Why do Catalan Christmas traditions involve poo?
From seasonal figurines answering nature’s call to wooden logs excreting presents, faeces are an integral part of Christmas in Catalonia. But… why?
customs
Dealing with Brexit: new customs, burdensome paperwork—and business opportunities
Four Catalonia-based companies speak of their strategies to survive (and even benefit from) the UK’s departure from the EU
EC starts process to fine Spain for excessive public deficit
Spain’s effort to reduce its public deficit “has been insufficient”, according to Brussels. Thus, the European Commission (EC) took this Thursday the first step in order to fine Spain, ahead of the Ecofin meeting. The fining process foresees that 20 days after this meeting, the EC could present the suggested fine, which could equal 0.2% of Spain’s GDP. According to a report released this Thursday by the EC, Spain closed 2015 with a 5.1% deficit target, far from the 4.2% established by Brussels. The report concludes that Spain’s fiscal effort fell “significantly short” of what was recommended and even “relaxed in 2015”. “Spain did not reach the intermediate target for the headline deficit in 2015 and is not forecast to put an end to its excessive deficit by 2016”.