Licence plate theft is becoming an increasingly common problem in Luxembourg, with police recording a steady rise in recent years. Between 2020 and 2024, reported losses and thefts of number plates jumped by 41%, reaching more than 310 cases last year—about 40 more than in 2023. The issue is not limited to Luxembourg alone. Recently, several Luxembourg-registered plates were stolen in the nearby Moselle town of Contz-les-Bains, prompting an investigation into how these plates are being used by criminals. Authorities warn that stolen plates are often employed to mask crimes ranging from speeding and car theft to burglaries. If your plates are stolen or lost, the police stress that the first step is to file a complaint immediately. You must also contact the National Society of Automobile Traffic (SNCA) to be assigned a new registration number: Theft and theft of license plates - License plates - SNCA - Luxembourg Once reported, the old number cannot be reassigned for ten years, though it remains reserved for the original owner of the vehicle. To reduce risks, police advise parking your car in well-lit, non-isolated areas and regularly checking that both plates are secure and intact. Another warning sign is receiving fines for offences committed in places you’ve never been—a strong indication that your plate may have been stolen. As thefts continue to rise, both drivers and authorities are being forced to stay more vigilant than ever. Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Ten years after Luxembourg voters rejected extending national voting rights to foreigners, the debate has returned to the forefront. On 7 June 2015, an overwhelming 78% of voters said no to granting non-Luxembourgish residents the right to participate in legislative elections. While reforms since then have allowed all foreign residents to vote in municipal elections without the previous five-year residence requirement, they remain excluded from national decision-making. This reality is drawing renewed criticism. At a round table organised on Monday, the Association for the Support of Immigrant Workers (ASTI) described the exclusion of foreigners from legislative elections as a “major democratic deficit.” Luxembourg, ASTI noted, has a unique demographic profile in Europe: nearly 47% of its residents do not hold Luxembourgish nationality. For the organisation, this situation represents a democratic paradox that undermines the legitimacy of the political system and poses risks to social cohesion. Public opinion appears to be shifting. A recent ILRES survey carried out in 2025 shows that 66% of residents now support granting foreigners the right to vote in national elections, provided they have lived in the country for at least ten years and have already taken part in municipal or European elections. Among Luxembourgish voters themselves, 58% say they would support such a change. Yet political divisions remain strong. A large majority of supporters of the Greens (87%) and the Pirate Party (77%) are in favour, while backing is much lower among ADR voters, where only 22% support the measure. Even within the major parties, opinion is split: 57% of Democratic Party voters and 55% of CSV voters say they are in favour. Some politicians have suggested compromise solutions. In 2019, Frank Engel, then a CSV member and now leader of Fokus, proposed opening the right to vote to European Union citizens living in Luxembourg. Such a move would cover most of the country’s foreign population, which is dominated by EU nationals—Portuguese being the largest group, followed by French, Italians, and Belgians. The debate could be reopened in the coming years, as Luxembourg’s new Constitution provides greater scope for referendums. Article 80 specifies that the Chamber of Deputies may call a referendum on political questions under conditions defined by law. For Alex Bodry, vice-president of the Council of State and former LSAP MP, this offers a potential avenue for non-Luxembourgers to express themselves directly on the matter. In the meantime, Bodry suggests exploring other ways of involving foreign residents in public life, such as strengthening existing representative bodies or creating a new institution dedicated to their participation. With demographic trends pointing towards Luxembourgers becoming a minority in the near future, the question of political representation for foreigners seems destined to remain a pressing issue. Read More : Luxembourg: La question du vote des étrangers soulève des inquiétudes démocratiques - L'essentiel Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Luxembourg’s state programme to support households struggling with energy poverty has picked up significant momentum since 2023, offering relief to more families facing difficulties paying heating, electricity, and gas bills. The initiative, launched in 2016, combines free energy consultations with subsidies for efficient household appliances. According to figures shared by Environment Minister Serge Wilmes (CSV) in response to a parliamentary question from déi Lénk MPs David Wagner and Marc Baum, demand has surged over the past two years. The Klima-Agency has carried out 621 individual energy consultations since the start of the programme, including 145 in 2023 and a record 304 in 2024. In just the first eight months of 2025, another 83 consultations have already taken place. These on-site visits help households identify ways to cut energy consumption and reduce costs. Alongside advice, the state subsidises the replacement of outdated, energy-hungry appliances. Since 2016, 145 new devices have been purchased under the scheme, ranging from washing machines to refrigerators and freezers. The subsidy covers up to 90% of the purchase price, capped at €1,000 per appliance. To date, nearly €100,500 has been spent through the Climate and Energy Fund, with support levels rising sharply since 2023 as participation increased. The dual approach—practical advice and financial aid—not only improves the living conditions of low-income households but also contributes to Luxembourg’s wider climate protection goals. By reducing both energy bills and consumption, the programme aims to ease social inequalities while helping meet environmental commitments. Read More : Précarité énergétique: le programme d'aide s'intensifie au Luxembourg - L'essentiel Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

POST and ING Luxembourg have reached an agreement to safeguard the banking needs of thousands of local businesses following ING’s decision to scale back its activities in the country. The two institutions announced on Tuesday that they had signed a “referencing agreement” aimed at providing continuity for around 4,500 clients of ING’s Business Banking division. These include SMEs, self-employed workers, and entrepreneurs who were left seeking alternatives after ING confirmed its withdrawal from the sector to focus instead on Private Banking and Wholesale Banking. Under the deal, POST will extend “preferential banking conditions” to affected professionals to ensure a smooth transition. While ING will continue to honour existing mortgages and outstanding loans until maturity, POST will handle day-to-day banking needs for eligible clients. However, the agreement does not cover every service previously offered by ING, meaning some customers may still need to turn to other institutions for specialised solutions. Michael Burch, CEO of ING Luxembourg, stressed that the deal guarantees stability: “This ensures that our business clients will continue to benefit from professional banking services provided by an institution rooted in the community.” Gabriel de La Bourdonnaye, Director of POST Finance, echoed this, highlighting POST’s ambition to strengthen its role as a local banking partner: “We offer access to banking services for everyone, not just individuals. Our goal is to provide professional customers with services adapted to their daily needs.” The move follows a series of strategic shifts at ING Luxembourg. After decades of presence since its establishment in 1960, the bank recently ended its retail banking services, shut down numerous accounts, and announced it would exit corporate investment banking. These changes came alongside a redundancy plan threatening 124 jobs, sparking concern among employees and clients alike. The gradual transfer of business clients to POST is expected to unfold over the coming year, with ING set to provide detailed instructions to affected customers in the meantime.   Know More here : POST and ING Luxembourg join forces to support 4,500 professional clients - The essentials Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu    

For the first time, Moldovan citizens living in Luxembourg will be able to cast their ballots locally during the upcoming parliamentary elections on 28 September. A new polling station has been set up at the Institute of Foreign Languages in Luxembourg City, expected to serve around 1,000 Moldovans who previously had to travel to neighbouring Belgium, France, or Germany to vote. The initiative is part of a broader effort by Moldovan authorities to expand voting facilities for the diaspora, which has become increasingly mobilised in recent years. In Belgium, the number of polling stations has also been increased in response to the growing participation of Moldovan citizens, noted Viorel Ciubotaru, Moldova’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. He underlined that the government is committed to making voting abroad more accessible. According to Moldova’s electoral authorities, citizens abroad can vote with a valid or expired Moldovan passport (provided it has not been invalidated or perforated), an identity card, a provisional ID, or a personal ID card. This year’s ballot paper will feature 23 candidates, including political parties, blocs, and independents. The elections will only be considered valid if at least one-third of registered voters participate. The stakes are high: over the past five years, President Maia Sandu and her pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) have steered the Republic of Moldova toward closer ties with the EU. The country applied for membership in March 2022, obtained candidate status in June the same year, and formally began accession negotiations in June 2024. The outcome of the elections could prove decisive for Moldova’s European path. Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats appSignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu  

Tensions between Luxembourg’s main unions and the government remain high, with the OGBL and LCGB making it clear they will no longer take part in broad negotiation meetings, which they say have become meaningless. Instead, the unions are calling for bilateral talks on key labour issues. “We will not go to the big negotiation sessions, where we are no longer listened to and where there is no negotiation. But we do not refuse bilateral dialogue,” said Nora Back, president of the OGBL. Discussions are expected with Labour Minister Georges Mischo (CSV) and Economy Minister Lex Delles (DP), although no date has yet been set. Employers will be received separately. LCGB president Patrick Dury echoed this stance, stating that while the unions are stepping away from the CPTE (Standing Committee on Labour and Employment), they remain open to one-on-one meetings with government representatives. According to Back, the unions have already drawn up a detailed list of demands covering working hours, rest periods, holiday entitlements, Sunday work, and special schedules. For the OGBL, these issues are “as important as pensions.” While the government has recently softened its pension reform proposal—reducing the increase in career length before retirement from several years to a maximum of eight months—Back dismissed this as nothing more than “crumbs.” She warned that the union base is still urging continued mobilization to resist government pressure. Looking ahead, Back also voiced concern that pensions may once again come under fire in 2030, after the current reform takes effect. While she acknowledged that large-scale mobilization would be difficult at this stage, she did not rule it out: “We cannot mobilize on things vaguely announced by the government. But if it moves on the schedules, it will be a duty to mobilize again.”   Read More: The OGBL and LCGB unions refuse to let this happen in Luxembourg - The essentials Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Luxembourg has seen a sharp rise in accidents involving micro-electric vehicles such as e-scooters, hoverboards, and Segways. According to figures from Statec shared by Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes, 42 accidents were recorded in 2024—more than double the number in 2023. The statistics reveal a steady increase since this category was first registered separately: 11 accidents in 2021, 27 in 2022, and 19 in 2023. In 2024, 28 of the accidents were classified as minor while 14 were serious, but notably, none were fatal—a trend that has remained consistent since 2021. Minister Backes underlined that Luxembourg already has a legal framework for micromobility in place since December 2020, designed to enhance safety for users of electric scooters and similar vehicles. Under the Highway Code, an electric scooter is treated in the same category as a bicycle: powered solely by electricity with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and power capped at 0.25 kW. This means that riders must follow the same rules as cyclists, such as staying off sidewalks from the age of 13, avoiding passengers, and refraining from towing or clinging to other vehicles. Helmets remain recommended but not mandatory for standard e-scooters. However, more powerful or faster models are reclassified as mopeds, requiring insurance, registration, a driver’s license, and compulsory helmet use. To improve safety further, the ministry plans to analyze whether upcoming road safety campaigns should place a greater focus on e-scooter users. Awareness efforts are also being supported by ongoing investments in Luxembourg’s national cycling network, which authorities see as essential to making micromobility safer and more efficient. Backes emphasized the importance of respecting the rules of the road: “It is essential that electric scooter riders, like all road users, comply with safety regulations and show mutual respect.” Read More: Au Luxembourg: Les accidents avec des micro-véhicules électriques en hausse - L'essentiel Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced it will launch a new route linking Luxembourg and Copenhagen, marking a significant addition to its 2026 summer programme. The route, which will operate with two daily flights, is scheduled to begin on 9 March 2026 and tickets are already available for booking. This new connection strengthens Luxembourg’s position as a growing hub for European travel. Until now, Luxair has been the only airline operating direct flights between Luxembourg and the Danish capital. With SAS entering the market, travellers will gain more choice, flexibility, and potentially competitive fares on this popular route. The Copenhagen-Luxembourg connection also opens new opportunities for both business and leisure passengers. Copenhagen, one of Scandinavia’s busiest travel hubs, offers a wide range of onward connections to destinations across the Nordic region and beyond, while Luxembourg continues to attract visitors for its thriving financial centre, EU institutions, and cultural heritage. For SAS, the move is part of a broader strategy to expand its summer network, adding new destinations and strengthening links with key European cities. The airline hopes to capture demand from both business travellers who frequently commute between financial centres and tourists seeking convenient access to Northern Europe. The launch comes at a time when Luxembourg Airport (Findel) is steadily increasing its international connections, underlining its importance in the region’s aviation network. With twice-daily flights, passengers will benefit from better scheduling options and improved connectivity between Scandinavia and the heart of Europe.   Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Luxembourg has unveiled new memorial walls engraved with the names of 1,225 Jewish victims of Nazism, marking a solemn tribute to those persecuted, deported, and murdered during the Second World War. The inauguration took place on Sunday morning at the Kaddish Monument on Boulevard Roosevelt in Luxembourg City, with a ceremony of remembrance and reflection. The initiative, launched by the association MemoShoah in partnership with the Luxembourg Government, the City of Luxembourg, the Jewish Consistory, and the Luxembourg Foundation for the Remembrance of the Shoah, seeks to honour the memory of victims while reinforcing the importance of vigilance against hatred in today’s society. For Georges Santer, president of MemoShoah, the walls represent a symbolic resting place for those who never received proper graves. He emphasised that inscribing their names anchors their memory both within families and in Luxembourg’s national history. Claude Marx, honorary president of MemoShoah and initiator of the project, reminded attendees that remembering the Shoah is not only about confronting the past but also about defending human rights and rejecting antisemitism, racism, homophobia, and all forms of hatred in the present. The ceremony combined speeches, prayers, a moment of silence, and readings of victims’ biographies, bringing personal voices back into collective remembrance. Music held a powerful place in the event, with clarinettist Nur Ben-Shalom performing pieces composed by Jewish victims or during the Nazi era. Once a source of hope in times of despair, the music now resonates as a bridge between generations, carrying the message of unity and humanity. The inauguration follows Luxembourg’s long journey of reckoning with its wartime history, including the establishment of the Kaddish Monument itself as a place of mourning and remembrance. MemoShoah also released a memorial book containing the names of the victims along with 18 detailed biographies, available to the public at Villa Pauly until 3 October. The new walls stand as both a tribute and a warning: a reminder of the devastation inflicted on Luxembourg’s Jewish community during the war, and a call to resist hatred in all its forms to safeguard peace and coexistence for the future. Join the community of your own - #1 home-grown LuxExpats app SignUp Free : luxembourgexpats.lu   

Luxembourg is preparing for the most significant overhaul of its passenger transport sector in decades. A year after Uber entered the country through a partnership with Voyages Emile Weber, the government has unveiled a reform that will fully integrate ride-hailing services (known locally as “VLCs”) into the legal framework. The reform, presented by Transport Minister Yuriko Backes, aims to achieve two objectives: increase competition and consumer choice while modernizing a sector long dominated by traditional taxis. End of License Limits by 2030 One of the most dramatic changes is the gradual phasing out of license limits. Until now, the number of taxi licenses was capped under a “numerus clausus” system. This cap will be raised progressively to 2,850 by 2029 and abolished entirely in 2030. “The only way to bring down prices is to open the market,” Backes said, stressing that liberalization was inevitable and necessary. Equal Rules for Taxis and Ride-Hailing Drivers For the first time, taxi and VLC drivers will be subject to the same rules. Both groups will be required to complete a 16-hour mandatory training course — at their own expense — and present a certificate of completion. VLC platforms, whether local or international, will also need ministerial approval and will be obligated to comply with Luxembourg’s labor laws. Authorities have promised strict oversight to ensure drivers’ rights are respected. Transparent Pricing for Passengers The reform puts consumer protection at its core. Taxis will be required to use taximeters to calculate fares per kilometer, with real-time price displays and receipts issued at the end of each journey. VLC operators, meanwhile, will need to provide passengers with a fixed price upfront when trips are booked — a system already widely used in major international cities. Geographical restrictions on taxi and VLC operations, long seen as a brake on competition, will also be scrapped. Changing Habits in Luxembourg Minister Backes highlighted that taking taxis in Luxembourg is not a common reflex compared to other countries. “The occupancy rate is very low. Too many cars wait all day at the airport for business travelers, instead of serving local residents. This reform is about making taxis and ride-hailing a regular, accessible means of transport for everyone.” By reshaping the market, the government hopes to encourage more everyday users to choose taxis or VLCs, thereby reducing inefficiencies and empty vehicle trips. While the reform represents a major opening of the market, it also seeks to reassure traditional taxi operators who fear losing their long-held position. The government argues that aligning standards, training, and pricing rules will create fair competition while offering consumers more choice. With the countdown to 2030 underway, Luxembourg’s transport landscape is set for a profound transformation — one that could redefine how residents and visitors alike move around the country. Know More: Luxembourg liberalises the passenger car and taxi sector to reduce prices - The essentials