations. With Pivt, individuals and families are able to prepare, plan, and be welcomed into their new community long before, during, and after relocating – because no one should feel alone in a place they call home.

NYC Navigator supports relocation needs for employees living, working, and thriving in the New York City Metro area. Much like Pivt, NYC Navigator serves as an advocate to “Recreate Home,” which they do through high touch destination services, social events, and partnering with innovative solutions like Pivt. Both companies aim to provide a fluid transition to relocated individuals, while also offering an all-in-one digital space from the time they begin their move to when they’ve transitioned to their new home.

“We are so excited to be partnering with Brenda and NYC Navigator," notes Pivt CEO Lynn Greenberg."They do such a fantastic job of cultivating community and recreating the feeling of home for employees and their families. We look forward to partnering with them to add a digital component to this.”

Brenda Levis, President of NYC Navigator, agrees, saying, “NYC Navigator is thrilled to be forming an innovative, collaborative partnership with Lynn and her brilliant team at Pivt! By combining our live social events, and Pivt’s digital community, we will be offering unprecedented social support for relocating employees and their families, creating a tremendous benefit for both the employee and employer.”

By combining Pivt and NYC Navigator, the industry is getting one step closer towards supporting more employees’ mental and social health during what can be an incredibly stressful life event - relocating.

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial OWL Technology is Transforming the Future of Temporary Housing Procurement

Ascott Upgrades Loyalty Programme to Offer more Rewards for Members’ Bookings via Direct Channels

OWL’s mission is to revolutionize the sourcing and procurement of Serviced Apartments globally. Its vision is to be an easy and fast sourcing software, saving suppliers and clients’ money by eliminating the layering of costs-allowing them to source local providers in the market Founded in 2020, OWL provides industry-changing temporary housing sourcing technology, allowing RMCs, corporate clients, and global temporary housing suppliers to connect directly with the inventory holder. In addition, complimentary access enables you to connect directly with a local provider in the city you want to book accommodations. This state-of-the-art marketplace housing solution creates a new level of ease of doing business, eliminating the layering of costs and daily fees that have become the standard in the mobility industry today.

OWL’s mission is to revolutionize the sourcing and procurement of Serviced Apartments globally. Its vision is to be an easy and fast sourcing software, saving suppliers and clients’ money by eliminating the layering of costs-allowing them to source local providers in the market. It also increases a client’s ability to obtain higher referral fees or achieve significant costs savings for their clients.

As a result, the OWL team has created a “Best-in-Class” product for the mobility industry.

The current temporary housing procurement process is cumbersome, with excess paperwork and frequent miscommunication between middlemen and third parties.

OWL’s breakthrough technology answers suppliers and relocation management companies’ key pain points with traditional sourcing “platforms.” Old methods are hindering, not helping. The problem was important to solve because suppliers and clients were paying way more than they should, and costs were passed onto the guest or their company.

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42 - The EuRApean Spring 2022

In celebration of Ascott Star Rewards’ third anniversary, members can score up to 35% more points, receive up to 10 million bonus points and fast-track membership upgrade to Platinum tier CapitaLand Investment Limited’s (CLI) wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has upgraded its loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), to offer more rewards for members’ bookings made via its direct channels1. In celebration of ASR’s third anniversary in April, ASR members can now earn points on qualifying bookings through Ascott’s reservation offices2 via email, phone call and WeChat as well as authorised travel agents via Ascott’s Global Distribution System.

Members can also earn points for walk-in bookings at more than 400 ASR participating properties in over 130 cities across more than 30 countries. These channels are in addition to Ascott’s booking website discoverasr.com and the Discover ASR mobile app.

ASR has also been expanded to include more exclusive benefits3. ASR members can enjoy priority check-ins, birthday discount e-vouchers and look forward to brandspecific arrival experiences and welcome amenities or signature gifts that are customised for each of Ascott’s 14 award-winning brands.

Ms Tan Bee Leng, Ascott’s Managing Director for Brand & Marketing, said: “Three years on, Ascott remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold ASR as one of the most flexible loyalty programmes in the hospitality industry.

There is no cap to ASR points earned, no minimum points redemption and no blackout dates for redemption. Our ASR members enjoy maximum flexibility and convenience when using their points. Even when travel was most hardhit during COVID-19, our ASR members have stood by us and remained loyal guests of Ascott. Since its launch in 2019, ASR membership has been increasing by 40% annually. ASR members continue to find value with Ascott, contributing about 90% of Ascott’s direct bookings online and about 50% of ASR members are repeat guests.”

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Seville by the numbers 63

Speakers

5

Number of Times Delayed

5689

Restaurants Listed on Tripadvisor in Seville

32

Sessions 43 - The EuRApean Spring 2022

29 Celsius Predicted

Average June

2022 Temperature

690

Delegates So Far

17

Networking Opportunities