BY RONAN McSHERRY
BALLYGAWLEY is officially Tyrone's main route to Europe with masses of visitors and a variety of initiatives from across the continent passing through the town.
Europe Direct is a European Information office based in Ballygawley's Church Street. The organisation's official remit is, "To assist all sectors of the North's society to benefit from the opportunities provided by EU policies, funding, programmes and initiatives."
Since its inception, Europe Direct has literally been living up to its name by organising exchanges and making contact with MEPs, commission officials and representatives.
A visit to their website confirms the multitude of trans-national areas of practical help and advise covered by the organisation. They include agriculture and rural development, arts and culture, disability, education, elderly, employment, environment, health, ICT and small business/entrepreneurship. Add in research and development, youth training, tourism, consumer policy, grants and loans, business, citizens' rights, women and culture to learn but a sample of the services on offer.
Heather McLaughlin, Manager of the Ballygawley based office, is kept busy with a diverse range of tasks and requests.
She explained, "This is our second year and we are kept very busy with so many inquiries coming in. We have been organising initiatives such as European exchanges, placements and study visits. Literally anyone can avail of the service, for example farmers' groups, students, women and tourists. Recently we had three Italian girls here during the summer to practice their English. Last year we brought local farm women to Italy to look at what their counterparts are doing to add an extra bit of income. Businesses as well have benefited. We have taken a group from the Lough shore to Netherlands to examine rural tourism while farmers also went to Europe to look at beef and dairy production. Really it is about accommodating people across Europe so that they can learn from each other and exchange ideas."
Ms McLaughlin states that while the countries of Europe are more tightly knit than ever before, many people are not aware of how this can impact directly on their lives. She pointed to the new legislation coming in from Europe that reduces the cost of mobile phone use while a person is abroad.
"This is a European directive that benefits us," she said. "Since September all mobile companies are obliged to reduce their mobile calls when you are abroad. So that means yet cheaper mobile calls when you are on holidays. This is just one piece of legislation most people do not know about that can directly affect them. There is a lot of legislation that we can make use of but maybe are not aware they exist."
In recent months Europe Direct has also promoted an EU language initiative with booklets made available to help people pick up many useful phrases from across the continent. Other examples include a visit by a group of Italian women to Tyrone last year who learnt of the use of children's menus in restaurants while another group from the Slovak Republic traveled here to look at our many craft centers. This in turn brings in revenue to local industry while Tyrone visitors to Europe are returning home with valuable ideas. Europe Direct has alorganised visits from children from other EU countries with pupils being afforded the opportunity to swap cultures with young people from other backgrounds.
Heather McLaughlin is not overstating the work of Europe Direct when she says, "We deal with everything and anything."
For further information visit www.eurolink-eu.net
