Topic outline

• 
  

  EUROPE DIRECT information centre

  

  South Devon College is no longer hosting a EUROPE DIRECT information centre.  The centre closed on the 5th April 2013.  The nearest alternative Europe Direct Information Centre for the South West is the Cornwal Centre.  You can find details by clicking here.

  You can still use the information and links below to find answers to your questions about the European Union.  However, please note that this will be no longer be updated and some may become out of date over time.

  • Europe Direct Network URL
  • Europe Direct Information Centres promotional video 'The Quest' URL
  • Europe Direct Annual Report 2011 URL
  • What is the European Union? Book
  • European Union Power Point - a general overview of the EU, the Schengen Area and the Euro File
  • The European Union Multiple Choice Quiz
  • South Devon College Engineering Students' Enrichment Visit to Salou, Spain
    

    

    A group of engineering students and apprentices visited  Salou, Spain on an enrichment visit in June 2012, as part of their course.

    Please click on the following links for details of the sites they visited:

  • History of the Damm group brewing factory, Barcelona URL
  • Port Avenutura theme park, Salou URL
  • The City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia URL
  • Costa Daurada, Catalonia, Spain URL
  • Spain as a member of the EU URL
  • Barcelona - the capital of Catalonia, Spain URL
  • Valencia, Spain URL
  • Exhibition of Engineering Enrichment Visit to Spain Slideshow
  •  

     

    

    Click here for the latest newsletter! 

  • See live webcasts from conferences and events organised by the European Commission! URL
  • Click About It - worldwide photography competition URL
  • Using the internet safely around Europe File
  • Europe's Information Society Portal URL
  • European Culture PowerPoint - created by South Devon College Travel and Tourism students File
• 
  

  Fun Stuff!

  Quizzes and resources to enjoy!

  

  • Virtual Pilot Game URL
  • European Languages Quiz URL
  • European Landmarks Quiz File
  • European Food Quiz File
  • European Map Quiz File
  • EU Tube - Sharing the sights and sounds of Europe! URL
  • Games and quizzes to test your knowledge of the EU URL
• Not available
• 
  

  What can i find information on?

  

  Use our many resources to research topics such as.........

  Travelling, Working and Living in the EU

  How the European Union works

  The History of the EU

  EU law and policy

  Studying in the EU

  EU facts and figures

  Funding for business in the EU

  Click on the links below for more information

   

  • Europe Direct Catalogue Search - search our database of publications available within our information centre URL
  • Europa - Official website of the European Union URL
  • Travelling in Europe URL
  • The Schengen Agreement URL
  • The euro - a website dedicated to information regarding the euro URL
  • European Youth Portal: useful links for studying, working, volunteering and exchange programmes URL
  • Ploetus - Portal on learning opportunties throughout the EU URL
  • EURES - find info on jobs and learning opportunities in the EU URL
  • Your Europe Portal - Help and advice on your life, work and travel in the EU URL
  • Generation Europe - Youth Centre URL
  • European Statistics-free access to databases and publications URL
  • Finding statistics by subject/theme - EuroStat's simplified website URL
  • Lifelong Learning Programme - a programme offering funding to enable learners and trainees to work with their European peers through joint projects, exchanges, work experience and much more. URL
  • Citizens Signpost Service - Free personalised advice to citizens in the EU under single market rules URL
  • Eurodesk- a network of information centres about EU issues that targets young people URL
  • Europass - a website to help citizens to compile a CV and clearly present their qualifications and skills, making them easier to understand and appreciate anywhere in Europe URL
  • Guide to European Funding 2007 to 2013 URL
  • Your rights - EU country by country URL
  • Eurostat Country Profiles URL
  • Europe Direct Factsheets

    

  • It's about Europe. It's about you - European Year of Citizens File
  • Joint Research Centre: Joined-up thinking File
  • Embracing the Digital Revolution File
  • Growth Factsheet File
  • Europe's Summer of Sport File
  • Promoting Active Ageing File
  • The European Union and its Institutions Factsheet File
  • Equal Opportunities and Challenges for Europe File
  • Migrating towards common EU immigration and asylum policies File
  • The EU’s health policy: fit for purpose File
  • A Fair Market for European Consumers File
  • Safe for European Consumption File
  • Moving With the Times in Europe: Free movement File
  • Labours of Union File
  • Equality and Justice for All: Citizenship File
  • The Art of European Diplomacy File
  • The Future of Europe: Youth Policy File
  • A Growing Success Story: Enlargement File
  • Factsheet on the Single Market File
  • Factsheet on the Schengen Area File
  • Skillful Europe File
  • Youth on the Move:Learning and working abroad File
  • Industrial Policy: Space research and innovation File
  • Air Passenger Rights File
  • An Innovative Union File
• 
  

  Newsletter - EU for You!

  Monthly e-newsletter from the Europe Direct South Devon Information Centre.

  

  • December 2012, issue 9 File
  • November 2012, issue 8 File
  • October 2012, Issue 7 File
  • September 2012 - issue 6 File
  • August 2012, issue 5 File
  • July 2012 - Issue 4 File
  • June 2012 - Issue 3 File
  • May 2012, Issue 2 File
  • April 2012, Issue 1 File
• 
  

  A History of the EU

  

  • The Founding Fathers of the EU URL
  • Robert Schuman - the Forefather of the European Union URL
  • The Schuman Declaration URL
  • What is Europe Day? URL
  • A brief summary of the history of the EU since 1945 URL
  • 1945-1959 - The beginnings of co-operation URL
  • 1960-1969 - Economic growth URL
  • 1970-1979 - A growing community URL
  • 1980-1989 - The changing face of Europe URL
  • 1990-1999 - A Europe without frontiers URL
  • 2000-today - A time of further expansion URL
  • Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (1951) URL
  • The Treaties of Rome (1957) URL
  • The Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty (1965) URL
  • The Single European Act (1986) URL
  • The Treaty on European Union - Treaty of Maastricht (1992) URL
  • The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) URL
  • The Treaty of Nice (2001) URL
  • Objectives of the EU - The Treaty of Lisbon (2007) URL
  • Europe 2020 - the EUs growth strategy URL
  • EU Enlargement - Profiles of countries preparing to join the EU URL
• 
  

  The European Year of Citizens 2013

  

  The European Year of Citizens 2013 is dedicated to the rights that come with EU citizenship. Over this year, dialogue and debate will be encouraged at all levels of government, civil society and business at events and conferences around Europe to discuss those EU rights and build a vision of how the EU should be in 2020.

  • Official website of the European Year of Citizens 2013 URL
  • Join the debate on the future of Europe URL
  • The European Year of Citizens 2013 - "It's about Europe. It's about you". Book
  • Your Europe Portal - Advice on your rights as an EU citizen and a guide to doing business in the EU URL
  • Website of Viviane Reding - EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. URL
  • It's about Europe. It's about you - European Year of Citizens File
  • Previous European Year Initiatives

    2012 - The European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations
    

     

  • Never too old to…European Year of Active Ageing 2012 video URL
  • Official website of the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations 2012 URL
  • Eurofound provides expertise on living and working conditions, industrial relations and managing change in Europe URL
  • EuroHealth Net: New European website on Healthy Ageing URL
  • Active ageing online / website URL
  • Grundtvig - A programme which funds training opportunities for adult education organisations, staff and learners. URL
  • Adult Learner's Week - UK’s largest annual festival of learning; inspiring thousands of people each year to discover how learning can change their lives. URL
  • Adult and Family Learning at South Devon College URL
  • 2011 - The European Year of Volunteering

  • European Year of Volunteering 2011 URL
  • United Nations Volunteers URL
  • Volunteer in the UK URL
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award URL
  • The English Riviera supports DofE - promotional video URL
  • V-Inspired URL
  • European Voluntary Service URL
  • Volunteer for the British Red Cross URL
  • Community and Voluntary Action Torbay URL
  • IgoMANGO - Volunteering in the environmental sector URL
  • Do It - Search for opportunities and apply online URL
  • Hand-in-Hand Volunteering/Mentoring - Torbay Council's Childrens' Services URL
  • Devon Wildlife Trust - Become a volunteer URL
  • Devon and Cornwall Police - Become a volunteer URL
  • Active Devon - information on volunteering in the sports sector URL
  • Volunteering England - Information on how to get advice on volunteering, get details of providers and search for placements by region and URL
  • National Trust - Make a difference in conserving the environment and the UK's heritage URL
  • Age UK - Volunteer in your local community URL
  • 2010 - The European Year of Combatting Poverty and Social Exclusion

  • Official website - about the year, news and events URL
• 
  

  The Institutions of the EU

  How do all the pieces of the institutional puzzle fit together to make Europe Work?

  

  • European Commission - the common interest. The Commission is based in Brussels and proposes new laws, which the European Parliament and the Council can debate and vote on. It also ensures that national governments apply EU law correctly. URL
  • European Council - Political leadership. The top political leaders from the Member States meet at least four times a year to discuss EU issues URL
  • The Council - Voice of the Member States. National governments have their say and the Council makes new laws together with the European Parliament. URL
  • The European Parliament - Voice of the people. The Parliament adopts EU laws togther with the Council. It also ensures democratic scrutiny and public debate on all aspects of the EU's work. URL
  • The European Court of Justice - the rule of law.The Court ensures that EU laws are interpreted in the same way throughout the EU. Based in Luxembourg, it is made up of one judge from each Member State. URL
  • European Court of Auditors - getting value for your money. Based in Luxembourg, the Court of Auditors checks that taxpayers' money is spent correctly by reviewing accounts and publishing an annual report. URL
  • The Presidency of the Council of the EU - The Council is presided over for a period of six months by each Member State in turn, in accordance with a pre-established rota URL
• 
  

  Languages

  A selection of links and resources to help when learning a new language

  

  • European Day of Languages official website URL
  • Lingu@net - the multilingual centre for language teaching and learning with 4,895 quality assured resources. URL
  • BBC - Learn a language in your own time with interactive resources, videos and audio clips, games and worksheets URL
  • European Languages Quiz URL
  • Languages Online URL
  • The Europa Languages Portal - information on all the EU's official languages, including languages learning URL
  • EU Funding Opportunities - various programmes to enable citizens to improve their language skills URL
  • eTandem Europa - match-maker for language learners across Europe wishing to learn each other's languages in tandem URL
  • Communicating in Multilingual Contexts (CMC) - resource aimed at university students helping them to improve their communication skills in Dutch, English, Italian, Portuguese, Slovenian and Spanish before they move abroad to study. URL
  • Hocus & Lotus - fun language learning site for young children (2-10 years). It helps children to learn the basics of a new language (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) through the adventures of two characters. URL
  • Around Europe in 80 Days - self-learning website designed for those studying at home or in the classroom URL
  • Mission Europe - invites listeners to go on radio adventures to save Berlin, Pais or Krakow and improve their foreign language skills URL
  • Oneness - online courses for those intersted in learning Estonian, Finnish, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese URL
  • Soccerlingua - teaches foreign languages to young football fans. Play games and do fun exercises to learn new phrases in five different languages. URL
  • CILT - Languages Work URL
  • Chez Mimi - join the residents of Chez Mimi to help improve your knowledge of French and German URL
  • Language Quiz URL
  • MYLO: a new way to learn languages URL
  • Why study Languages? URL
  • Links into Languages: find the latest policy news, CPD resources, classroom materials and more URL
  • Languages Work Factsheets: URL
• 
  

  The EU in the UK

  Links to European Commission representations, the European Parliament information offices, local MEP's and information networks.

  

  • The EU - What's in it for me? : A no nonsense guide for UK citizens to what the EU delivers URL
  • The European Representation in the UK URL
  • The UK Office of the European Parliament: Aiming to raise awareness of the European Parliament and the elections URL
  • South West MEPs: Their profiles and how to contact them URL
• 
  

  European Country of the Month!

  Each month we feature a different EU member state. Click on the links for info about each country and display photo's.

  

  • March 2013 - Romania URL
  • Previous European Countries of the Month

  • February 2013 - Finland URL
  • January 2013 - Malta URL
  • December 2012 - Bulgaria URL
  • November 2012 - Slovakia URL
  • Slovakia Tourist Information URL
  • October 2012 - The Czech Republic URL
  • The Czech Republic URL
  • September 2012 - The Netherlands URL
  • July 2012 - Cyprus URL
  • June 2012 - United Kingdom URL
  • The Queen's Diamond Jubilee - the official website URL
  • May 2012 - Lithuania URL
  • Lithuania Travel Information URL
  • April 2012 - Austria URL
  • March 2012 - Sweden URL
  • January 2012 - Denmark URL
  • Denmark resources File
  • November 2011 - Ireland URL
  • Ireland Resources File
  • September 2011 - Greece URL
  • Greece Resources File
  • June 2011 - Italy URL
  • Italy resources File
  • May 2011 - France URL
  • France resources File
  • March 2011 - Poland URL
  • Poland Resources File
  • January 2011 - Hungary URL
  • Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union URL
  • Hungary Resources File
  • November 2010 - Spain URL
  • Spain resources File
  • October 2010 - Germany URL
  • Germany resources File
  • Official Tourism Portal of Bulgaria URL
• 
  

  Event Photos!

  Browse through a selection of photos from our past events.

  

  • Be Safe Week at South Devon College - October 2012 Slideshow
  • Europe Direct South Devon Roadshow - June 2012 Slideshow
  • Europe Day - May 2012 Slideshow
  • Be Healthy Week at South Devon College - April 2012 Slideshow
  • Engineering Students' Berlin Enrichment Visit Presentation - November 2011 Slideshow
  • Europe Direct Volunteering Fayre - October 2011 Slideshow
  • European Day of Languages - September 2011 Slideshow
  • Europe Direct Summer Roadshow - June 2011 Slideshow
  • Adult Learners Week - May 2011 Slideshow
  • Europe Day - May 2011 Slideshow
  • The Exterminator Fun Run and 10k Race - May 2011 Slideshow
• 
  

  Easy-reading Corner

  Find booklets that explain in simple terms what the European Union is and what it does. You can also find maps, posters and postcards about the EU.

  Paper copies of publications can also be obtained from our Europe Direct Information Centre.