Thessaloniki gets ready for its metro launch in November
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
The Clean Kitchen Act, modelled after the Danish ‘Smile’ system will feature bar charts showing compliance with health regulations for each venue
At the start of 2023, the Clean Kitchen Act (Saubere-Küchen-Gesetz) will come into force in Berlin. The new policy aims at making restaurants in the German capital display the results of the surprise hygiene inspections carried out by city authorities.
The idea behind the regulation is to strengthen the gastronomy sector by offering consumers more transparency in cafes, restaurants, bakeries and canteens and is somewhat modelled after the Danish system. However, some critics have pointed out that Berlin’s version of the law is too lenient and allows owners a chance to ‘buy’ their way out of a bad rating.
As the DPA reports, in the new law, the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Consumer and Climate Protection will require the official results from hygiene and food control assessments to be made public, visible and understandable. This includes presenting them in the form of a bar chart on the restaurant premises.
With the new regulation, consumers would have more agency when choosing gastronomy, especially when it comes to hygiene standards in the production, preparation and sale of food.
Many have criticized the policy for being too lenient. This is because, while the initial assessments will feature unannounced visits from authorities, owners can request a follow-up, which is paid.
The follow-up would, in turn, be scheduled after the assessment is complete, and the initial results would no longer be publicly available. Instead, the venues would only be required to display the follow-up charts.
This has been compared to the Danish ‘Smile’ system, with the gastronomy industry, subject to similar hygiene and quality checks. Danish owners are required to display the results of surprise visits on their entrance and they can range from a smiling face – indicating nothing wrong, to a frown, showing that the venue is in breach of health regulations and could be subject to fines.
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass
Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape
The examples, compiled by Beyond Fossil Fuels, can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU, national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality.
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region
Despite its church-y name, the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital