Europe Direct centres go live in the UK
Europe Direct centres offering a range of services and information on the European Union open across the UK from 1 July 2006. From Plymouth to Preston, Cardiff to County Tyrone, you will be able to access up-to-date information on EU law, programmes and policies at a centre near you – there are 25 of them in all. If you have feedback or comments, you can send these directly to the European Commission from a centre too.
The launch comes as recent polls show that 60% of the public say they would like to have more information about the EU.
The centres, located mainly in chambers of commerce, libraries or local authorities, offer free-phone access to the Europe Direct phone line on 00800 67891011. Many also feature televised EU news via Europe by Satellite.
Margot Wallström, European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy said:
“I am pleased to announce the opening of 25 brand-new centres in the UK, completing the Europe Direct network. I am well aware of euroscepticism in the UK. Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with a bit of healthy scepticism on any subject, as long as it’s based on the facts. Polls show that the British public want access to more factual information on the EU, and it’s Europe Direct’s job to help provide this."
What will the centres do for the UK public?
The 25 Europe Direct centres will cover eight of the nine English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are there to provide hands-on information to people at a local level, as part of a network – there are 393 other Europe Direct centres throughout Europe,
You can drop into these centres, or contact them by phone or e-mail. The services they provide include:
- publications, brochures and guides on:
- how the European Union institutions work
- the Treaties that underpin it
- the laws which it makes and implements together with your government
- its main common policies – on farming, fisheries, trade and competition
- schemes and programmes in other areas such as jobs, research, education, health, the environment and equal opportunities
- funding opportunities for your business or organisation.
- freephone access to the EUROPE DIRECT call centre on 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11
- on-the-spot answers to questions
- computers with access to the EU’s Europa website
- in many cases, TV broadcasts of the Europe by Satellite service, which provide daily updates of what’s going on in the EU institutions
- a feedback mechanism, which gives you the chance to let Brussels know about your concerns, queries and comments on any aspect of the EU’s work and how it affects you
- promotional events and documentation tailored for your area on what is happening in the EU.
Where are the UK’s new Europe Direct centres?
See below -- or visit the Europe Information network website on www.europe.org.uk
How much is the EU spending on the centres?
A total of €564 000 or just under £400 000 has been earmarked for the UK’s centres for this financial year. Each partner will receive up to €24 000 (about £16,000) for the next three years, along with a package of documentation and network support. They will also have access to basic training provided by the Commission’s London office and to more specialised courses led by EU experts from Brussels.
How long will the project run for ?
Successful applicants have signed three-year framework agreements that run until March 2009. Each year, hosts will sign an operating grant agreement with the Commission to obtain its annual funding. The money will be released providing hosts fulfil certain contractual conditions. The 25 contracts were awarded following an open call for proposals the Commission’s UK office ran last year to select organisations with the capacity to host centres for the new network.
The European Commission is also launching a re-vamped web site to help people living in the UK’s regions to find European information: www.europe.org.uk Contact details for UK Europe Direct centres, as well as other European information providers, such as the European Public Information Centres (EPICs) in public libraries are available on this site.
For more information:
http://europa.eu.int/europedirect/index_en.htm
http://www.europe.org.uk
http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/
http://www.europarl.org.uk/index.htm
http://www.fco.gov.uk
Or contact:
Greta Hopkins +44 (0)20 7973 1964
Dominic Brett +44 (0)20 7973 1951
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