The EuRApean Winter 2025 by Dominic Tidey

this issue: • Features • Chat GPT • Tending the Web • Zagreb Shrouded • MIM Updates and Fellow • EGQS Review 2025 • Legal Update Q4

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Contents The EuRApean

Meadowside

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+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.

Notes from the Editor

There are many new projects underway within EuRA and as we move into the Autumn we start the final preparations for our 2025 conference in Zagreb. Autumn also means it’s North American conference season and Tad and I were recently in Canada for the CERC event which took place in Montreal. It’s always a great event and this year was no exception with outstanding content and the chance to continue strengthen our bonds with the partners of the Coalition for Greener Mobility. Tad and the partners at Fidi, IAM, CERC, CHPA and WERC are forming an overarching notfor-profit association, The Mobility Coalition, which will enable more work to be done across a spectrum of areas that affect the mobility providers across all our memberships. We were in Vegas for the IAM conference which was another excellent event. One of the projects they are working on (which we hope to collaborate on also as part of The Mobility Coalition) is to take the One Record project which has been

developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). One Record is a way for airlines who are members of IATA and who have air freight divisions to track in real time, air freight on behalf of clients. Like Amazon Tracking, the system sends alerts to clients telling them exactly where their freight is at any given time. The advantage for the HHG industry is huge. For transferees to know without endless calls, emails and PDF’s where their possession are is a game changer. For EuRA the application is more about our members’ clients being able to track with one single system all aspects of the services they provide, from temporary housing, HHG, homesearch, lease agreements, immigration and so on. To have a single point of entry for both providers and clients would both simplify and clarify reporting. At this stage the project is very embryonic but at a stroke it would solve the API issues that we have been discussing with our members for over 20 years. For such a project to work it would need the support of all providers across the

mobility eco-system and this is where over the coming years we hope to be most successful as our membership is extremely diverse in terms of type of provider. I also attended a fascinating Advanced AI session and have learned much more about ChatGPT than I knew before, using it to sort the session submissions we’ve received for the Zagreb conference. Having uploaded a PDF of the results, and sorted it by session name, submission application, expertise of the candidate, I was able to produce a CSV file for each session. Briony however translated it into an Excel and did the same thing in a 10th of the time! One of the comments made in a session on AI we attended at the excellent WERC conference in DC was that as of now, AI is making the simple, complex.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for a really fun US event at the excellent Rosa Mexicano where we enjoyed getting together over Margaritas and Tacos. Next year, Salt Lake City!

Dom Tidey Managing Editor

Letter from the CEO Tad Zurlinden

Having just returned from our final Executive Group (EG) meeting of 2024, I have to thank the Group for all the work they have put in this year to make the future of EuRA impactful and purposeful.

Over the past 12 months we have seen a record number of new members joining EuRA and I would like to welcome them all on behalf of my team and the EG to this amazing group of people! You can read about some of them in this edition.

I’ve just been in Zagreb with my team and the teams there who will be putting on the event and it’s going to be great! We were really blindsided that the conference was fully booked in just 8 days. We have done our best to be as fair to members as possible by limiting the number of delegates from a member to just three. Also this year we have reduced numbers as our primary venue, the brilliant Sheraton Zagreb is smaller than we had in Vilamoura and we want everyone to have space to network. Our Gala Dinner and Party Night venues can accommodate our numbers easily which is great. All three venues have been great in accommodating us at such late notice as we had to switch cities in February this year and the hotel in particular have moved events around so we can be there for which we are really grateful!

At our last EG meeting we made the final plan for the event content and have a really strong programme lined up. We are doing our best not to run sessions against each other as you told us after this year, that with so many sessions clashing and your need to network, made enjoying the content more difficult. Along with the team at RelocationOnline we are building the Zagreb resource section of the App so if you have time to take just a couple of hours to explore

the city, you won’t regret it. The Sheraton is a ten minute walk to the heart of the neo-classical Lower Town and 20 minutes to the beautiful Upper Town.

We also had our annual EGQS+ review with Martina Scharwey and there are not many big changes for 2025. I will be writing to all members who don’t have the Seal with a short questionnaire asking what we can do to help those who would like to undergo the process but who have limited time and internal resources to go forward. We will be running an Invitation Only reception for Premium Members in Zagreb to which we will also be inviting our RMC colleagues. If you are thinking of becoming a Premium Member and undertaking the Seal, start planning now so you can take advantage of the early bookings for our 2026 conference which is being held in a really fantastic place! You can read what members told us about this process on Page 7.

I have also recently taken part in three of our Coalition Members’ conferences and as always it was great to see what they are all doing to support their members in what is a challenging economic climate. We will be taking a couple of the initiatives in place by the International Association of Movers and Fidi and hoping to adapt them for the benefit of EuRA members, in particular a dispute resolution process for non payment of fees between members.

Our annual US reception at the terrific Rosa Mexicana restaurant in National Harbour was a great success, with everyone really enjoying some great Mexican food and a Margarita or two. Thanks so much to our sponsors CORT, PremierDS and Relolink for their support without which we would not

be able to run an event this fun at this cost!

I’d also like to thank our loyal and generous Zagreb Sponsors. Again without their support we would have to charge much higher fees to members attending.

Over the past four years we have been completing an overarching review of everything EuRA does and as that approaches its end, we have a clearer idea of the strategic objectives that we wish to achieve over the next ten years. I will be retiring at the end of 2028 and we have been working on a robust succession plan to ensure the smooth continuity of the leadership of your association. It’s in good hands.

I’m really pleased to see the continued collaboration and support of the six members of the Coalition for Greener Mobility and delighted to announce that we are forming an overarching, not for profit collaborative association legal entity to help ensure the smooth delivery of future collaborative projects, not just on sustainability. We all really believe that together we can strengthen the value offering of our associations to our diverse memberships. This means that we will continue with our monthly online meetings and physical ones where we can at each others’ events to start working on new joint initiatives some of which I will outline at the Zagreb Conference. Until then and the next edition of the EuRApean, stay well and safe and very best wishes for 2025.

Letter from our President and Vice President

As we reflect on the year gone by, it is clear that the Global Mobility Industry has continued to show resilience and the ability to evolve to the ever-changing needs of businesses and individuals. 2024 has seen remarkable growth in innovation, flexibility, and sustainability, with organizations embracing new technologies, adapting to hybrid work environments, and enhancing employee experiences across borders. At the heart of this success is the collaboration and dedication of the professionals who drive this dynamic sector forward. We are proud

Sophie Rehberg - Managing Director Professional Organizing Relocation Consult Simon Robins - Business Development Director TTH Curzon

to be part of a community that not only fosters global talent mobility but also champions diversity and inclusion, helping people and organizations navigate the complexities of relocation with confidence and ease.

Looking ahead to 2025, we are filled with optimism for what the future holds for our industry. EuRA remains a key pillar in the success of the global mobility landscape, providing invaluable insights, resources, and a platform for collaboration. As the landscape continues to evolve, our commitment to supporting its members, promoting best practices, and influencing positive change in policy will be critical in shaping a thriving future for all of us. We extend our heartfelt thanks to every member, partner, and professional who has contributed to the strength and resilience of our community, and we look forward to another year of growth, innovation, and success together. Here's to an exciting 2025!

EuRA Global Quality Seal+

Newly Certiﬁed and Re-certiﬁed Members

Congratulations to our newly certified and re-certified EuRA Global Quality Seal Members

Newly Certiﬁed

Finland Relocation – Dec-24

Grospiron Mobility Solutions – Dec-24

CSE Executive Relocations France –Dec-24

Expat Management Group - Apr-24

Training and Mentoring

There is a full module in the EuRA Academy

Free to all members. This module of ﬁve 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. Following these three (free to EuRA Members) modules will simplify the process, led by a true expert in quality management.

When we asked members earlier this year, 65% said they wanted to undertake the process but 70% said the main barrier to undergoing certiﬁcation was lack of internal resources and time. We have just

Newly Recertiﬁed

Finland Relocation - Dec-24

Rilvan Moving and Relocations - Oct-24

Bedel Mobility Solutions - Aug-24

EO Mobility - Jul-24

Nestlers Group - Jun-24

Anywr Netherlands - Jun-24

Copenhagen Relocations - Jun-24

Relocation Belgium - Jun-24

implemented a Mentoring programme to help members get started and stay on track. In 2025 we will be developing live clinics with certiﬁed members and our SC Martina Scharwey as well as peer to peer help on LinkedIn. If you haver an idea that would help you to get started please let us know, we want to give members as much assistance as possible to join the ranks of our Premium Members.

To access the full training module, click here.

To learn more about becoming a Premium Member and our Mentoring programme, click here.

EuRA Global Quality Seal+ Review 2024

What Holders Have Told Us

At our final Executive Group meeting of the year, we also held the annual review of the EuRA Global Quality Seal+. As part of the review, each year Martina Scharwey, our Strategic Consultant for Quality, contacts every EGQS+ certified member to get feedback on their audit process and the implementation of the previous year’s update.

We had some really excellent feedback from certified members and as a result there are very few changes to the Quality Standard for 2025.

The overall audit process for the Seal received a score of 4.8 out of 5. The overall score for the Seal was 60% excellent and 20% above average and the benefit of being a Seal holder scored 91% excellent or above average which represents an average of 4.6 out of 5 over the past three years.

These were some of the comments; We asked; “Do you have any ideas for improvement?”

“No actually because it was very thorough and well planned” Bedel Mobility Solutions

“We’ve had the EGQS Certification since 2014, so we look for new, fresh ideas and ways to continually move the needle upward to higher quality” IOR Global Services

“I would like to include a mandatory EcoVadis or other similar seal” Relocation Belgium

This is a very good point and although this year we have added a recommendation for a sustainability certificate, we haven’t made it a mandatory part of the process at this stage. However Tad has been very successful in getting EcoVadis to

recognise the EGQS+ as an industry standard in their process.

In answer to the questions on the value of sustainability measures within the Seal members told us;

“You can’t recycle the planet so reuse!” EO Mobility Consultancy

“As a company owner, we just have that responsibility to add sustainability to our agenda, however we need to approach it with common sense” Relocation Belgium

We asked; “What feedback would you give based on your experience of the audit process?”

“We are very positive about the audit process as it is straightforward and we always feel well supported from the EuRA Office and the auditor” Donath Relocation

“Rob Burns and I always benefit from the auditors suggestions and recommendations for internal improvement” IOR Global Services

“A clear timeline of what is expected from whom would be useful” Anyway Netherlands

Great feedback and Maree Barnes our EGQS+ Coordinator is developing that for release in Q1.

We asked; “What are the benefits and added value of being EGQS+ Certified?”

“It helps our company to improve processes, to grow with challenges and be able to verify to our clients and customers that we have high quality standards when delivering our services” Donath Relocation

“Client credibility when participating in RFPs and ensuring our internal processes and service delivery are sound, high quality, ethical and driven towards continual

improvement and efficiency” IOR Global Services

“It makes us a reference in the industry and a trusted partner and DSP for clients” EO Mobility Consultancy

“I’m extremely happy that EuRA made a difference and created the Premium Members! I had a direct client who only invited the EGQS+ holders for an RFP. (We won…)” Relocation Belgium

So if you would like to join the ranks of members who really benefit from the EGQS+, we are aiming to introduce more support to help you get started in 2025. Don’t forget our two brilliant mentors, Åse Löfgren Gunsten and Michéle Bramstoft who are available at no charge to help you get started, set milestones with you and guide you through the process. You can get full details here.

You will also become a Premium Member. This brings some significant advantages such as early access to event bookings, a discounted conference rate and next year we will phasing in free to access MIM+ training for Premium Members.

So if you need any help to get started you can contact Maree Barnes who will give you everything you need.

Dom Tidey EuRA COO

USA Reception Picture Gallery

Thank you to the 200+ members and friends who joined us in national Harbour

All Things Legal ……….December 2024Gordon Kerr

Gordon Kerr

EuRA Strategic Consultant Legal gordonkerr@gklegal.co.uk

Here’s a snapshot of the legal updates in this edition:

• Huge GDPR ﬁnes for Uber and LinkedIn: should relocation companies be worried?

• Don’t forget your colleague’s leaving card!

• EU Entry/Exit system delayed again –will the UK get there ﬁrst?

• The dangers of home-working and conﬁdentiality

• How to ﬁnd out about EU and UK sanctions

• Protecting my whisky!

If there is a particular legal topic that you would like me to cover in a future edition of The EuRApean, please let me know.

Huge GDPR ﬁnes for LinkedIn and Uber

– should relocation companies be worried?

In the space of just a few weeks, two of Europe’s data protection authorities have imposed enormous GDPR fines on large corporations. Firstly, the Dutch DP authority announced that it was fining Uber 290 million euros for transferring personal data from Europe to its US headquarters “with no appropriate data safeguarding measures in place”. This was followed by the Irish DP Commission fining LinkedIn 310 million euros for the GDPR offence of “failing to obtain valid consent for processing personal data for behavioural analysis and targeted advertising”.

These enormous ﬁnes, while based on the large turnovers of the offending corporations, illustrate the importance of GDPR compliance for organisations of all sizes. Leaving aside these particular cases, it’s interesting to look at the particular aspects of GDPR noncompliance which are attracting most attention from data protection authorities. For example, over the last

12 months the UK’s DP authority, the ICO, issued just over twenty penalties:

• Most penalties related to unlawful direct marketing to customers. One example was a ﬁne of £112,000 imposed on Hello Fresh, the online meal and grocery delivery service, for sending out marketing messages without valid customer consents.

• A number of the penalties are against intermediary sales companies, who generate sales leads for other businesses. It’s not advisable to use such intermediaries without checking their GDPR compliance credentials.

• A common problem is failure to obtain customer consent which is sufficiently clear and specific. For example, consent to receive marketing emails will not usually be sufficient to cover marketing messages which are issued by text.

Being a victim of a cyber-attack alone is unlikely to result in prosecution unless there has also been a failure to implement reasonable security measures. For example, the DP authority will consider if the victim of a phishing attack should have deployed multi-factor authentication. Other common themes from recent case reports are:

• Poor staff training (particularly relating to phishing);

• No penetration testing;

• Failure to monitor suppliers; and

• Inadequate back-up systems.

Taking into account this latest data on GDPR prosecutions, I recommend that relocation businesses should have a particular focus on:

• While cyber-security remains a major issue, the ICO has generally issued reprimands rather than fines. Even where a fine is issued, these will often be fairly modest amounts. For example, the YMCA accidentally added recipients of an email to the CC line rather than the BCC line and received a fine of only £7,500.

Next to inadvertent disclosures, such as the YMCA case, the most common cyber security issue is a hacker attack.

•Ensuring that you have valid consents in place before issuing any form of marketing communications to individuals;

• Carrying out staff training around phishing;

• Considering the implementation of multi-factor authentication.

The term “proportionate measures” is important here. The levels of security required for GDPR compliance purposes should take account of the real-world risks faced by your business. This means that a single-location DSP is not expected to implement the same

package of security measures as a global RMC.

Don’t forget your colleague’s leaving card!

It’s fair to say that Karen Conaghan was very disgruntled. She had just been made redundant by IAG, one of the world’s biggest airline companies and the parent company of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia. So, she decided to claim compensation from IAG on the fairly unique ground that she had not been given a leaving card!

Karen claimed that her former employer’s actions amounted to sexual harassment and victimisation against her. She told the court that not being given a leaving card amounted to colleagues refusing to acknowledge her “existence within the company” and constituted harassment.

For their part, her managers at IAG explained that they had bought a card but only three people signed it. They feared it would be insulting to present Karen with a card with so few signatures.

The court dismissed the claim. It turned out that, in the turmoil of multiple

redundancies, two male employees of IAG had also not received leaving cards. The judge concluded that Karen had exhibited a “conspiracy theory mentality” regarding incidents that were “simple, normal workplace interactions”.

The giving of cards in the workplace, or not giving them, is becoming fraught with legal dangers. Karen’s claim comes about a year after another judge ruled that sending an employee an unwanted birthday card could amount to “unwanted conduct” and harassment. Nobody ever said that running a business was easy!

EU Entry/Exit system delayed again –will the UK get there ﬁrst?

The EU has announced another delay in the rollout of strict new border controls amid fears of chaos at airports and ports due to untested technology. The new Entry/Exit System (EES) was due to launch on November 10 but this has been delayed yet again.

Under the new system, all passengers without EU passports are required to

have their ﬁngerprints registered and their pictures taken. These will be captured on ﬁrst entry into the Schengen zone and then checked at every subsequent entry and exit. The European Commission is now looking at an “ultra-soft launch” on a date later this year or in 2025.

Meanwhile, the UK has announced the launch of its own digitised border and immigration system. The Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme (“ETA”) is being rolled out between now and April 2025, after which time all travellers to the UK will need some form of advance permission, either via a visa or ETA. The new system will apply to EU visitors to the UK (except from Ireland) from 2nd April 2025.

With the US ESTA and the EU scheme, ETIAS, coming soon, travel authorisation schemes are clearly here to stay.

The

dangers of home-working and conﬁdentiality

Earlier this year, a BP employee in the United States was dismissed and her husband was charged with insider trading after he overheard and misused

confidential information about BP’s proposed acquisition of an American company when the couple were both working from home. The employee’s husband purchased 46,450 shares before the deal was made public and made an illegal profit of $1.76m once the share price rose after the acquisition. BP were unable to find evidence that the employee had knowingly leaked the information to her husband. However, she was still dismissed from the company.

The case is a reminder of the conﬁdentiality risks that can arise when employees work remotely. So, what are the practical steps that businesses can take to protect their conﬁdential information in this era of homeworking?

Here are four recommendations:

1. Employment Contract

An employment contract should set out clear confidentiality obligations to the company and the use of confidential information. There should be clarity around exactly what constitutes confidential information and the continuing obligations of confidentiality to the company, even after the termination of their employment.

2. “Work From Home” Policies

Employers can impose reasonable conditions on their remote employees in order to protect conﬁdential information. It is not unreasonable to require employees to read and sign the policies containing these conditions

before they are permitted to work from home.

3. Provision of Equipment

Employers can impose rules on the way that company equipment is used while home working. For example: requiring privacy screens to be enabled on company laptops; headphones to be used during meetings; and for all access to the company’s systems to go via a VPN. Restrictions should be placed on working while on public transport or in the presence of family members.

Employers may choose to install software on company laptops to reduce data breaches which can occur if company property is misplaced.

4. Training

All employees handling personal data or conﬁdential information should be provided with regular training. These sessions should have a particular focus on how data breaches can commonly occur, both accidentally and from deliberate actions such as phishing attacks.

How to ﬁnd out about EU and UK sanctions

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and the sanctions against Russia which followed – EuRA and its members had to terminate their promotion of services in that country. The publicity given to these particular sanctions highlights the wider importance of having access to sanctions information.

Over the last 30 years, the volume of EU sanctions has more than tripled. The EU currently has 46 sanctions regimes; some derive from the UN Security Council; some are UN-EU mixed and others are autonomous EU sanctions. Some target a particular country, while others are “thematic” (e.g. cyber-crime, terrorism etc). Member states have responsibility for implementation of sanctions, but the European Commission monitors enforcement.

The EU Commission provides the following sanctions information sources:

• General introduction to EU sanctions (including a Russia section with an overview of the restrictive measures adopted): https:// ﬁnance.ec.europa.eu/eu-and-world/ sanctions-restrictive-measures/ overview-sanctions-and-relatedresources_en.

• EU sanctions map covering all EU sanctions regimes and measures currently in place, with expiry dates, and links to the relevant EU legislation and guidance

to UN resolutions: https:// www.sanctionsmap.eu/#/main.

• Consolidated list of all persons subject to restrictive ﬁnancial measures. https://data.europa.eu/ data/datasets/consolidated-list-ofpersons-groups-and-entities-subjectto-eu-ﬁnancial-sanctions?locale=en

For guidance on UK sanctions, the relevant website is: https:// www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-sanctions.

Protecting my whisky!

The Edinburgh-based, Scotch Whisky Association, is celebrating its success in a Texas court after it reached a settlement against an alcohol-free drinks brand for its use of a “Scottish whisky” label . The case is the latest example of the Scottish trade body’s efforts to protect whisky’s “cultural integrity”. The offending product, produced by an American company, called Arkay Beverages, contained ingredients not permitted in traditional Scotch, such as xanthan gum and potassium sorbate, and, crucially, is distilled in Mexico!

I hope that this puts out a strong message to anyone who may be thinking about interfering with my favourite tipple! Cheers!!

If you need advice on these or any other legal issues affecting your business, please feel free to contact me.

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.

Upcoming Mobility Events

CHPA Connect 25, San Diego February 16-19

2025 FIDI Conference, Dubrovnik April 27 - 30

International Relocation Congress, Zagreb 5-8 May

Regional Summit, Singapore 27-28 May

CERC 2025 Annual Conference, Calgary 14-16 September

Asia Talent Alliance Mobility Conference, Singapore 24-25 September

IAM 63rd Annual Meeting & Expo, New York 24-27 October

Global Workforce Symposium, Salt Lake City 28-31 October

ARP Conference & Awards Gala, Southampton 20 November

ARP Christmas Lunch, London 5 December

Feature: Dom Tidey & Chat GPT

“Toolkit for Recognition for DSP’s - A Chat GPT Case Study”

Chat GPT has come along way and using it for marketing is something more and more EuRA Members are doing. Here’s an example of how this can work. This article was written using ChatGPT V4.

We all know the huge advantages of using professional relocation services but how do we get that message across to the prospective clients and the wider world? I asked ChatGPT the following question;

“What are the biggest advantages of using professional relocators when moving overseas?”

ChatGPT said:

Using professional relocators for an overseas move offers several key advantages:

1. Expert Handling of Logistics

• Customs and regulations: Professional relocators are experienced in dealing with customs paperwork, import/export laws, and taxes, which can vary greatly by country. They ensure all documentation is handled correctly to avoid delays or ﬁnes.

• Shipping coordination: They coordinate shipping methods—whether by air or sea—and ensure your belongings are packed, labeled, and shipped efﬁciently.

• Navigating international logistics: Relocators manage complex international logistics, including timing the shipment of your goods to meet arrival deadlines.

2. Safe and Secure Packing

• Professional packing services: They use the best packing materials and techniques, especially for fragile or valuable items,

ensuring your belongings are protected for long-distance travel.

• Insurance: Relocators typically offer insurance coverage, giving peace of mind in case of damage or loss during transit.

3. Stress Reduction

• End-to-end service: They often offer door-todoor service, managing everything from packing, shipping, customs clearance, to delivery at your new home, allowing you to focus on other aspects of the move.

• Problem-solving: If issues arise, such as delayed shipments or damage, professionals have experience in troubleshooting and resolving these problems.

4. Cost Efﬁciency and Time Savings

• Avoid costly mistakes: While professional services come with a fee, they can help avoid expensive mistakes (such as improper paperwork, incorrect customs declarations, or delays) that can cost more in the long run.

• Time management: Managing an overseas move is time-consuming, and professionals streamline the process, freeing up time for you to focus on other important aspects like your family or work.

5. Expertise in Cultural and Local Nuances

• Knowledge of local conditions: They are often familiar with the speciﬁcs of different countries (e.g., local moving regulations, road conditions, or regional holidays that might affect delivery).

• Settling-in services: Some companies offer additional services like helping with housing searches, utilities setup, and even acclimatization to local culture and language.

6. Access to Resources and Networks

• Global partnerships: Professional movers often have established networks and partnerships worldwide, ensuring a smoother

and more reliable experience from the origin to the destination.

• Specialized moving equipment: They have access to specialized tools and equipment for moving heavy or oddly shaped items, including vehicles, pets, or antiques.

7. Compliance with Environmental Standards

• Environmentally friendly practices: Many professional relocators now offer eco-friendly moving options, from using sustainable packing materials to optimizing shipping routes to reduce carbon emissions. Overall, using professional relocators helps mitigate the challenges and risks associated with international moves, offering a more streamlined, stress-free experience.

I then asked;

“Please add in the usefulness of home search and school search”

ChatGPT said:

Certainly! Here's how home search and school search services offered by professional relocators enhance the overseas moving experience:

8. Home Search Assistance

• Local market knowledge: Relocators often provide home search services, helping you ﬁnd suitable housing in your new country. They are familiar with local neighborhoods, rental or buying procedures, and market trends, ensuring you ﬁnd the best home based on your preferences and budget.

• Legal and paperwork assistance: Many countries have complex rental agreements, property laws, or housing regulations. Professional relocators assist with the paperwork, contracts, and legalities involved in securing a home, reducing the risk of misunderstanding or fraud.

• Temporary housing solutions: If your permanent home is not immediately available, they can also assist in arranging temporary accommodation, such as serviced apartments, ensuring you have a place to stay upon arrival.

9. School Search and Education Support

• Customized school recommendations: Professional relocators often offer school search services, which are particularly valuable for families with children. They can help identify the best schools—whether public, private, or international—based on your children’s needs, curriculum preferences, and proximity to your new home.

• Assistance with applications and enrolment: Navigating foreign education systems can be overwhelming. Relocators provide support with school applications, understanding admission requirements, and even securing school tours or interviews, ensuring a smoother transition for your children.

• Cultural and educational adjustment: They often provide insights into the educational culture of your new country, helping both parents and children adapt to different teaching styles, language barriers, or extracurricular options.

10. Comprehensive Relocation Package

• Family-focused services: These additional services (home and school search) can be bundled into a comprehensive relocation package, ensuring not only your belongings but also your family is well-settled in your new environment.

• Reduced stress for families: These services are particularly useful for families, as they take much of the stress out of ﬁnding a suitable home and securing good schooling, which are major concerns when moving overseas. By offering home search and school search, professional relocators go beyond merely transporting belongings. They assist with key aspects of settling into a new country, ensuring a smoother, more efﬁcient transition for the entire family.

This was created using ChatGPT 4, a subscription services costing $20 per month. This literally took 30 seconds. It is an extraordinary resource and is so simple to use. However one big caveat is that any data entered forms part of ChatGPT’s learning and is therefore no longer private. Any data that is GDPR sensitive should not be uploaded to ChatGPT. However there are other versions of similar AI’s that you can purchase a speciﬁc private licence for such as Gemini, the Google version.

MIM Update!

We are currently working with our fantastic website designers on a new site and CRM, but they are also doing so much more!

Over the coming months they will be doing a full review of EuRA brand consistency and this gives us the perfect opportunity to redesign the MIM Fixed Syllabus Programme. We will be updating the four Modules and Carmelina our Consultant for Education will be reviewing what topics will be covered in the foundation programme as well as what we will be concentrating on in MIM+. She will also be reviewing the Coaching Approaches in Mobility programme

Coming Soon

Working in the Supply Chain is in development and will tie in with our Supply Chain workshop in Zagreb and will go live in advance of the Conference.

We will also be looking at developing training to help members use our Carbon Calculator which we hope to launch with the Coalition for Greener Mobility Partners later this year.

Licensing

As you’re no doubt aware, access to the MIM modules has so far been free to all EuRA Members with a charge only being levied if you’d like to get your credits as a result of passing the Module’s quiz.

From last year, we have been charging a nominal amount to access the Modules themselves. Access to each module now costs €50. Access to the quiz also costs €50 so each module will cost a total of €100 to qualify.

However we are developing a licence scheme for members to access the Academy which will reduce those costs, so if you have several team members that you would like to put through the programme, please just contact us and we can work out a year long licence at a discounted rate. Full details to follow

So if you are planning to put your team through MIM and or MIM+ and CAM Certiﬁcations, contact us so we can create a licence for you to enable your teams to participate at lower costs.

The Sustainability in Mobility Module has been free during Q4 in the Academy and we have had great feedback.

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.

The topic remains at the fore of what we’re doing with the Coalition for Greener Mobility which you can read about later in this issue.

Johannes de Kam who developed a series of webinar training sessions for us earlier in the year has also transferred this into an Academy Module which will go live in Q1 as “Sustainability; A Company Wide Approach” and this will be free to all members for the ﬁrst six weeks after launch so keep an eye on your bulletins.

Martina Scharwey our Consultant for Quality has updated the “Introduction to the EuRA Global Quality Seal” which is 100% free for all members to certify and gain 50 credits towards MIM and MIM+ certiﬁcation.

There is free access to the terriﬁc module “Achieving Business Growth” until mid January and the coupon codes to access it are on the website. Don’t forget to log in to get access to that members only page.

All the amazing content in the Academy is accessible for just €50 for modules and €50 for Quizzes. Non-members pay €250 to access a Module and a Quiz.

Our current MIM+ Programme consists of:

• Legal Compliance in Mobility

• Achieving Business Growth

• You are Your Brand

• Collaboration in the Next Normal

• Coaching Approaches in Mobility, four modules

• Sustainability in Mobility

• Sustainability; A Company Wide Approach

• Introduction to the EGQS

• Anti-Money Laundering

• Duty of Care

Coming soon are two new modules;

• Sustainability; A Company Wide Approach

• Working in the Supply Chain

The Maddalena Michieli Scholarship Fund

In Seville we launched the Maddalena Michieli Scholarship Fund to help individuals to join the industry. Throughout her professional life Maddalena placed a great emphasis on the enabling her teams through training and we are delighted that we have had ﬁve people successfully graduate from the Academy thanks to the programme.

Don’t forget you can mix and match modules to suit your learning needs and gain your credits to get your qualiﬁcations.

Below are downloadable guides with everything you need to know;

• Guide to Qualifying with EuRA

• Routes to Qualifying Explained

Feature: Dornet G. Venturanza MIM Fellow

“Working with Mobility Network Partners ”

Dornet Venturanza Founder and CEO Annexus International based in Manila successfully graduated as a MIM Fellow, and this is her Case Study on the importance and impact of working with partners across the world.

Introduction

Founded in 1987, Annexus International Relocation Service Inc. was established with the mission of simplifying the complex process of enabling foreigners to do business in the Philippines. The company quickly built a reputation for its comprehensive and personalized services, which help expatriates navigate their way through the intricacies of relocating to the Philippines with their families. From the outset, Annexus has focused on building a robust network of local partners Annexus operates with a streamlined organizational structure that maximizes efﬁciency and client satisfaction. At its core is a dedicated team of relocation and immigration specialists, each possessing deep expertise in various facets of international mobility. This ﬂexible and adaptive structure allows Annexus to respond swiftly to the unique needs of each client. As the Founder and CEO of Annexus, I have been instrumental in shaping the company’s direction and driving its growth. My responsibilities include overseeing the development and implementation of our strategic vision, managing key partnerships, and ensuring that our services consistently meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. Since the company’s inception, I have been deeply involved in every aspect of its operations, from business development to client relations. Over the years, my role has evolved from operational management to strategic leadership and innovation, ensuring that Annexus continues to adapt to the everchanging global mobility landscape and

remains a trusted partner in international relocation. Initially focused on building a strong network of local partners, Annexus signiﬁcantly expanded its reach by joining the Global Relocation Partnership (GRP) Network of independent international relocation companies. This allowed the company to offer a wide range of services, including end-to-end solutions for living and working in new locations. The strategic partnerships that Annexus has developed further enhance this ﬂexibility, enabling the company to deliver seamless services in the Philippines

Executive Summary

This case study examines the collaborative efforts between Annexus International Relocation Service Inc. and its mobility network partners, highlighting the synergies created and the resultant beneﬁts for clients. By analyzing these partnerships, the case study aims to showcase how strategic alliances enhance service delivery, operational efﬁciency, and client satisfaction in the realm of international mobility.

EuRA’s YouTube Channel

#eurabrieﬁng #eurapresents

We’re running EuRA Briefings each quarter and they’re really popular! They’re available for members to join and only to members On Demand for the first month before being made public on our YouTube channel. You can also find all of our conference sessions on the channel so take a look!

EuRA Brieﬁngs & Interviews - All on our YouTube Channel

• MIM Duty of Care Interviews

• MIM Managing International Assignments Interviews

• The Coalition for Greener Mobility Update

• EGQS Update 2024

• Well Being and Mobility Brieﬁng

• Being Intentional with your DEI Policy

• Corporate Housing Catch Up Brieﬁng

• All the Vilamoura Conference Content

And coming up:

• Zagreb Brieﬁng

• Legal and Contracts Brieﬁng

You can watch them all on our YouTube Channel Please subscribe to the channel and helps us grow awareness of our industry online!

EuRA’s Social Media 2024

#eurabrieﬁngs #euraintercultural #euramimtraining #eurazagreb

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 “Ofﬁcial EuRA Members Group” our “Legal Peer to Peer Sharing” Group and an “EGQS” Group. We post links to all our brieﬁngs and interviews on LinkedIn, the EuRA Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram.

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

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.facebook.com/eurarelocation

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

The EuRA E-Book!

We are working hard to get Relocation Recognition and one way of doing this along with our YouTube Brieﬁngs 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 like to see in print, just let us know!

We’ll be running podcast interviews in Zagreb which we will transcribe into the book so if you have a story to tell come and ﬁnd Dom Tidey or make an appointment in advance - dominic@eura-relocation.com

Member Changes July to December

Welcome to Our New Members

Aimbridge Hospitality EMEA

ExpatFeliu

GloboPrime Documents Clearing Services

Urban Chic Serviced Apartments

Oberhammer Rechtsanwälte GmbH

Audrey Caroline Chesneau, Madrid Expat Services

ABDH Advisory Ltd

Stellar Coporate Housing

United Corporate Housing

Hallesche Krankenversicherung

The Residences Boardinghouse

City Break Apartments

Dublin Moves Made Easy

SAE Relocation

Victor Ek Moving

Hollahop

Euromove

Aces Relocation

Soﬁme Relocation

Global LT

OrbiRelo

HUSSEIN | Immigration . Tax. Relocation

LivinLocal Furnished Apartments

Expat Management Group

Pinewood Relocations

Axiom Hospitality

Absolute Immigration

ipartment

Celerem Logistics Relocations

AinB Apartments

SMARTments business Betriebsgesellschaft

GmbH

K-One Relocation

Företagsbostäder Sverige

Asia Relocation PH

The RFP House

Adina Apartment Hotels Europe

Asian Mobility Services

Expat Support

Quest Relocation Group

Local Home

MBW Energy Support Services

Century 21 Real Estate

Members Who Have Left

PABS Résidences + Appartements AG

Skyside International

Expat Gh Relocation Services

Carbray International

Niofar Executive Relocation

RentinBA

Michele Bar-Pereg & Associates (formerly Tzuza)

Soyer International

Frey & Klein intern. Spedition GmbH

Henk International GmbH

The Apartment Network

Sununu Muscat

White & Co

Feature: Aces Relocation

“Mobility in Turkiye”

Introduction

By Ercan Eser

This paper describes general issues in the mobility sector with a perspective of a Relocation Service Provider and then focuses on the mobility in Turkiye. It provides insight to the mobility sector in Turkiye. Based on the observations of Aces Relocation, it explains reasons of the mobility ﬂow in Turkiye and notes suggestions for a better understanding of the sector by collecting data, focusing on the customer types and ﬁnally the service fees.

Mobility

Globalization, inﬂuenced by the recent developments in technology and changes in policies of countries, has eased mobility of people, goods and information to a level. Many people, attracted by the opportunities available in countries with better economic and social conditions, have started to crave for a better life in other parts of the World. Corporates, on the other hand, have started to pursue the information technologies, new talents, new markets and many became “international”. The ease of travel and communication fueled the effects of globalization and the “mobility of everything” is now wide spread. In spite of the beneﬁts, the effects of globalization are complex and controversial. It is criticized for allegedly negative effects on economics inequality-, national security concerns, supply chain exploitations, increased corruption, destruction of core cultures and cultural homogenization.

Nonetheless, some countries adopted stricter regulations that limit the mobility of people and goods due to overflow of immigration. As a result, the mobility sector has become more complex and mobility solutions have become difficult to provide, clearly rejecting any risk of error in the process. This complexity forces Relocation Service Providers (RSPs) for international operational capabilities, absolute professionalism and partnerships in other parts of the world. Therefore, various international associations, such as Eura and WERC, announces specific rules and standard to ensure that member RSPs are tooled with the adequate knowledge, experience and professionalism, in compliance with the standards.

Turkiye Case

Turkiye, in presence of limited number of professional RSPs that comply with international quality standards, functions as a hub in the mobility of people and goods mainly due to its location. Many people intended to relocate to a new country see Turkiye as a resting point in their journey to other countries, especially to Europe, and others as their new home, permanently or temporarily. For Turks, on the other hand, Europe is a significant destination point because of the traditional work flow to Europe, presence of Turkish diaspora and economic and social benefits in the developed region. For example, there are 6.5 billion Turks at abroad and 5.5 of them

located in Europe. As a result, in and out, Turkiye witnesses high amount of mobility ﬂow.

Examining statistics indicates that 316.456 people relocated to Turkiye and almost 70 % of them were foreign nationals and the rest were returning expats in 20231. Compared to 2022, there was almost 40 % decrease in the number of people relocated to Turkiye.

Conversely, in 2023, the number of people relocating from Turkiye to somewhere else was 714.579, more than double of the incoming ﬂow. 40 % of them were Turkish citizens. The majority of those leaving Turkiye were young groups, aged less than 35, indicating the trend of young generation seeking new contracts/ lives at abroad.

Looking at the changes in the number of people relocated to/from Turkiye in years (Graphic 1), the number of people relocated from Turkiye to other countries in 2023 is very indicative. Based on the observations of Aces Relocation, it may be stated that, day by day, more people, especially young generation working at IT, Engineering and health sectors are seeking work opportunities at abroad and relocating to other countries. Thus, Turks that used to live in Europe but relocated to Turkiye in the last 10 years are also relocating to Europe as returning expats due to recent economic and social conditions in the country.

Interestingly, contrary to those returning to Europe, the number of Turkish expats in Europe that are returning back to Turkiye is becoming signiﬁcant. Even though statistics for 2024 by Turkish Statistical Institute is not available yet,

Aces Relocation, according to its customer data, observes an increase in the number of Turks returning to Turkiye in 2024. Most of them are those who relocated to Europe in the last 2 years but could not renew their contracts or had negative experiences such as social integration problems, therefore wanted to turn back as returning expats.

Future of Mobility in Turkiye

It is estimated that more people will relocate to Turkiye, especially from European countries due to economic value of Euro/Dollar against Turkish Lira. Europeans are increasingly buying houses in the west seaside of Turkiye and relocating to the country. Thus, in 2025, there is an expectation that Turkish Government will change its strict policy on residence and work permits towards a more lenient one. It is very likely that it will enable more people to obtain or renew their permits. On the other hand, according to employment programs of IT and Engineering companies in Europe, there will be an increase in the number of employments. It may be simply estimated that more people will move to Europe to obtain those work opportunities. Eventually, Turkiye will continue to be increasingly involved in the ﬂow.

Without understanding the underlying reasons of sectoral changes in the mobility, if not all, RSPs may not present robust solutions and may not be prepared for the future. It is clear that RSPs need to observe, collect and analyze changing trends to be able to provide the right service with an acceptable budget and to prepare themselves for the future needs of the customers, either corporates or individuals. To be equipped with the right data, there should be a mechanism to collect those data from all parties in details.

European statistics are collected at a broad perspective to enlighten these issues but with limited perspective that focuses on the “customers”, however the lack of country oriented data that is derived from the RSPs in the origin countries indicates a serious gap. In order to close the gap, A “Lego Designed Approach” at micro level should be adopted and data from all countries should be obtained and evaluated. International associations such as EuRA should take initiative for that end and support its members for data collection.

In spite of the fact that most people relocating experience anxiety on the limited support they receive from their employing companies-some receive very limited budget-, lump-sum up continues to be the main method of support, according to the observation of Aces Relocation, which is also consistent with recent studies. Corporates seem to continue to limit relocation costs of their personnel, if not for all them, and people relocating will continue to struggle with their limited budgets. As a result, RSPs are increasingly focusing on speciﬁc services for those who receive limited budgets. Recent quotation requests made to Aces Relocation by RSPs around the world, for example, indicates that RSPs are focusing on the moving services.

RSPs should understand the differences between corporate and individual customers better, explore ways to decrease the costs, revise service programs and fees accordingly, especially to attract more individual customers. For example, considering the increasing number of people relocating with limited budgets, RSPs may divide services into pieces, include customers into the process directly by handing over some of the services to their hands to decrease fees.

What RSPs present touches every moment of their customers’ lives as the mobility solutions, in the context of relocation, include not only movement of people but also of their families, pets, goods and personal effects, shortly of their whole lives.

Professionalism and cooperation among RSPs are the key but only at an affordable cost.

Ercan Eser IAM Trusted Moving Specialist

Relocation Specialist /

Certiﬁed

Residential Specialist

Feature: TIRA “TIRA Keeps Growing!”

TIRA Keeps Growing!

The International Relocation Associates (TIRA) is having another growth spurt! The allied network of independently owned relocation companies gains momentum to attract new members, enrich members, share best practices, identify trends, and create innovative solutions that impact the Future of Work.

Events

Brenda Levis, current Chair and President of NYC Navigator is committed to providing value and enrichment to members. TIRA hosts monthly member roundtables, several of which include corporate experts in their ﬁeld. Roundtable topics have included Sustainability Best Practices, WERC Review of Industry Hot Topics, Managing Remote Teams Successfully, Geopolitical Issues, and Cultural Sensitivity.

TIRA members do not miss an opportunity to spend time together! Brenda organized a breakfast gathering during the Worldwide ERC Global Symposium in Washington, DC. She graciously extended invitations to include valued RMCs and service partners. Breakfast was a highlight of the WERC’s Global Symposium. Brenda commented, “It was a tremendous pleasure to bring our members together and to observe their warm camaraderie. We appreciated the RMC's attendance and were proud to introduce our distinguished members."

Marketing

TIRA has increased its social media presence and added varied content. Features included member roundtable summaries, articles highlighting members’ thought leadership, and comments from members about what they value most about being a TIRA member. We also focused on members' diverse cultural heritage including photos of members’ children proudly returning to school. We are delighted that our marketing initiatives and very positive word of mouth have attracted new members.

Membership

We are thrilled to welcome our newest members!

• Israel Fruman at ORI, Global HR and Relocation Solutions in Israel.

• María Paz Cárdenas Herrera at ContactoChile in Chile.

• Gianluca D’Anna at Principal Relocation Company in Italy and Malta.

• Ann Kristen Winje at r2n - Relocate to Norway in Norway.

• Robert Brezosky at Quest Relocation Group in the United States.

The Board is conﬁdent these new members will make a valuable contribution to the association.

Operations

Brenda, TIRA Chair and President of NYC Navigator, and Deborah Loones, Vice Chair and Founder of Relocation Belgium are proud of their achievements thus far, including:

1. Streamlining the process of onboarding a new prospect.

2. Reviewing the new member auditing process and developing a more up-to-date version.

3. Doubling the number of member roundtables.

4. Establishing a Sustainability Committee.

5. Being proud of our new members, and believing they are a great ﬁt for TIRA.

Deborah commented, “I am proud of being part of this group! I enjoy sharing best practices and information, and I genuinely believe having this network adds value for our members and customers.”

Brenda concurred with Deborah saying, “It is an honor to be part of and currently lead this fantastic organization of best-in-class companies. I admire their commitment to excellence, agility, team spirit, and thirst for knowledge and growth.”

We extend our heartfelt and warmest wishes for a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!

Zagreb - A City Shrouded

Dom Tidey

Just as the world was going into lockdown, on the 20th March 2020, the largest earthquake in 140 years struck Zagreb.

If you’re joining us in the Croatian capital in May, you can’t fail to notice how many of the city’s historic buildings are shrouded in nets and covered in scaffolding and this is the reason. 72% of the buildings in the historical centre were damaged.

The quake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale and the epicentre was just 7 kilometres from the capital. As the quake occurred at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres, the effects of the city were ampliﬁed causing widespread damage to buildings. Thankfully the human cost was much reduced, probably mostly by the time of day and the fact that Croatia was in lockdown. Though this may have reduced the death toll, as the country was in the early stages of the pandemic, social distancing measures were heavily disrupted as people ﬂed damaged buildings and gathered outdoors in fear of aftershocks. Hospitals which were already under strain from the pandemic struggled to manage patients in damaged facilities.

One person died when a building collapsed and 27 people were injured. The historic centre was very badly damaged and many city landmarks had to be declared unsafe.

The cost of the damages will run into billions of Euros and is likely to take many more years.

The restoration of the city has been slow and there are many factors behind this. Many of the damaged buildings are Unesco world heritage sites and therefore very speciﬁc bureaucracy is in place to protect them during their restorations. Applications for the restoration works can take a very long time. The restoration of the Cathedral is a good example. Once the restorations began it became clear that the damage was far more extensive than originally feared and the two magniﬁcent spires have had to be completely removed to be rebuilt, in a process that will take years.

There are also funding issues and of course a lack of skilled construction workers with the expertise in this kind of restoration.

So as you wander about and see the many buildings shrouded in scaffolds, make a note to come back to this beautiful city when it has been restored to its pre 2020 glory.

Feature: The RFP House

“Three mistakes most organizations make in an executive summary”

We’ve all been there! Sitting down at our desks, or perhaps pacing about trying to ﬁgure out how to best put together a compelling executive summary for our next prospect. In the midst of this process, organizations tend to use previous executive summaries as templates, or perhaps use them for inspiration. And yet sometimes, they overlook some of the most basic points that really ought to either be at the forefront, or truthfully should have no place in an executive summary!

Here are three of the “worst offenders” in an executive summary:

1. A boring, uninspiring opening statement. Starting off with “thank you for giving ABC Company the opportunity to respond…” – it is better to thank your prospect when concluding the executive summary … instead, write a powerful and unique statement that catches the reader’s attention from the beginning, which ties into your organization’s value proposition.

2. Talking about your organization too much. This is a key mistake many organizations make, irrespective of industry or sector. If you write endlessly about how great your company is, it leaves less room to showcase your organization’s key differentiators, and demonstrating why your organization is the right choice over your competition. After all, that’s what you want to do, right? A better alternative is to focus on a call to action, in the form of a value-add or incentive to secure your prospect – this can be anything from a signing bonus, to complementary implementation or training, or something different that is unique to your organization.

3. Not understanding the client’s need, and failing to demonstrate why your solution is best. This, in my opinion, is the single most important thing you need to nail down. You want your prospect to be interested, impressed, and work with your organization in that you have the knowledge, resources,

By Olivia Bahrami

infrastructure, and scalability necessary to achieve their goals, from inception of your relationship to the end. If this isn’t front and centre of your executive summary, your prospect won’t be compelled nor excited to work with you.

The executive summary is typically the ﬁrst section an RFP evaluation team looks at as a summation of your entire proposal. Putting together an excellent executive summary is no joke – it needs to be well thought out, with engaged stakeholders, and a writer who can elevate it to new heights.

Written by: Olivia Bahrami, The RFP House

About: Founded by proposal expert and industry leader, Olivia Bahrami, CERC Relocation Specialist™, CERP™, The RFP House is the only woman-owned proposal management consultancy in global mobility, focused on supporting and empowering RMCs and service providers to win and retain more business through a strategic, organized, and compliant RFP process. Our mission is simple: empower clients to drive growth and retain more business by delivering clear, concise, and compelling proposals. What sets us apart is our deep global mobility industry knowledge and experience, 15+ years of proposal management expertise and leadership, commitment to high quality, and our ability to customize our solutions to help RMCs and service suppliers win more, and stress less.

Feature: Jon Harman

“Tending the Web”

As a result of being spoken so widely, the English language is open to influence. More So than most languages, English is fluid – adding a usage from a Los Angeles ghetto here and a word from Brazilian slang there. This ongoing linguistic evolution permits English to stay relevant in a world that can no longer be bothered to wait centuries to change itself, but rather prefers to be something new every decade. While many of these changes are for the benefit of the language, there is a recent trend of usage in the U.S. that I find problematic.

Verbifying, verbiﬁcation, or more formally, denominalization, all describe the practice of converting nouns into verbs. Verbing, another word for this practice, is autological. It is a word that is an example of itself. It deﬁnes itself. For a self-confessed word nerd like me, that's good fun. But it doesn’t mean that I approve of the practice.

A familiar example of verbing is the common practice of using the company name Google as a verb, as in, “Google it.” Perhaps, if the U.S. government persuades the courts to force Google to spin off Chrome as a part of their antitrust efforts, we will start to say “Chrome it” and English will have changed again. If not, generations from now, kids will ask their parents, “Why do they say ‘Google it’ when it’s called Chrome?” But I digress.

In a recent series of television advertisements, the restaurant chain Chipotle asked viewers, “How do you guac?” converting the condiment guacamole into the verb “guac” in order to ask, essentially, “How do you prefer to apply guacamole to your Chipotle bowl?” It goes without saying, but I can’t help myself. Ugh!

One usage that I find especially annoying, and which I hope is common only in the U.S, is the recent trend of converting the noun adult into the verb adulting. Adulting refers to performing tasks typically associated with being a grown up. Boring, routine behaviors such as loading the dishwasher or paying your bills on time are examples of adulting. The word is used either to bemoan the tedium that accompanies much of adult life, or to celebrate one’s maturity as in, “Look at me! I’m all grown up and sorting the laundry!” I find this usage childish, or, in the current parlance, an example of childing. We do not need the verb adulting. We’ve lived without it for ages. This pseudo-verb’s sudden appearance and continued usage speak to just how comfortable life has become in the affluent West. Loading the dishwasher is not something to bemoan, nor is it something to celebrate. It’s just something you do. It is the responsibilities of adulthood, even the minor ones, that give rise to its freedoms. Not ready for those responsibilities? Here’s your blankie, now go upstairs, it’s past your bedtime. Other than being annoying, using made up words such as guacing or adulting is likely harmless, and, hopefully, a passing fad. However, there is one example of verbing that predates the current trend, and it turns out that it is not so innocent. The word (or “word”) in question is “parenting.” This usage has been around long enough that most would consider it a verb well established in the English lexicon. Not so. Cursory research indicates that the word parenting is a 20th Century construction whose usage only took off in the 1970s. I would argue that the adoption of the poser-verb parenting into standard usage has had insidious and unintended consequences. It’s just a word, you might argue. The thing is, “just” is not a

suitable qualiﬁer for words. It sells words short by a long shot. Words are the building blocks that we use to conjure, deﬁne, and convey reality. As such, they do matter, and we would do well to choose them carefully.

Perhaps, drowning in them as we are, we have become inured to the power of words. But in a time before smartphones, or the internet, or even before books, when everything of value: religion, culture, family history, recipes and survival skills, was communicated in person using the spoken word, words might be seen to hold a power bordering on the magical. You could tell your daughter how to leaven bread using words that came from your mother, and from her mother, and from her mother, and from her mother, and from her mother. A legacy of preparing food and nurturing family members passed down over the ages by making the air vibrate in certain patterns. Knowledge spoken into existence and preserved for another generation. That is magic.

Sure, today we can learn about making bread in a book or a YouTube video, but the basic techniques at the heart of that practice were discovered, improved upon, and passed along using only the spoken word for centuries before they were ever written down. The words in the books on baking bread are the children of the origins, passed down from mother to daughter over the ages. Imagine if your grandmother’s recipe for chicken soup wasn’t scribbled onto a stained index card, but instead had been whispered in your ear. And, when the time is right, you will whisper that same story of soup making into your child’s ear and, together, you will conjure the soup of generations out of “just” words. No wonder John’s Gospel opens with, “In the beginning was the Word.”

Still not convinced? For the moment, and for the purposes of this article, I ask that you concede that words do matter. I, in turn, will do my best to convey how the verbing of parent has caused a ripple in our pond of shared meaning which, rather than dying out, has gained momentum, bringing along with it a series of unexpected and troubling implications. And then, if you will please

stay with me, I will relate this argument to the work that we do as service providers. Off we go.

The noun parent describes a relationship between two individuals. No parent, no child. No child, no parent. These two nouns exist only in the context of one another. Even when one of the individuals is absent (an absentee father, a child who has died too soon) the terms parent and child hold their meaning. Once a parent, always a parent to that child, even in absence. Once a child, always a child of that parent, even after that parent is long gone.

Verbing parent into parenting shifts the meaning of the word from that of relationship to that of action. Where the noun, parent, describes who one is to a child, the verb parenting describes what one does to a child. The difference between them is the difference between a relationship built on being with a child and series actions or behaviors that are done to a child.

Doing typically involves skill or technique. One thinks of making a souffle, hitting a forehand slice, or pruning a rose bush. And so, on the heels of the verbified construction parenting, arrives the notion of parenting skills. Note, that where most skills, riding a bike, bending a free kick, pairing a wine with a meal, are singular, parenting skills are plural. A coach, or a master chef, or a sommelier can teach us those singular skills. Who among us is qualified to do the same for parents and where would she possibly begin?

I believe that we speak of parenting skills in plural, at least in part, to gloss over the fact that we don’t really know what they are. If your forehand slice is weak, a good tennis coach can help you to ﬁx it. If your child is struggling with behaviour problems in school, does that mean that you need to work on your parenting skills? If so, which skill speciﬁcally? And who is going to

teach you? Fixing your slice is a speciﬁc problem with a speciﬁc solution. Being a parent, that’s a lot messier.

In a competitive culture like that of the United States, where our success as parents is often measured by the achievements of our children, it is easy to fall prey to the notion that parenting well depends upon the acquisition and application of this anomalous set of skills. How can you tell if a parent is skilled? That’s easy. Does his child say “please” and “thank you” without being reminded? Does the child look you in the eye when she shakes your hand? Do his teachers approve of him? Does she keep her room tidy without being reminded? What grades does the child get? What university does the child go to? What job did he get after college? There is a long list of behaviours a child may or may not exhibit which help us to extrapolate the level of skill of a particular parent. In short, the thinking goes that if you need to know how skilled the parent is, just judge the child. Verbifying parent as parenting gives rise to the idea of parenting skills, which, in turn, gives rise to an army of experts ready to teach them. You’ve probably heard that old lament, “There’s no manual for being a parent.” True, there is not just one manual for parenting. There are thousands. Tens of thousands, likely. 75,000 books on parenting were published in the last ﬁve years according to one source on Google, and while I have no way of verifying this number, the fact that even a part of me thinks it might be accurate serves to make my point: there are far too many such books. Apparently, reading one or two of them will not sufﬁce. Lists of “best”, or “most essential”, or “can’t miss” parenting books found online range from three books to 25 books. Of course, some of them are considered “must read” books. Woe be to the child of the parents who miss a “must read.”

The problem is that it is crushingly difﬁcult to be present in the way that a growing child requires if your relationship to that child is undergirded by a general sense that you are not good at this parenting thing and that you need to know more if you are going to do it properly. The lady down

the street is certainly better at parenting than you, just look at her kids!

The only certain achievement of the parenting experts and all their books and workshops and podcasts and TV talk show interviews is the prominent role they have collectively played in fostering a generation, or even a few generations, of parents who are anxious and distrustful of themselves as parents. Is your son refusing to do his homework? What is the right technique to get him started? Your daughter wants to quit ballet? Before you have a conversation with her about the decision, run upstairs and refer to the sections you underlined in that book on the importance of grit so you know how to respond properly.

Making parent a verb changes everything. Suddenly who you are matters much less and what you do matters much more. You need to be sure to do the right thing, the right way. And, as a result, an opportunity for authentic connection – a discussion about how your child feels about ballet class, for example – becomes a fraught interaction which, if handled without the appropriate level of skill, may well have far reaching implications. She could have been a doctor, but she quit ballet at nine.

While the general consensus seems to be that we should lay the blame for the epidemic of anxiety amongst our youth at the feet of smartphones and social media, we may want to consider the role of the parenting experts and the lack of certainty they have helped to foster in parents as potential culprits. How are we to know anything with so many experts ready to tell us what to think and do? How are children to feel secure in a world of insecure parents?

All this struggle because we turned a noun into a verb. In the beginning of the age of the anxious parent there was the word, and the word was, parenting.

I hope you will forgive my rant on “parenting”. It may seem to be out of place in a business publication. I am 17 years into my experience of being a parent, so this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. And, in fact, it is not as

unrelated to our work as service providers as it might seem.

More and more I encounter the verbiﬁcation of the noun service as “servicing.” Unlike parenting, servicing is not a recent construction. It has been a verb, on its own, for quite some time. The verb servicing refers either to tasks performed for the maintenance of a piece of machinery, or to tasks performed by a prostitute on behalf of a client, neither of which, I am conﬁdent you will agree, are remotely related to the work we do in global mobility.

As we have seen, verbifying parent altered our perspective in a way that changed our behavior for the worse. The verbiﬁcation of service portends similar issues, so let’s stop doing it. When we speak of servicing clients, we transform those clients from people with whom we are in relationship into objects to be serviced. Words are magical that way. Just as with “parenting” this version of verbiﬁcation results in a shift of mindset from “being with” to “doing to.” The one is relational. The other is transactional. This distinction points to why “servicing” is the proper terminology for the work of a prostitute, whose industry converts the ultimate relational activity into a mere transaction.

A business is a web of relationships. Want to know how strong your business is? Ask yourself how strong is your web? How strong are the relationships? Not a business owner? Your career is a web in just the same way, and It is only for you to build it and tend to it.

When we choose to define our role as being in relationship with clients (or colleagues or employees) then we are more likely to remain relational, even in the most difficult of times. Doing so strengthens the web. Always. Save your skills for your forehand slice, or your cake baking, or your oil painting. The only thing to do in a relationship is to be yourself and there is no coach for that. Again we find ourselves considering the distinction between being versus doing. You can’t “do” a relationship. You can only “be” in it. And if you aren’t yourself in

your interactions with your clients, then who are you? Really?

Since the health of your relationships depends upon your ability to be authentically yourself, then it follows that in order for your relationship with your client (or your partner or your colleague or your child) to improve, you will need to improve yourself. In the equation you + client = relationship, there is only one variable over which you have any meaningful inﬂuence. Want to strengthen the web? It starts and ends with you. Would you want it any other way?

Approaching business as a web of relationships, as opposed to a series of tasks to be completed or actions to be taken, makes it more meaningful, rewarding, and productive. If our efforts are not in the service of understanding, connecting with and helping our clients then we may complete an endless list of tasks and still not be truly productive. This is the variety of frantic activity that leads us to ask, “Where did the day go?” or “Where did the year go?” or most tragic of all, “Where did my life go?”

The day proceeds differently when it begins with these two questions: “‘Who can I connect with today? and “Who can I help?”

Is the unplanned knock at your ofﬁce door an interruption, or a chance to hear out an employee? Is the unexpected call from a client a distraction or an opportunity to connect? Sure you are busy, but your client called you. Would you rather your client call someone else? Time to tend to the web. You sit at its centre. Who can you connect with? Who can you help?

It doesn’t take any speciﬁc skill. It just takes you.

A 20-year mobility industry veteran, Jon Harman has lived and worked on three continents and has seen mobility from both sides, having completed three international moves, two of them as a family including three children. IN8WORK offers an engaging and relevant learning environment for leaders and teams from all areas of global mobility. The platform is still in development and testing with a formal launch expected in early 2025.

New Member Focus: “Aces Relocation”

Aces Relocation: Your Mobility Solution Partner in Turkiye

Aces Relocation, established by a team of professionals with years of experience in logistics sector, particularly in moving, has been serving in the relocation sector for almost 4 years. Even though its establishment has occurred in the recent years, most of team members have been in the sector for more than 20 years and it has become the most valuable advantage of Aces Relocation, especially with 3 PhD personnel that provide new insights to the company’s operational and institutional activities. Success achieved within such a short time of existence clearly demonstrates that the team adds value to the quality of service by paying utmost attention to its mission of achieving excellent customer satisfaction, continuously improving its services and being the outstanding solutionist that leads the mobility realm. Aces Relocation, with its offices in Ankara and Istanbul, provides various relocation services, such as welcome services, house and school searches, visa and immigration services, pet relocation, moving services, etc. In addition to these services, we also provide more specific services such as security consultancy, storage services, vehicle registration and moving, cleaning services. Specifically, tailored according to the needs of the customer, we provide “bespoken” services as well.

For example, the headquarter of Aces Relocation is located in Ankara where it has a storage house of 10.000 square meters and 5 different “self storage” facilities. Istanbul branch, located in Mecidiyekoy, provides a similar storage house facility in 3 areas in Istanbul. While serving, we passionately embrace A.C.E.S. (Accountability, Compassion, Environment, Sustainability). We abide the relevant legal regulations on personal privacy and data protection and gives utmost importance to the protection of relevant parties’ private, personal information (for details of our Privacy and Data Protection Policy, please visit: https://www.acesrelo.com/aboutus/ ) As Aces Relocation, we would like to exceed the expectation of our customers and to be your best solution partner. In this regard, any comment, contribution or cooperation is warmly welcomed.

Ercan Eser General Manager

Aces Relocation

New Member Focus: “Dublin Moves Made Easy”

Relocating employees and families to a new city can be challenging. From navigating a new housing market to understanding local amenities, the process often feels overwhelming. Dublin Moves Made Easy, a boutique Irish relocation company founded by Thalia Maree in 2020, was set up to provide a tailored, seamless experience for those relocating to Dublin and its surrounding counties, whether for work, study, or personal reasons. Dublin Moves Made Easy leverages deep market knowledge, extensive networks, and an unwavering commitment to client satisfaction that sets us apart, making the transition within / to Ireland both smooth and welcoming.

Dublin Moves Made Easy offers four core services: Corporate Relocation, Private Relocation, Buyer's Agent Service, and Settling-In Services. This comprehensive offering caters to both private and corporate clients, addressing everything from home searches, school searches, area orientations, lease negotiations and property inspections to a wide variety of other settling-in assistance. The personalised Private Relocation package is particularly popular among families and professionals seeking a hands-on and ﬂexible approach.

One of the benefits of working with a bespoke company such as DMME, is that we offer flexibility that may not be readily available elsewhere. By offering private client packages we continue to offer our services to clients who may initially take up a corporate relocation package, but later return to us to carry out a private home find on their own behalf. Many of our renters also return to us later to request our assistance in their purchase of their first Irish home. Here we have the added advantage of having PSRA licensed property service providers on our experienced team – a requirement when purchasing property on behalf of clients in Ireland.

Feedback from our recent clients speaks volumes. Eunice, who relocated with her family from Kenya, praised founder Thalia Maree’s “incredible professionalism” and dedication, which helped her family secure a comfortable, well-located home. Thalia’s local insights and industry expertise also provide a competitive advantage in Dublin's bustling housing market. Another client, Ahmed, highlighted the smooth, stress-free experience he had working with Dublin Moves Made Easy’s, from the initial consultation through to moving into his new home. He described Thalia as warm, patient, and exceptionally knowledgeable about Dublin's real estate scene, all qualities that made his relocation journey “positive and memorable.”

For our corporate clients, Dublin Moves Made Easy offers specialized relocation packages that ensure a seamless transition for employees and their families. This service supports productivity and morale by enabling employees to focus on their roles, while Dublin Moves Made Easy handles the housing logistics.

With Dublin Moves Made Easy, relocation is no longer a hassle; it's a carefully managed journey into Dublin and Irish life.

For more details or to book a consultation, visit www.dublinmovesmadeeasy.com Dublin Moves Made Easy.

New Member Focus: “Asia Relocation”

Asia Relocation: 13 Years of Growth in Relocation and Mobility Services

Asia Relocation is thrilled to join EuRA, reinforcing its commitment to delivering topnotch relocation and mobility services across Southeast Asia. Established 13 years ago with a core focus on moving and storage, Asia Relocation has since evolved to become a comprehensive provider of relocation solutions. While moving and storage formed the backbone of the business initially, the company rapidly expanded into relocation and mobility services, a segment it has actively developed and promoted since 2020. By managing all services in-house rather than relying on subcontractors, Asia Relocation ensures consistent quality, seamless communication, and a reliable experience for every client.

Visa and Immigration Expertise

Visa and immigration support have become essential services within Asia Relocation’s offerings, especially in recent years. Since 2020, the company has seen a tenfold increase in demand for its visa services. This process is handled entirely by an in-house team, fully accredited and highly skilled, providing clients with a smooth and compliant relocation experience. Numerous ﬁve-star reviews on Google and Facebook highlight the team's efﬁciency, expertise, and dedication to client satisfaction.

Tailored Home Search Solutions

The home search service, with Asia Relocation’s sister company, is another vital part of its in-house operations. Our sister company HI is one of the only private companies to have secured the most expensive rental in the Philippines, reﬂecting its expertise in ﬁnding quality housing for a wide range of needs. By keeping the home search process internal, Asia Relocation provides personalized

housing solutions that perfectly match each client’s lifestyle and budget, ensuring a seamless and trustworthy relocation experience.

Comprehensive Cultural Training

Asia Relocation’s cultural training services are delivered by a foreign expert with over 30 years of experience in the Philippines, ensuring clients have the support they need to adjust

comfortably to their new environment. This

guidance on local customs, communication styles, and social etiquette, which helps clients integrate more smoothly into their new surroundings. By handling this service directly, Asia Relocation maintains high standards and

ensures that clients receive tailored cultural insights.

Car Leasing for Added Convenience

As part of its holistic approach to relocation, Asia Relocation also offers ﬂexible car leasing options for expatriates and companies. Managed entirely inhouse, this service provides clients with reliable, hassle-free access to vehicles, eliminating the challenges of ownership. From sourcing vehicles to handling ongoing maintenance, Asia Relocation oversees every detail, ensuring a convenient and dependable car leasing experience that meets each client’s unique requirements.

Moving and Storage Services Remain Key

Although relocation and mobility services have taken center stage in recent years, moving and storage remain integral to Asia Relocation’s business. The company’s roots are in moving, and it continues to offer full moving services for clients transitioning between homes, cities, or countries. These services include packing, transportation, and unpacking, all handled by Asia Relocation’s dedicated team. By managing the moving process internally, Asia Relocation ensures that clients receive the same high standards of service across all aspects of their relocation journey.

A Full Range of In-House Services for Peace of Mind

moving logistics, every service is directly managed by the company’s team. This approach guarantees consistent quality, accountability, and peace of mind for clients, knowing that their entire relocation process is managed by a single, dedicated provider.

Looking to the Future

Joining EuRA marks an exciting new chapter for Asia Relocation as it continues to expand its relocation and mobility services. With a strong foundation in the Philippines, a growing presence in Vietnam, and a commitment to client satisfaction, Asia Relocation is ready to meet the evolving needs of global mobility in Southeast Asia. Looking ahead, the company remains dedicated to providing personalized, high-quality services that clients can depend on.

Asia Relocation

A key part of Asia Relocation’s philosophy is to handle all services inhouse. From visa processing and home search to cultural training, car leasing, and

New Member Focus: “Cronin Ireland Relocations”

Unlocking Employment Permits in Ireland: Key Trends and System Changes

Cronin Ireland Relocations, a Cronin Group company, Supporting Corporate clients, individuals and families with Relocations to Ireland and Worldwide Destinations

We provide comprehensive destination services throughout Ireland and worldwide for corporate clients, individuals and families ensuring a smooth and successful relocation.

In 2024, Ireland continues to be a top destination for skilled workers, attracting both multinational companies and SMEs. With an increasing demand for talent across various sectors, more businesses are looking beyond the EU for skilled workers, driving the need for employment permits.

At Cronin Ireland Relocations, part of the Cronin Group, we have been providing relocation services in Ireland for International corporations, individuals and families for over 20 years. Our Ireland Relocations team provides a complete and professional end-to-end tailored service for employee relocations to support their mobility management programmes. We go the extra mile to ensure you and your family have the best start possible in your new location.

Why Ireland is a Prime Business Location

Ireland's strong economic outlook, favourable business environment, and high quality of life make it an attractive place for businesses. Known as an innovation hub and a leader in foreign direct investment (FDI), Ireland is in constant need of highly skilled professionals. Employment permits are essential for ﬁlling these roles and addressing skill shortages.

Understanding Employment Permits

An Employment Permit allows non-EU/EEA nationals to work legally in Ireland. Various

permits cater to different job roles, contract types, and durations. Key permits include the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP), General Employment Permit (GEP), IntraCompany Transfer (ICT), and Contract for Service Provider (CSP). Choosing the right permit is critical to comply with Irish immigration laws.

Who Manages Employment Permits?

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) oversees employment permits. Applications are reviewed based on speciﬁc criteria, including salary levels, skill types, qualiﬁcations, and job roles. DETE maintains two critical lists: the Critical Skills Occupation List, which highlights jobs with skill shortages, and the Ineligible Occupations List, which restricts certain roles from foreign hiring.

How Does the DETE Determine These Lists?

The DETE regularly updates the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists by consulting with stakeholders, conducting labour market analysis, and reviewing public submissions. These updates ensure that the lists align with real-time economic needs and labour market demands while protecting employment opportunities for Irish citizens.

Recent Trends and Changes in Employment Permits

In 2024, sectors such as Technology, Construction, Finance, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Agriculture are seeing a surge in demand for employment permits. The DETE has expanded the Critical Skills Occupations List by adding new roles and removed certain jobs from the Ineligible Occupations List to better address labour shortages.

Key Changes Under the Employment Permit Act 2024

Although the Employment Permit Act 2024 is legally in force, its provisions are being implemented gradually. Key changes include increased minimum salary levels, new Seasonal Employment Permits (SEP), easier transitions for permit holders changing employers, and updates to the Labour Market Needs Test. Additionally, third-party contractual arrangements now qualify for certain permits, offering more ﬂexibility.

What These Changes Mean for Businesses and Applicants

The updated employment permit system aims to streamline processes and attract more foreign talent, supporting Ireland’s economic growth. However, navigating these changes can be complex and time-consuming. This is where Cronin Ireland Relocations can help.

How Cronin Ireland Relocations Can Assist:

• Expert Guidance: With over 20 years of experience in Ireland's work permit and visa system, our team provides expert advice tailored to your needs.

• Personalised Service: Access to a senior case worker ensures personalized support, keeping you compliant and informed.

• Cost and Time Efﬁciency: We handle the complexities, saving you time and reducing costs associated with delays or errors.

Comprehensive Relocation Support Beyond Employment Permits

In addition to employment permits and visas, Cronin Ireland Relocations offers a range of other services to ensure a smooth transition for you and your employees:

• Home Search & Temporary Accommodation: Our team excels in ﬁnding suitable temporary accommodation in hotels or serviced apartments and managing the search for a permanent home, ensuring comfort and convenience from the moment you arrive.

• School Search: We assist families in ﬁnding the best educational options, helping you navigate school systems and application processes to secure placements in top schools that match your child’s needs.

• Settle-In Services: From setting up utilities and bank accounts to providing local orientation, we offer comprehensive settle-in support to make your move to Ireland as seamless as possible.

• Assignment Management, Compensation & Expenses: We manage every aspect of employee assignments, including developing policies, managing logistics, ensuring legal compliance, and overseeing compensation and expense management.

Let Cronin Ireland Relocations be your trusted partner in ensuring a smooth, stress-free relocation experience. Contact Grainne at grainne.convery@croningroup.ie or visit our website to learn how we can support all your relocation needs in Ireland.

New Member Focus: “Dukes Education”

Dukes Education empowers children to live extraordinary lives

The Dukes Education family of schools has grown rapidly over the past ten years. From a single school in 2015, Dukes now has over 25 schools in the UK and more than 15 settings across Europe in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic, Romania, Croatia, Switzerland and Ireland.

“Dukes Education was set up to give children and young people the foundations to lead an extraordinary life. Our organisation is now ten years old and we serve more than 20,000 students in nine countries but our commitment to that core mission remains absolutely central to everything we do,” explains Founder and Chairman, Aatif Hassan

“Our success can be measured by the strength of the organisation and the outcomes for our students. Dukes is the fastest growing education group in Europe with over 20,000 students. Looking at our students, our exam results continue to improve. One Dukes school, Cardiff Sixth Form College is the top performing for A-levels over 13 years. Our students go on to study at top universities worldwide.”

“Our philosophical view is that everyone is fundamentally brilliant. It is our job to ignite the spark of genius within each child by offering a breadth of opportunities that empower children to lead an extraordinary

life through education, from skiing at our school in Switzerland, using podcasting suites in prep schools in London, or studying oceanography from a tall ship in the Mediterranean. My role is to set the course and culture of Dukes – to create conditions that allow my team and our incredible teachers to be adventurous and innovate,” he explains.

With most of its board members being educationalists, Dukes has a laser focus on best practices in teaching and learning and invests heavily in the professional development of all its staff through leadership training programs, building collaborative networks and access to coaching and mentoring. Research shows that investing in the quality of teaching signiﬁcantly improves the outcomes for students. “I am really excited about the future of Dukes. We are in our tenth year, we continue to grow in Europe and we continue to invest in our schools. For example, United Lisbon International School has just opened a large, new teaching of 24 classrooms will

have a new theatre, drama studio and sports hall open later this year,” Aatif continues.

In terms of innovation, Dukes is researching and developing the use of AI to enhance teaching and improve students’ metacognition, as well as mastery of their learning.

“Our approach to education focuses on leadership not just of others but of self,” he adds “For us, leadership is about high performance, innovation and adventure. We want our students to lead with their hearts, embracing service and cherishing humility.”

Dukes Education’s support for students extends well beyond the classroom. Through the Dukes Plus organisation of educational consultants and experience providers, students are also able to access a whole suite of integrated services that provide critical and impactful educational input at key stages.

The Dukes Plus educational consultancy arm provides speciﬁc subject tutoring, university application preparation for the world’s top universities, and specialist application support for students applying for medicine and law. As an experience provider, Dukes Plus provides world-class work experience through InvestIN, residential summer courses and activity camps. The one thing that sets Dukes Plus apart is quality: an absolute commitment that all the services and experiences they provide are of the highest possible quality.

people of today is evolving at incredible speed. The World Economic Forum (WEF) states there will be 97 million new jobs by 2030 focused on the interface between humans, machines and algorithms. WEF have outlined the key skills set required for professional success, centered around digital literacy, critical soft skills such as emotional intelligence, the ability for cross cultural competence, and lifelong learning.“

“In addition, we have the expectation of greater longevity and the concept of the 100-year life, whereby a far greater number of centenarians will be alive in 2100 compared with today. The outdated idea of a ‘job for life’ will be replaced by an individual’s ability to pivot professionally through a portfolio of careers. Having a ﬁrm academic grounding, alongside resilience, adaptability and self-management will be the bedrock of achieving this successfully.” Dukes Plus addresses these challenges by offering support and experiences over and above traditional classroom learning. From cradle to career Dukes Plus covers key milestones in a cohesive way with world leading brands under one roof.

“A good education should change your life,” Aatif concludes. “Empowering children to lead extraordinary lives can change the world.”

Dr Ricky Tavares, Director of Dukes Plus, explains, “The future for our young

To ﬁnd out more about admissions to Dukes Education schools or the Dukes Plus services, please contact us info@dukeseducation.com dukeseducation.com dukesplus.com

New Member Focus: “SAE Relocation”

Your Trusted Partner in China

Founded 20 years ago, SAE Relocation has grown from a moving company to a leading provider of international mobility and relocation services.

Established with a vision to bring international standards to an emerging Chinese market, SAE Relocation has since grown into a company trusted by expanding local corporates to accompany them across the globe. Our ﬂuency in Chinese, Asian and Western markets and cultures enables us to offer seamless relocation solutions for all our clients.

Comprehensive Mobility, Destination and Moving Services.

SAE Relocation specializes in offering a full range of mobility services. Our mobility services include home ﬁnding, move management, and settling-in assistance, ensuring every detail of the relocation process is handled with care.

Our DSP services, particularly for Chinese companies expanding globally, cover community orientation, school searches, and spouse support. We are dedicated to making relocations smooth, efﬁcient, and worry-free, supporting our clients through every step of their journey.

And of course, our full scope of moving services, which cover household goods moving, pet relocation, and secure storage solutions, offer a stress-free experience from packing to unpacking, whether moving to, from or within China.

Why Choose SAE Relocation?

Working with SAE Relocation in China offers distinct advantages:

• Cultural Expertise: With two decades of experience, SAE Relocation has a deep understanding of both

Chinese and international cultures, enabling us to provide tailored, culturally sensitive services.

• Flexibility and Personalization: Unlike large corporations, we offer ﬂexible and personalized services that adapt to your speciﬁc requirements, ensuring a responsive and client-focused approach.

At SAE Relocation, we prioritize service excellence, reliability, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Let us be your trusted partner for all your relocation needs in China and beyond.

New Member Focus: “The RFP House”

Olivia Bahrami, CERC Relocation Specialist™, CERP™, formerly with TheMIGroup and Bristol Global Mobility, recently founded a new consulting ﬁrm – The RFP House – a proposal management consultancy, based out of Mississauga, ON, Canada. The RFP House is the only woman-owned proposal consultancy ﬁrm in the global mobility industry, supporting global RMCs and service suppliers to strategically and successfully win more and retain existing accounts through customized RFP lifecycle management, RFP content generation and management, RFP software implementation, RFP thought leadership and corporate training.

Olivia’s methodology for success is based on the 3Cs – responding to RFPs and creating content that is clear / concise / compelling, and ensuring all RFP content is crafted in accordance to the RMC or service supplier’s brand, tone, style, and unique messaging. She also leverages AI into her proposal management process in an ethical and thoughtful way to maximize efﬁciencies.

“I saw a gap in the global mobility industry where RMCs and service suppliers were struggling to navigate the complexities of RFPs, often losing out on opportunities due to unclear communication or mismanaged processes, as well as lacking the proper and experienced proposal professionals to win business. In addition, many RMCs and service suppliers are not resourced properly to regularly manage proposal content, which can signiﬁcantly impact

RFP responses, resulting in reduced wins.”

Leveraging my 15 years of proposal management experience and love for supporting global mobility organizations to scale, I founded The RFP House. This experience, coupled with my passion for business development, inspired me to step in and bridge that gap.”

Navigating the proposal response management process in global mobility demands a specialized skill set, one that many RMCs and service providers ﬁnd challenging to master. Yet, success in winning contracts often hinges on excelling in this area. Hiring full-time proposal managers can be costly, which is why partnering with a specialized RFP consultancy like The RFP House offers a more efﬁcient solution. The RFP House supports RMCs and service providers to

improve their chances of winning new business and retaining existing clients. Additionally, maintaining and regularly updating a well-organized content repository is crucial to staying competitive.

Services offered through The RFP House:

• RFP response and lifecycle management

• RFP software implementation and management

• RFP consulting and auditing

• RFP content generation and management

• RFP thought leadership

• RFP corporate training

Testimonials:

Scott Carroll | Odyssey Relocation

"Olivia collaborated effectively with our internal stakeholders to get the job done on time. Olivia’s writing and project management skills, combined with her strategic approach, and comprehensive understanding of RFP requirements ensured that our proposals were well prepared, compliant and delivered on time."

Lori Lindsay | The Right Move Group

"Olivia Bahrami assisted us with two RFPs. Both RFPs were for large potential clients and there were many competitors submitting RFPs. In both cases, her preparation of the RFPs

resulted in The Right Move Group winning those accounts. We had previously written an RFP internally for one of these potential clients and did not win the RFP."

Gallia Peretz | Weichert Workforce Mobility

"Olivia is a talented writer, communicator, and a master of the proposal process. She navigates every step with expertise and ownership, while collaborating with sales, ensuring the right messaging is captured. We worked on many projects together, and achieved success along the way."

Paul Barnes | IG Mobility

"Many people can write long sentences full of buzz words, but Olivia focuses on key messages that brings an answer to life in the most succinct way which is invaluable when responding to RFPs’ or writing proposals."

For more information, reach out to Olivia Bahrami:

T: 647.865.2430

E: olivia@therfphouse.com

New Member Focus: “Victor Ek

Relocating Lives, One Journey at a Time

We are excited to join EURA and connect with fellow leaders in the relocation industry! At Victor Ek Moving Ltd, our expertise in high-quality moving and relocation services enables smooth transitions to Finland and beyond for individuals and businesses alike. With nearly 140 years of experience, we are Finland’s oldest and family-owned international moving company—and the only Finnish company certiﬁed by FAIM through FIDI, the International Federation of International Movers.

A Heritage Built on Resilience and Excellence

Our story began in 1885 when Victor Ek, a young entrepreneur from Helsinki, established a small forwarding and agency company. Since then, our company has navigated numerous global challenges, from economic downturns to both World Wars, continually evolving to meet the demands of the relocation industry. This resilience has fortiﬁed our expertise and adaptability, making us a trusted name in both international and domestic moves as well as destination services.

Our Iconic Cat Logo: A Legacy of Care

Our logo, a mother cat carrying her kitten, has long been a cherished symbol of our brand. Created in the 1950s by our then-CEO, Magnus

Cedercreutz, after seeing a similar image during his travels, it reﬂects our dedication to safe, caring relocations. For many in Helsinki, this logo is a fondly remembered icon, seen on our moving trucks for decades.

Supporting Talent Mobility Worldwide

We know that relocations are far more than logistical tasks—they’re signiﬁcant life changes. Our mission is to make each transition as seamless as possible, giving individuals and families the freedom to focus on the opportunities ahead. Leveraging our extensive global network, we provide a comprehensive blend of logistics, destination services, and personalized support, ensuring a smooth, positive experience for our clients. We are proud members of FIDI, Harmony Relocation, IAM, and the EU Posted Workers Alliance, and we’re excited to now join EURA, building new connections within the association.

One Partner, Every Need

Our comprehensive suite of services supports every phase of relocation, from packing and transport to fully settling in at a new destination. Here’s an overview of our key service areas:

1. Corporate Relocation Services – We manage the entire process for corporate clients, from predeparture planning to settling-in support, ensuring smooth transitions for employees and companies alike.

2. Moving Services – From residential to commercial and international moves, our team handles every detail with care, providing a hasslefree experience from packing to unpacking and setup.

3. Destination Services: Complete Local Support – We guide relocating employees through essential steps, such as immigration and local registrations, opening bank accounts, securing tax documentation, arranging social security, and coordinating temporary housing and airport transfers. Our support includes home searches, school and daycare enrolment, orientation programs, and settling-in services— ensuring a fully supportive relocation experience.

4. Customized Solutions – Every relocation is unique. We offer tailored solutions for speciﬁc needs, whether it’s an individual move or an entire workforce transition.

5. Ongoing Support – Our commitment to our clients extends well beyond the move itself. With a single-point-ofcontact model, we provide ongoing support and ensure streamlined communication throughout, promoting employee satisfaction and retention.

Joining EURA is a fantastic opportunity to exchange insights and learn from the best in the industry. We look forward to building valuable connections and contributing to the vibrant discussions within EURA. Thank you for the warm welcome!

For more information, please reach out to us:

Hanna Lindqvist /Head of Relocation hanna.lindqvist@victorek.fi Antti Lind /Sales Director antti.lind@victorek.fi victorek@victorek.fi www.victorek.fi

New Member Focus: “Viridian Apartments”

Your Operator for Stress-Free Relocations

Time. It’s precious.

And at Viridian

Apartments, we believe in spending it well. We believe that living and working well, especially when a guest has just relocated, matters.

That’s why we’ve spent 25 years creating the very best comfortable, convenient, and connected apartments across London and Southeast UK. Effortless places that make life a little easier - with the furnishings, features and amenities that matter most. And connected places, in the best central locations, to meet a relocator’s every need. Places where attention to detail, meets the homely comfort of a guest’s own private space. Where a dedicated service team works tirelessly, to make sure all relocations feel easy and stress free. Everyday things are taken care of, so guests can focus on moving forward. With us, you’re at the centre.

Why Choose Viridian Apartments?

A trusted brand with 25 years of expertise

With two and a half decades of experience, we have perfected the balance of homely comfort and exceptional service. Over the years, we have built a portfolio to be proud of, continually raising the bar, and our unwavering commitment to quality and care has allowed us to cultivate

lasting relationships with our guests and clients.

Extensive selection of apartments

With over 400 premium apartments in the UK, we offer plenty of choice and variety for those relocating. Whether a relocator is looking for a cosy studio or a spacious three-bedroom house, parking facilities or perhaps private outside space, Viridian Apartments has the ideal space to suit their needs.

Prime

locations across the UK

Our apartments are strategically situated in well-connected, desirable locations with excellent infrastructure. Guests can choose to stay in the heart of the city or a quiet suburb, and regardless of the location, they’re likely to ﬁnd access to everything they need.

The comforts of home

Our apartments are thoughtfully designed with contemporary interiors and come equipped with the modern amenities you would expect, from top-range mattresses to ensure a great night’s rest, to fully equipped kitchens with private laundry and ironing facilities. Décor, furniture and furnishings have been meticulously crafted by expert interior designers, ensuring an exemplary ﬁt-out.

Exceptional service at every turn

From the moment guests walk through the door, they feel the difference. Our services include a starter pack (with basic cleaning supplies, drink sachets and eco-friendly toiletries), fresh towels and bed linens, complimentary Wi-Fi, weekly housekeeping services and a 24-hour helpline for any support. We take care of any maintenance and all utilities, from water and heating to electricity, so guests can focus on what really matters. Exclusive offers with our national and local partners, enhance guest experiences and add extra value to their stays.

Accreditations and awards you can trust

We are accredited annually by ISAAP (the recognised and respected accreditation body for the industry) so clients and guests can book and stay with conﬁdence. We are also members of EURA and The Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), following best industry practice with a commitment to maintaining the highest of standards. Our dedication to excellence has earned us many awards including ‘Best Brand’, ‘Best Interior Design’ and ‘Best Housekeeping’, further proof of our

commitment to making all stays exceptional.

Local knowledge

At Viridian Apartments, we don't just provide a place to stay - we create a home for guests. Relocating doesn’t have to feel like starting over. With our deep local knowledge, we help all guests settle in quickly, making the new environment feel instantly familiar and enjoyable.

Tailored for relocations

We understand that every guest is unique, and our team ensures that all stays are customised to speciﬁc requirements. Need additional kitchen equipment, extra furnishings, or a mid-week clean? We fully appreciate that every guest is unique and every stay requires bespoke care and consideration.

Reach out to the team and discover why we’re the go-to choice for relocations in the UK.

Corporatesales@viridianapartments.com | www.viridianapartments.com

Members’ News Advertorial

At Home Switzerland becomes Cityus, introducing a new name and visual identity

Press release: Company update, as At Home Switzerland, a Swiss-based serviced apartment provider, specialised in corporate housing solutions, announces a new name and look marking its expansion of services across Europe, with a rebranding to Cityus.

The company’s evolution – its European expansion Background Cityus, formerly known At Home Switzerland, was founded in 2015 by Bella Nokes, a lawyer with 15 years of commercial and real estate expertise, who relocated to Switzerland. The company blossomed from her vision of flexible serviced apartments with a focus on personalised guest experience. Having begun operations in southern Switzerland, At Home Switzerland continued to grow expanding to northern Switzerland locations, such as Lucerne, Zug and Zurich. Additionally, the company has now extended its reach to new European destinations, including Paris, Luxembourg and Dublin.

Behind the rebranding

The rebranding and renaming have been undertaken to communicate the company's growth outside of Switzerland and its European presence.

At Home Switzerland has become Cityus: “You’re home in any city”. A new name and new visual identity, featuring elegant and clean lines and a unique colour palette. Cityus expresses our commitment to welcoming you in any city. 'City' represents dream destinations across Europe, and 'us', a culture centred around the wellbeing of our team and guests.

To read more click here

For more information, please contact: Alice Elodie Vibert, Marketing Manager Email: a.vibert@cityus.com Website: www.cityus.com

Watch the video

The World is becoming more difﬁcult to navigate culturally, expats reveal in New Survey

56% of expats say cultural adaptation is becoming more difficult, with technology both helping and, in some cases, hindering acclimation.

A report by Crown Relocations, a global leader in international relocation services, has found that cultural differences are becoming harder to navigate and pose one of the biggest overall challenges to those embarking on international relocations.

The report also found that the digitalization of society is presenting new challenges to expats as they set up home abroad, while finding, too, that parents generally believe their children adapt to new lives overseas very well.

The findings form part of a report by Crown, entitled: "Relocating in a Changing World: 2024 Global Expatriate Survey."

The report provides insights into the evolving landscape of global mobility, highlighting the drivers and challenges of relocation, including cultural adaptation, digitalization of relocating, sustainability, and the impact on young expatriates and their families.

Among the key ﬁndings:

• 92% of expats find adapting to a new culture challenging, with 65% finding it extremely or very challenging. Those who have relocated more than twice are more likely to find cultural adaptation harder, while almost 60% of those who have relocated more than once also reported that cultural differences have increased.

To read more click here

Matt Abbott Head of Communications mabbott@crownww.com

Read the Survey Report

Members’ News Advertorial

BRS Global Mobility and Apartool join forces as strategic partners in corporate accommodation management and international mobility

• The alliance combines Apartool's technology with BRS Global Mobility's consolidated experience to offer a Corporate Housing 360 service

• BRS Global Mobility's corporate clients in Spain and its global partners will be able to access temporary accommodation solutions in several countries

BRS Global Mobility, the leading global mobility company in Spain, announces its strategic alliance with Apartool, the leading technological platform in corporate accommodation management. This collaboration combines Apartool's advanced technology with BRS' deep experience, offering companies and employees around the world a comprehensive and high-quality corporate accommodation service during their relocation processes to Spain.

BRS Global Mobility's corporate clients in Spain and its global partners will be able to access temporary accommodation solutions quickly and with personalized attention and special conditions, while their final accommodation is being managed. International presence and innovative solutions for corporate clients

Thanks to this alliance, Apartool and BRS Global Mobility are in a unique position to offer a corporate accommodation service that stands out for its coverage in more than 120 international markets and a portfolio of more than 120,000 apartments, which have been specifically selected to meet the needs of corporate travelers. This 360 solution allows companies to easily manage temporary stays for their international employees who arrive in Spain and need accommodation while they find their permanent home. It also provides corporate clients with the confidence of having apartments fully adapted to business transfers as well as personalized benefits, including hotel services, tailored to the needs of each trip.

To read more click here

CAP Worldwide Serviced Apartments (CAP) celebrates the award of a Gold Medal from EcoVadis for sustainability – placing CAP in the top 5% of companies across all sectors, and in the top 1% for travel agency, tour operator, reservations service and related activities

CAP is proud to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal from EcoVadis, the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.

This recognition places CAP among the top 5% of companies assessed by EcoVadis globally and in the top 1% for our sector. A true achievement for our young company.

EcoVadis evaluates companies on four key areas: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.

Jo Layton, CAP CEO says ‘We are truly delighted to receive this incredible recognition of our ongoing commitment to creating the healthiest and most inclusive culture and company for our global teams, our clients, and our valued brand partners to thrive in.

She continues ‘Our goal has always been to create a successful best in class tip of the spear business that embraces the full meaning of sustainability, and this Gold Medal distinction reflects CAP’s exemplary performance and long-standing commitment across all areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR) including sustainability and ethical business practices’.

Clare Ace, ESG Director for CAP adds "This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who are constantly striving to improve our environmental impact, uphold ethical standards, and foster a responsible supply chain. At CAP, we believe sustainability is not only good for the planet, but it also makes good business sense.’

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial

Arpin International Group

Announces Mark J. Burchell Is Reappointed as Chairman of the FIDI Quality Supervisory Committee

Arpin International Group, a trusted international moving company, proudly announces the reappointment of Mark J. Burchell, the company’s VP of Global Sales and Business Development, to the role of Chairman of the International Federation of International Furniture Removers’ (FIDI) Quality Supervisory Committee (FQSC).

FIDI is a federation of moving and relocation companies, where the highest authority is the affiliate members through the various local and regional associations. FIDI’s quality programs are such essential features of FIDI—the very backbone of the membership—that it merits a committee like the FQSC to ensure it 1. does not disconnect from the membership; 2. helps the affiliates to reach the benchmark standards required; 3. challenges the affiliates to aim higher consistently; and 4. does not rest on its laurels.

Burchell’s broad professional experience prepared him for the challenging position, evidenced by his re-appointment as Chairman. He was initially elected to the FQSC during the organization’s conference in 2018 and has been its Chairman for the last two years.

As Chairman, Burchell is responsible for convening and managing, at a minimum, quarterly formal meetings between the FQSC and the leadership of the FIDI Quality Coordination Centre (based in Belgium). Moreover, the FQSC serves as an independent arbitrator for FAIM-audit related issues brought before the committee by the FIDI Board for review and resolution.

To read more click here

Arpin International Group Receives Top Level, Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award at Cartus 2024 Global Network Conference

Arpin International Group was recently honored with the 2024 Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award in the International Moving Services category. The award was presented virtually on October 2, 2024, at Cartus Corporation’s Global Network Conference. Every year, Cartus honors its top-tier global service provider network for delivering exceptional service to customers and clients worldwide. Arpin International Group was named winner of the Global Network Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award for its exceptional service results, the highest award a supplier can achieve through service performance. This award recognizes a supplier’s measurable commitment to excellence and is presented to Global Network service providers who have distinguished themselves by achieving critical performance metrics.

“Our supplier partners are true leaders in their fields, demonstrating professionalism, innovation, a strong work ethic, and an unwavering commitment to service excellence. We are proud to have such a remarkable network supporting Cartus,” said Tina Frausto, Vice President of Transformation and Supply Chain. “When it comes to serving our clients and their relocating families, Arpin International Group consistently delivers the highest standard of excellence, and I want to congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”

Arpin’s commitment to continuous improvement in business productivity and streamlined operations is driven by our dedication to exceptional customer service. By freeing up staff capacity, our customer service personnel can focus on what matters most: building deeper connections with customers, ensuring seamless shipment management, and enhancing work/life balance. With less time spent on inefficient processes, we dedicate more energy to improving our services, refining our processes, and ultimately delivering a superior customer experience.

To read more click here

Members’ News Advertorial

Arpin Strong Golf Tournament Raises $22,900, Surpassing $2M in Donations to 345+ Charities

The Arpin Charitable Fund announced that its Tenth Annual Arpin Strong Golf Tournament / Bob Sullivan and Mark Dearborn Memorial was a resounding success, raising $22,900 for charity and surpassing $2M in donations to over 345+ charities since 2013.

The Arpin Charitable Fund, also known as Arpin Strong, is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to addressing pressing social issues and advancing impactful ESG initiatives worldwide.

Arpin Strong’s board members were thrilled to once again host their largest annual fundraising event on September 27 at the New England Country Club in Bellingham, MA. The tournament champions awareness and charitable investment for its primary beneficiaries, and this year’s proceeds supported A Wish Come True, Save The Bay, Global Institute For Transformation, KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation, and Marguerite’s Place.

“These five remarkable organizations embody the mission we strive to fulfill, and we’re proud to extend our support,” said Arpin Strong’s President and Treasurer, Michael Killoran.

Representatives from several beneficiary organizations attended, offering golfers firsthand insights into the transformative impact their support would bring. Among them were Mary-Kate O’Leary,

Executive Director of A Wish Come True, and Timothy Maurer from the Global Institute for Transformation (GIFT), who shared with the attendees how funds raised would be used to help support children and families with life-threatening illnesses and those living in impoverishment.

To read more click here

Arpin International Group Welcomes B. Lynn Tomarchio as Regional Director of Business Development

Arpin International Group is pleased to announce the hiring of Regional Director of Business Development, B. Lynn Tomarchio.

Tomarchio steps into this pivotal role at Arpin and is at the forefront of its growth strategy, building strong, long-term customer relationships and contributing to the company’s continued success in the mobility arena.

“We are so excited to have someone of Lynn’s experience and market presence join the Arpin team. She is well respected in the industry, and her energy and passion to support her clients …

To read more click here

Arpin International Receives Top Moving Company Quality Award at ICUnet s 2024 Bi-Annual Global Orange Meeting

Arpin International was honored by ICUnet with the Top Moving Company Quality Award. The award ceremony took place on September 27, 2024, during a Gala dinner. The dinner culminated with the company’s bi-annual global gathering of more than 200 ICUnet colleagues from all over the world. The meeting is meant to promote team building and anchor excellence within the company.

The bi-annual team building event showcased ICUnet’s Excellence² Strategy, focusing on bringing internal excellence to the forefront. During the Orange Meeting, attendees gained insights from industry leaders through in-person visits to Germanbased companies Modehaus Garhammer GmbH, Reischlhof Wellness Resort, Knorr-Bremse, and asam Restaurant & Hotel.

To read more click here

The Holidays by the numbers

12,000,000

Christmas trees exported from Denmark

6,000,000

Miles per hour Santa would have to travel to give a gift to every child on Earth

80%

60%

Drop in the number of holiday cards sent since the 1980’s

33%

Number of people who re-gift a gift!

Global sales of artiﬁcial trees shipped from China 40%

Increase in Vet visits mainly due to pets eating chocolate

3 billion Number of trips made in China for the Lunar New Year

The EuRApean Winter 2025

DELIVERING INDUSTRY LEADING RELOCATION & LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS

Contents The EuRApean

Notes from the Editor

Letter from the CEO Tad Zurlinden

Letter from our President and Vice President

EuRA Global Quality Seal+

Newly Certiﬁed and Re-certiﬁed Members

Training and Mentoring

EuRA Global Quality Seal+ Review 2024

What Holders Have Told Us

USA Reception Picture Gallery

All Things Legal ……….December 2024Gordon Kerr

The

1. Employment Contract

2. “Work From Home” Policies

3. Provision of Equipment

4. Training

How to ﬁnd out about EU and UK sanctions

Protecting my whisky!

Upcoming Mobility Events

Feature: Dom Tidey & Chat GPT

“Toolkit for Recognition for DSP’s - A Chat GPT Case Study”

1. Expert Handling of Logistics

2. Safe and Secure Packing

3. Stress Reduction

4. Cost Efﬁciency and Time Savings

5. Expertise in Cultural and Local Nuances

8. Home Search Assistance

9. School Search and Education Support

10. Comprehensive Relocation Package

MIM Update!

Online Now

Coming Soon

Licensing

The Maddalena Michieli Scholarship Fund

Feature: Dornet G. Venturanza MIM Fellow

“Working with Mobility Network Partners ”

Introduction

Executive Summary

EuRA’s YouTube Channel

#eurabrieﬁng #eurapresents

EuRA’s Social Media 2024

#eurabrieﬁngs #euraintercultural #euramimtraining #eurazagreb

The EuRA E-Book!

Member Changes July to December

Welcome to Our New Members

Members Who Have Left

Feature: Aces Relocation

“Mobility in Turkiye”

Mobility

Future of Mobility in Turkiye

Feature: TIRA “TIRA Keeps Growing!”

TIRA Keeps Growing!

Events

Marketing

Membership

Operations

Zagreb - A City Shrouded

Feature: The RFP House

“Three mistakes most organizations make in an executive summary”

Feature: Jon Harman

“Tending the Web”

New Member Focus: “Aces Relocation”

New Member Focus: “Dublin Moves Made Easy”

New Member Focus: “Asia Relocation”

Asia Relocation: 13 Years of Growth in Relocation and Mobility Services

Visa and Immigration Expertise

Tailored Home Search Solutions

Comprehensive Cultural Training

Car Leasing for Added Convenience

Moving and Storage Services Remain Key

A Full Range of In-House Services for Peace of Mind

Looking to the Future

New Member Focus: “Cronin Ireland Relocations”

Unlocking Employment Permits in Ireland: Key Trends and System Changes

Understanding Employment Permits

Who Manages Employment Permits?

How Does the DETE Determine These Lists?

Recent Trends and Changes in Employment Permits