I will start today with a quote: Vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas - "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity" (Bible, Ecclesiastes, 1:2).
Yes, I confess, I've googled the name of o my own blog - actually, that is not the only thing I did with Google today, but hush, that's another topic. The first result was obviously a link to this very website. Well, the second link was actually more interesting: a link to an International Herald Tribune article whose title is Demystifying the EU: A hot line with answers. This hot line is Europe Direct, a free EU service for Euro citizens with questions.
I think that this is a great service: you can call (00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 - toll free from the 25 member states), chat with, or write to the EU contact center. It is very interesting to learn what fellow Europeans have on their minds when calling. Here's what the article says:
Ten topics dominate most conversations, according to Gisela Gauggel-Robinson, who is in charge of Europe Direct for the European Commission. The top theme is mobility and the right to move and work freely between countries in the Union. The next most popularr topic is even more basic - the ins and outs of obtaining EU financing for businesses and programs. Callers are also wondering about the impact of expansion on their everyday lives, like how to obtain a driver's licenses or complete property purchases.
I think it is a great service, available in a dozen of languages. Read the article, it is really worth it. Now, why don't hear about this service more often?
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