Aside from the wider context of the Ukraine war and its repercussions on the EU and global economy, and a recession, which according to the IMF will hit about a third of the world, a lot of changes will take place on a national level in the grand duchy.

VAT, elections and greenwashing mitigation

Tracy outlined some of the many changes taking place from 1 January 2023, like, for instance, an The minimum social wage for a trained worker above the age of 18 is now €2,864 and €2,387 for untrained workers. Child benefits have also been increased from 1 January. Wage indexations should take place in the first quarter of 2023, in April--an indexation postponed in July 2022--and a third one for the end of the year, Statec estimated.

from 17% to 16% to contribute to a lower inflation. This decision taken during the September 2022 tripartite will have companies change the prices on display until the end of this year. 2023 also marks the arrival of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, which targets financial products and aims to limit greenwashing. The Mica and Dora regulations--respectively touching the crypocurrency market and cybersecurity of financial institutions--are also set to mark 2023.

2023 is also an important year for Luxembourg’s political sphere, as both the communal elections and the national elections will take place. While the national elections on 8 October are reserved for Luxembourg citizens, it is now easier for foreign residents to register to vote for their local leaders. Previously, they had to live in Luxembourg for five years before being allowed to vote--a condition that fell aside in 2022.

Tracy reminded listeners that non-Luxembourg residents need to and should do so before 16 April.

A strategy with public input

Tom and Tracy also talked about on the country’s long-term future. The directorate of the economy ministry in December launched a survey addressed to all persons above the age of 16 who are somehow impacted by Luxembourg’s economy. This includes cross-border workers.

The survey is based off presented by the directorate in 2022. The aim is to gather the opinions of the public on the different scenarios and the opportunities and challenges they bring. Following this, Luxembourg Stratégie will present a strategic vision for the country ahead of 2050. Those curious about the survey can participate until 16 January.

Events to come

This week, the is still running at the Grand Theatre de la Ville de Luxembourg until Saturday 7 January. It’s an immersive virtual reality spectacle which has already won some awards.  

The Cinémathèque also titled “Must-See Movies of 2022.” Essentially, the cinema will be showing films that it believes deserve a bit more screen time, like Licorice Pizza, The Northman or Drive My Car. This is running from 4 to 31 January.

On Saturday too, Blandine Waldmann will perform in Kayl. Waldmann is the winner of nine international competitions and will interpret works by Schubert and Liszt.

Recommendation

For this week’s recommendation, Tracy picked , a track by Austrian artist Paccu. With an audience that is growing since 2021, Paccu is sure to attract more fans in the new year. 

Tune in next Monday around 8:30am on Ara City Radio (87.8 - 102.9 -105.2 FM) or listen to the podcast on Delano.