Changes in laws, new stores, free buses… A quick overview of the changes that will mark 2022 in the Principality.

1. Free buses for two months

Flagship announcement of the National Council last December, free buses will be tested in the Principality in October and November 2022. The goal of promoting soft mobility in Monaco and encouraging users to favor the bus rather than the car. A temporary device, the conditions of which will be precisely defined over the coming months.

2. The new Monte-Carlo Riviera TV channel

On December 9, the Principality formalized Monaco’s membership in the TV5 Monde group. The future public television channel, Monte-Carlo Riviera, will be 100% devoted to the Principality and will be broadcast from September in 200 countries, which represents 60 million viewers. The channel will offer a newscast, documentaries and talk shows.

3. Acquisition of nationality through marriage in twenty years

Another big change: the acquisition of Monegasque nationality through marriage. From June 30, 2022, it will be necessary to prove twenty years of marriage, against ten today, to apply for nationality. The aim is to protect the social model in place, in the face of the rapid growth in the number of Monegasques. The National Council estimated that twenty years was the time needed to fully integrate into a community.

4. The fight against harassment in school

The start of the 2022 school year will mark the entry into force of the law on bullying. The text provides for greater awareness of students and teachers, the designation of a referent, the recognition of the responsibility of the State and penal sanctions against the perpetrators of violence in the school environment.

5. Food packaging and plastic toys prohibited

While Monaco wishes to ban single-use plastic by 2024, the year 2022 marks a new stage in the Government’s calendar: the end of packaging (films and plastic labels) around fruits and vegetables, effective since January 1 last. Non-biodegradable tea bags and plastic toys from children’s menus are also prohibited. Companies are obliged to make crockery available to employees in catering establishments and disposable cutlery is chargeable in snacks and restaurants.

6. The opening of the Larvotto stores and the arrival of IKEA in Nice

With the end of the works scheduled for spring 2022, the Larvotto is getting a facelift. A beauty institute, a bakery, three restaurants and a decoration shop are to open their doors there. For its part, the Swedish brand IKEA will open in Nice on May 11, 2022, in the Saint-Isidore district, and plans to hire 400 employees.

7. The new restaurants and the renovation of the Café de Paris

Another novelty on the Larvotto: the Big Mamma restaurant. The Italian restaurant sign will be at the far end of the complex, on the meridian side. At the same time, the Lebanese Em Sherif will move to the Hôtel de Paris (instead of Omer, by Alain Ducasse), next spring. Finally, the Café de Paris will close for renovation at the end of February. The premises will be moved to the Salle Empire until the end of the works in 2023.

8. Better traffic between Nice and Monaco

The train between Les Arcs and Ventimiglia should normally run from April 2, the date announced by the SNCF for the end of the ongoing renovation work. Works which force the trains to run on only one track between Nice and Eze-sur-Mer and which give rise to the abolition of certain timetables and to overloaded trainsets during rush hour. For motorists, the Beausoleil slip road, on the A8, should come into service at the end of 2022, to relieve traffic congestion at La Turbie. A cycle path along the Basse Corniche is also planned for next summer.

As for maritime transport, cruise ships, banned from entering ports since 2020 due to the health crisis, could return to the Principality in April 2022. Olivier Lavagna, Managing Director of the Société d’Exploitation des Ports de Monaco ( SEPM), we specify that the confirmation is still pending. But one choice is certain: the next ships will be limited to 250 meters and 1,250 passengers, to target customers with better purchasing power.

9. The mandatory helmet for electric scooters

From January 24, to reduce the risk of accidents on public roads, users of electric scooters will be required to wear a protective helmet. So far, this provision only applies to minors. The compulsory helmet is in addition to the other regulations in force: retro-reflective clothing or equipment, audible warning devices, lights and reflective devices.

10. The new format of the Monaco Grand Prix

Last big news: the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, scheduled for May 26 to 29, changes format. From now on, Thursday will no longer be devoted to tests, as in previous years, but to additional courses. Free practice will take place on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. It is therefore the end of the traditional “day of rest” after Ascension Thursday, even if the tracks remain open for four days.