IT`S YOUR EUROPE- Living, learning and working anywhere in the EU

IT`S YOUR EUROPE- Living, learning and working anywhere in the EU

Europe on the move
EN
It’s your Europe
Living, learning and working
anywhere in the EU
16
NA-47-02-349-EN-C
This booklet tells you about those rights and
opportunities. It points you to sources of more detailed
information and encourages you to think seriously
about the benefits and personal fulfilment to be
gained through living, learning or working in another
EU country.
4
The European Union is not just
about free trade, open borders and
a common currency. It also gives
every EU citizen, regardless of age,
the right to travel, live, work, study
and retire in any EU country they
choose. And there are plenty of
opportunities.
ISSN 1022-8233
European Union
The European Union
Published in all the official languages of the European Union: Danish, Dutch, English,
Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.
European Commission
Directorate-General for Press and Communication
Publications
B-1049 Brussel/Bruxelles
Manuscript completed in August 2003
Cover illustration: Ascii
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2003
ISBN 92-894-5950-6
© European Communities, 2003
Reproduction is authorised.
Member States of the European Union
Printed in Belgium
PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER
New Member States due to join in 2004
Candidate countries
Situation: spring 2003
It’s your Europe
Living, learning and working
anywhere in the EU
Contents
The European Union – wide open with opportunities for all
3
Information and advice – at your fingertips
5
Expanding horizons – study and learning
7
Finding a job – opportunities on a continental scale
17
Research – think European
20
Go for it!
22
The European Union – wide open
with opportunities for all
In the early 1990s, the European
Union became a truly open area in
which people, goods, services and
money can move around with almost
total freedom. Every EU citizen,
regardless of age, has the right to
travel, live, work, study and retire
anywhere in the EU. And there are
plenty of opportunities!
This booklet tells you about those
opportunities. It encourages you to
think seriously about the benefits and
personal fulfilment to be gained
through living, learning or working in
another EU country.
Although the booklet is designed
primarily for EU citizens, some of the
programmes it describes are open to
applicants from other European
countries. Citizens of the new EU
member states (due to join in 2004)
will also have full access to these
opportunities, in some cases after a
transitional period.
Personal gains
The idea of going to study or work in
another country doesn’t occur to most
of us – or, if it does, we can think of all
sorts of objections. So we don’t bother.
Yet there are many things to be
gained from a period of study or work
abroad: a real change of environment;
new personal horizons; daily contact
with a different culture; the ideal
opportunity to learn a new language;
the chance to enjoy working or
studying alongside people from
different backgrounds, exchanging
ideas and comparing experiences.
What’s more, employers are increasingly
looking for people with a wider variety
of professional experience. A period of
study or work abroad can enhance a
CV and make it more attractive to
prospective employers.
It’s no secret: Europe can change your
life if you want it to.
Mobility means competitiveness
In June 2000, the presidents and
prime ministers of the 15 EU countries
pledged to transform the Union into
the most competitive knowledgebased society in the world by 2010.
Making a reality of this pledge
includes a raft of initiatives to
encourage people to move around the
EU to maximise their studying,
working, learning and lifestyle
opportunities. Competitiveness means
putting skilled people where the jobs
are. So Europe needs movers!
3
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
Clear road ahead
In fact, in the last decade, the
European Union has done a lot to
remove obstacles of this kind, clearing
the road ahead for all would-be
movers. This booklet points you to
sources of more detailed information
to help you get moving in Europe.
Nobody wants to commit themselves
to spending a long time in another
country without being sure of the
answers to some key questions, such
as:
It’s your Europe
• Will my qualifications be recognised
elsewhere in the EU?
The European Commission is setting
up an Internet portal called ‘Your
Europe’ (europa.eu.int/youreurope).
This provides a one-stop shop for
online information and advice about
living, working and learning in Europe.
Here you will find links to all the other
web sites and portals mentioned in
this booklet.
• What access do I have to welfare
services in another EU country?
• How are my rights guaranteed?
• Where would my children go to
school?
Europe Direct
For any kind of information about the
European Union, dial 00 800 6 7 8 9
10 11, from anywhere in the EU, free
of charge. You will reach an operator
who speaks your language and can
help answer your questions. Also online at europa.eu.int/europedirect.
© Eureka Slide
The road is open, so
head for new horizons.
4
Information and advice – at your
fingertips
As an EU citizen you have the right to
live and work in any EU country.
However, when planning your move
abroad, you will naturally be asking a
whole range of practical questions.
Where to live? What about schools
and childcare facilities? Can I move to
another country without having a job
offer? Will my qualifications be
recognised? How do I get residence
and work permits? Is my driving
licence valid in other countries? Do I
have the same healthcare and social
security rights as at home? What is my
tax situation if I work in another EU
country? How will my pension be
paid? And so on.
In the past, hunting for all this
information could be a frustrating and
time-consuming business. But no
longer. The European Commission
and EU government departments
have been working very hard to
provide you with guides and up-todate factsheets on all these topics and
many more besides.
Answers to your questions
Need more help? Two direct
services at your disposal
1. Citizens Signpost Service
Do you want expert advice about:
• Difficulties buying or renting property
in another EU country?
• Trouble registering your car?
• Problems having your professional
qualifications recognised?
• Problems with the tax authorities?
• Technical difficulties transferring your
pension rights to a new country of
residence?
Then follow the link to our Citizens
Signpost Service (CSS). It provides free
tailor-made information and advice
on your rights and will point you to
the organisation or service that can
best help solve your problem. Experts
will reply to your enquiry, in your own
language, within three working days.
We are now making all these sources
of information available online via the
‘Your Europe’ Internet portal:
europa.eu.int/youreurope.
Click on it and follow the links for all
the information you need. You will
find very detailed guidance on all the
issues that concern you – from social
security and tax systems to practical
details like finding a school, renting
accommodation and opening a bank
account, in whatever EU country you
choose to go to.
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I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
2. European Consumer Centres
Then follow the link to the European
Consumer Centres. These centres
have been (or are being) set up in all
EU countries and the network is
expanding to cover all the countries
due to join the EU in the next few
years. Your local centre can give you
the information you need as well as
specific help with cross-border
disputes.
Do you want advice about your rights
as a consumer, or help in solving a
consumer protection problem? Do
you need expert information about:
• Shopping online?
• Package holidays?
• Timeshare deals?
Still got problems?
Let Solvit solve them for you
• Cross-border banking?
• Food safety?
If you feel your rights are being denied
by a wrong application of EU law, you
can take your problem to a Solvit
centre, either in your home country or
the country where you are living and
doing business.
Solvit has been set up to solve your
problems as efficiently as possible
without the need for legal action. The
system is free of charge and is based
on a network of centres run by the
public authorities in each EU country.
Find them online by clicking on the
Solvit link in the ‘Your Europe’ portal.
She will receive treatment for
any medical problems that
arise during her period of
training abroad.
© LWA - Dann Tardif/Van Parys Media
Whatever your needs, whether as a
consumer or simply as an EU citizen,
Europe’s public services are there to
help you.
6
Expanding horizons – study and
learning
Moving to another EU country need
be no barrier to your education or
vocational training. On the contrary:
it could be a great personal
opportunity, and the EU is
encouraging educational mobility.
Hundreds of thousands of students,
young workers and teachers have
already discovered the benefits of
spending a long period abroad –
thanks to some of the EU’s most
popular programmes.
Information is the first key to making
the right decision. You want to move
to Italy and study architecture? Then
you need to find out what the
options are and what courses are
available. You have to move to
Sweden with your family? Then you
need to find out about the education
system and choose a school for your
children.
You can find answers to questions
such as these via the new Ploteus
Internet portal (www.ploteus.net). It
has been designed by the European
Union to connect people to detailed
sources of information on education
and training in 30 European
countries.
Find out with Ploteus
In ancient Greek, Ploteus means
‘navigator’. In the 21st century,
Ploteus also stands for ‘Portal on
Learning Opportunities Throughout
the European Space’. Clicking on
www.ploteus.net leads to a
collection of links divided into
sections: ‘Learning opportunities’,
‘Education systems’, ‘Exchanges’,
‘Contact’, and ‘Moving to a country’ –
each focusing on different types of
information.
The most important feature of
Ploteus is the Learning opportunities
section – a collection of almost 4 000
links to national or regional
databases and to education or
training institutions’ web sites in 30
European countries. You can select
information according to location,
learning language, subject or level of
education. This makes searching easy
and adaptable to everybody’s needs.
If you want to know about the
structure of an education system or
about qualifications, grants and
tuition fees, go to the Education
systems section. It provides clear and
concise descriptions of the national
education systems in 11 languages,
together with links to other useful
information and web sites.
The Exchanges section contains
information about all types of
exchange programmes at all levels –
from traineeships in companies, to
European voluntary service, to
specific educational exchange
programmes such as Erasmus and
Leonardo da Vinci.
For further information and career
guidance, the Contact section
provides details of national guidance
centres in 30 countries. To find out
more about the hands-on part of
living and learning abroad, go to the
Moving to a country section. It gives
useful tips on practical matters like
accommodation, the cost of living,
tax and social security.
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I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
Youth – discovering Europe
Are you between 15 and 25 years old? You want to discover other countries and
learn about life there? Then check out our special EU Youth programme at
europa.eu.int/comm/youth/program/index_en.html. It gives young people
in 30 European countries – and some other parts of the world – loads of opportunities to take part in group exchanges, local youth projects and so on. It also
offers you help in developing your own project ideas.
Would you like to spend a ‘gap year’ doing voluntary work abroad? Contact the
European Voluntary Service, which is part of the EU Youth programme.
The Youth programme aims at ‘inclusion’. In other words, it particularly supports
young people who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to go abroad because of
difficult circumstances in their own lives or in their home country.
Today’s young people will
shape tomorrow’s Europe.
Also check out our new European Youth portal (europa.eu.int/youth), online
in 2004. Here you can access information on a whole range of issues, from protecting the environment to fighting racism. It lets you chat with young people
anywhere, any time, and discuss issues with everyone – including politicians. The
future of Europe is in the hands of its young people, and EU leaders of today
very much want the new generation to get involved in designing the Europe of
tomorrow. What better way to start than by exploring Europe, discovering its
peoples and their cultures, making friends, having fun together and discussing
the future.
8
If you are a student
Socrates/Erasmus can give you:
Thanks to the Socrates/Erasmus
programme, thousands of young
people every year discover the joys
and rewards of study exchanges in the
EU. Imagine studying abroad,
meeting new friends, getting to know
a different culture and learning
another language, all at the same
time!
• the opportunity to study at a
partner institution in Europe for
3 to 12 months;
You could be one of the thousands if
you are studying at a higher
education institution in any of the 31
countries that take part in the
programme. They are:
At the same time, you can improve
your language skills by taking part in
one of the intensive language
preparation courses the host
universities provide. The university will
not charge you special fees and it will
help you to find accommodation.
• the 15 European Union countries:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom;
• full academic recognition of the
study period as part of your degree;
• eligibility for a small grant from the
EU to cover extra expenses.
• the 10 countries due to become EU
members in 2004: Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Slovakia and Slovenia;
• the three other candidate countries:
Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey;
• three EEA/EFTA countries: Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway.
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I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
To find out more, go to europa.eu.int/
comm/education/programmes/
socrates/erasmus/students_en.html
Alternatively, ask the international office of your home university or look at
its web site. Please note that the number of places for participating in Erasmus is limited.
The European credit transfer
system (ECTS)
The ECTS (europa.eu.int/comm/
education/programmes/socrates/
ects_en.html) is designed to ensure
that your study period abroad is
officially recognised. The European
Commission introduced ECTS more
than 10 years ago, and the system is
still expanding, even beyond Europe.
© Eureka Slide
Study abroad is not only
a great experience:
it will also look good
on your CV.
The Commission, the Council of
Europe and Unesco have also jointly
developed a ‘diploma supplement’,
which includes both a graduate’s
personal achievements and a
description of his or her national
higher education system. The diploma
supplement is now starting to be
widely implemented across Europe.
For further information go to
europa.eu.int/comm/education/
policies/rec_qual/recognition/
diploma_en.html.
10
‘After Erasmus I didn’t just go back to my old life’
Nathalie Vandelle, a political science student in Rennes, France, decided to
spend her Erasmus year at Edinburgh University.
‘Doing an Erasmus year in Scotland was a great opportunity for me to improve
my English and to meet lots of new people – not only from Scotland but from
all over Europe. I even took lessons in Scottish history so I could really appreciate where I was living.’
And for Nathalie her Erasmus year was much more than just a chance to improve her English and be part of a new culture. ‘Living abroad, away from family and friends, I became more independent, more mature and more self-confident. I had more responsibility as an adult, but could still enjoy life as a student.
The best of both worlds!’
© ASCii
Erasmus really did change her life: after finishing her studies she moved to yet
another European country. ‘Once I had lived abroad I realised how easy and how
much fun it was. So I decided to look for work in another country. I found that
employers are impressed if you have an Erasmus year on your CV. I was offered
a job in Belgium and I now live and work in Brussels.’
Nathalie Vandelle
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I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
The programme for teachers includes:
• developing study programmes with
European partner institutions;
© Roy Morsch/Van Parys Media
• teaching periods abroad (from one
to eight weeks) at one of your
partner institutions;
A first class experience!
The Comenius scheme
is for pupils and teachers
alike.
If you teach at a university or
other higher education institution
• joining or creating a ‘thematic
network’.
The official EU web site for the teachers’
programme
is
europa.eu.int/
comm/education/programmes/
socrates/erasmus/teacher_en.html.
The Socrates/Erasmus programme is
not only for students: it is also for
higher education professors and
teaching staff.
Would you like to add a ‘European
dimension’ to your academic
curriculum? The ‘Erasmus University
Charter’ can help by providing
financial support. Your active
participation in Socrates/Erasmus will
bring your institution closer to Europe
and Europe closer to your institution.
@
eLearning
The www.elearningeuropa.info portal brings together information on the use
of multimedia technologies and the Internet for education, training and lifelong
learning in Europe. Use it to find facts, share experiences, disseminate projects
and discuss ideas. One of its main purposes is to improve cooperation in this
field among all European players – so the more people use it the better.
12
If you want a professional or
vocational training course abroad
There is a lot to be gained by following
a training course or apprenticeship in a
country other than your own. It can
improve your employment prospects,
broaden your horizons, give you a new
perspective on life, make you more
adaptable and boost your confidence.
It can also be great fun! What’s more,
the qualifications you earn will be
recognised in every EU country.
The European Union runs a
programme called Leonardo da Vinci.
One of its aims is to give young people
access to training and apprenticeships, so as to improve their chances
of finding work – and more skilled
work. It also aims to improve
vocational training for people of all
ages, helping them acquire new skills
throughout their life and thus adapt
to new job requirements – for
example, working with new
technologies.
grant to help you with expenses. Some
of these projects are organised by
higher education institutions, others
are run by professional bodies,
regional associations, etc.
Are you a trainer, mentor or human
resources manager?
Are you
responsible for personnel training in
your company? Under the Leonardo
da Vinci programme you can take part
in foreign study visits lasting from one
to six weeks.
All the Leonardo da Vinci training
schemes are run by organisations in
each EU country, coordinated by a
national agency. So, if you are
interested, contact your national
agency. A complete list of these
agencies can be found on the
programme’s official web site:
europa.eu.int/comm/education/
programmes/leonardo/
leonardo_en.html.
You can do an
apprenticeship in
another country thanks
to the Leonardo da Vinci
programme.
Are you following an initial
professional training course? Are you
a young worker (salaried or seeking
work) or a recent graduate? If so, you
can complete your training abroad
under the Leonardo da Vinci
programme, for a period from 3 weeks
to 12 months. The programme
includes language courses and
cultural awareness training to help
you feel ‘at home’ as much as possible
during your stay abroad.
© Eureka Slide
Are you a student seeking
professional experience? Under the
Leonardo da Vinci programme you
can apply for a 3- to 12-month
placement in a company in one of the
30 participant countries, and obtain a
13
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
You too can communicate in other languages!
Europe will always be multilingual, and learning languages opens doors. For individuals, it can open
the door to a better career, to the chance to live, study or work abroad, even to more enjoyable holidays. For companies, multilingual staff can open the door to European and global markets.
Promoting the learning of languages throughout life and improving the quality of language teaching
are key objectives of the European Union. So it has a variety of schemes designed (for example) to:
• get schools in different countries working together on projects;
• help foreign-language teachers take in-service training courses abroad;
• put language assistants into classrooms;
• promote language skills at the workplace and in the training environment.
According to a Europe-wide opinion poll carried out in 2001 (Eurobarometer Special Survey 54), some
53% of EU citizens speak at least one foreign language in addition to their mother tongue. In some
countries the figure is as high as 98%.
English is by far the most frequently used foreign language. German and French are spoken by roughly the same numbers of people, German more as a mother tongue, French more as a foreign language.
People from the three largest language communities tend to have less faith in their language skills than
others.
To find out more about the EU’s language learning programmes and sources of funding visit
europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/lang/languages/index_en.html
If you are a school teacher
The European Union’s Comenius
scheme (which also comes under the
umbrella of the ‘Socrates’ programme)
focuses on EU-wide cooperation on
pre-school, primary and secondary
schooling. It is aimed at all members of
the education community – pupils,
teachers, other education staff, local
authorities, parents’ associations, nongovernmental organisations.
14
It supports activities such as school
partnerships and exchanges, training
projects for teaching staff and setting
up school networks.
More information is available at
europa.eu.int/comm/education/
programmes/socrates/comenius/
index_en.html.
Something for everyone
Whoever you are and whatever your
educational or training situation, the
EU has programmes to help you
promote and take part in learning
anywhere in the Union.
Most member states have a national
information office that can help you
find the programme best suited to your
needs. Local EU information offices will
also be able to provide advice and
information.
Lifelong learning
Europe is part of the global economy and has to compete with other advanced
societies where knowledge and skills are the key to prosperity.
Knowledge and skills become obsolete very quickly. That is why, in its drive for
modernisation and competitiveness, the European Union is encouraging citizens
of all ages to train and study to update their skills. It is also important to make
use of learning acquired in all walks of life, and not only through formal education.
Ideally, everyone should continue learning throughout their lifetime, for the sake
of personal development as well as employment. At present, in any given year,
fewer than 10% of Europeans of working age undertake any training. This is
clearly not enough.
It’s never too late
to learn.
15
© Rob Lewine/Van Parys Media
The European education and training programmes Socrates, Leonardo and Youth
are a key driving force for making lifelong learning a reality. If you are an adult
interested in updating your own skills, check out the Grundtvig adult education
programme, which promotes life-long learning for people of any age. More
information at europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/
grundtvig/home_en.html.
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
Eight reasons why you should learn in another European country
1. Meet people of different nationalities and make new friends.
2. Improve your employment possibilities. Make your CV different by spending time studying or
training in another country. The experience of living abroad can be very attractive to potential
employers.
3. Broaden your horizons. Immersion in a foreign culture can give you a new perspective on life and
make you more adaptable.
4. Boost your confidence. Learning to cope in a foreign country can increase your self-reliance and
maturity.
5. Enhance your working knowledge of another European language. Study or training abroad can have
a dramatic impact on your fluency. If you have no language skills, it is an ideal opportunity to
acquire a good working knowledge of another European language.
6. Experience different cultures and education or training systems. A deeper understanding of other
cultures can give you a more flexible approach to learning and working with people from different
backgrounds.
7. EU programmes make it easy to study somewhere else – and transfer back credits without losing
any time or work.
8. No age barrier. You can study almost anything, anywhere, at any time in any European country that
takes part in the Socrates programme and be guaranteed that your qualifications will be recognised
in all member states.
Europass – recording your experience abroad
If you are following a course of learning, at whatever level, that is part work-based and includes a period
abroad, then you can have it recorded in a Europass Training document. In this document, the
organisations involved in your course will describe (in up to three languages) what you have done. The
Europass Training document is not a diploma, but it provides an objective record of your experience and
makes it easier to show potential employers what you have achieved.
If you would like a Europass Training document, ask your school or company to obtain one for you from
the national contact point in your country. More information is available at europa.eu.int/comm/
education/programmes/europass/index_en.html
16
Finding a job – opportunities
on a continental scale
The freedom to move around in
Europe is for workers too. Whatever
your experience and skills, there are
job opportunities for you throughout
the European Union, provided you
speak the language well enough.
Thanks to changes in EU law,
qualifications gained in one EU
country are recognised in others, and
workers have EU-wide rights to social
protection and welfare. So there are
no hidden pitfalls to switching jobs
and countries.
EURES (EURopean Employment
Services) is a network that brings
together the European Commission,
the public employment services in
Europe and other bodies such as trade
unions, employers’ organisations and
local and regional authorities. EURES
aims to inform, advise and assist European citizens who want to work in another country, and to help employers recruit from abroad.
A job abroad is a great employment
opportunity. Your career as well as
your personal life can be enriched by
the experience. Living and working in
another culture and language is
stimulating, educational and yields
many gains.
As a vet, her
qualifications are
recognised wherever she
goes in the EU.
EURES – A service for the
mobile job seeker
© Eureka Slide
Probably the easiest way to find a job
in another European country is to go
to the European Union’s job mobility
portal europa.eu.int/eures. Over the
past two years, one million European
citizens have used this ‘first step’
service to find a job in Europe.
17
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
There are over 500 EURES advisers,
located throughout the EU and
beyond. They have a database
containing information about the
living and working conditions in each
country, labour markets, accommodation, education, cost of living, health,
social legislation, taxation, training
opportunities, comparability of qualifications, etc.
For research opportunities abroad,
see the fifth chapter of this booklet.
Breaking down barriers on
the borders
EURES has a particularly important
role to play in cross-border regions.
People who live in one country and
work in another have to cope with
different national practices and legal
systems. They may come across
administrative, legal or tax obstacles
to mobility on a daily basis. Crossborder EURES advisers help to find
practical solutions to these problems
and customise their services to the
needs of regional customers.
Job and CV databases
To match up the needs of job seekers
and employers, EURES has developed
a jobs database that lists selected
vacancies available throughout
Europe. This database is available for
all on the EURES web site. Employers
can use it to advertise their vacancies
in up to 17 countries. Likewise, job
seekers can search for employment in
any one of these countries.
18
In addition to the jobs database there
is a CV search database. Job seekers
can use it to make their CVs available
to a wide range of employers, who
will then directly contact suitable
applicants. For small and mediumsized businesses looking for specific
know-how, EURES offers a personal
service to access the potential
available in the European labour
market. EURES has also helped big
companies in their recruitment
campaigns.
Writing your curriculum vitae
You should draw up a clear, wellstructured curriculum vitae, targeted
at the specific job you want. You
should also get it translated into the
host country language, together with
your qualifications. Consider using
the standard European curriculum
vitae, described in the box.
Working in Europe – so many
opportunities
In all EU countries there are job
vacancies waiting to be filled by
people with the right skills, from
anywhere in the EU – or even from
outside it.
So check out the
opportunities and broaden your
horizons.
Working in Copenhagen
today: where tomorrow?
The choice is endless...
Your CV for the Europe-wide job market
Whether you are seeking learning opportunities or work, the European curriculum vitae will enable you to present your competences and qualifications more
clearly. The European CV gives a comprehensive, standardised overview of your
educational attainments and work experience.
The European CV provides information on:
• language competences;
• work experience;
• education and training background;
• additional skills and competence acquired outside formal training schemes.
The CV format is available in 13 languages, and can be downloaded from
www.cedefop.eu.int/transparency/cv.asp.
The ‘certificate supplement’ gives a detailed description of the skills and competences gained during your vocational training. In every EU country plus
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, an information centre (known as a ‘national
reference point’) will give you information on the vocational education and training system, and can supply certificate supplements in the language you need.
19
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
Research – think European
Framework programme
Europe has a proud tradition of
scientific excellence and technological
innovation, and it is still among the
world leaders. But in order to maintain
or increase its lead, Europe must invest
heavily in research and put its best brains
together. So the EU is busy removing
the walls that separate its national
research communities - creating a single
‘European research area’ in which
scientists can move around freely and
work closely together.
The EU’s sixth framework programme
for research (2003–06) aims to
integrate research throughout the EU.
For information on the programme see
europa.eu.int/comm/research/
fp6/index_en.html
For general information on research in
the EU see europa.eu.int/comm/
research
Information on research programmes
and projects is at www.cordis.lu/en/
home.html.
The pan-European
researcher’s mobility portal
As a research worker in Europe you
will probably want to take advantage
of the new opportunities for
international mobility. But what
opportunities and grants are actually
available?
What about visa requirements, access
to employment, social security rights,
tax laws and the cultural aspects of
moving to another country?
To help you find all the information
you need, the European Commission
has provided a pan-European
researcher’s
mobility
portal.
Online since June 2003 at
europa.eu.int/eracareers/
index_en.cfm, it is intended to
encompass all EU member states –
both present and future.
© Comstock.com
Shared scientific
knowledge is the key to
progress and growth.
20
The portal provides:
Women and science
• general information about research
grants;
Not enough women work in the field
of scientific research. The EU’s
‘Women and science’ initiative seeks
to rectify this imbalance by promoting
women’s participation in Europe-wide
research.
• details of job offers and available
opportunities, including a jobs
database and a CV search database;
• information about visa requirements,
social security and tax arrangements,
etc. as well as the cultural and
family-related aspects of moving to
another country;
For more information see
europa.eu.int/comm/research/
science-society/women-science/
women-science_en.html.
The future is yours
• a forum and other services of interest
to mobile research workers.
In addition, from autumn 2003, you
have free access to a Europe-wide
customised help desk service,
provided by the European network of
mobility centres. These centres give
you personal assistance with all the
aspects of your move to another
country, including practical information on housing, schooling, day-care
facilities and language courses.
Research is the key to Europe’s future.
As a research scientist, the key is in
your hands.
Your talent, your
expertise and your personal mobility
are all vital in opening the doors – to
your own future too.
Wanted: women
researchers.
21
© Royalty-Free/Van Parys Media
• general information about research
policy issues;
I t ’ s yo u r E u ro p e
Go for it!
The EU now offers freedoms and
chances for mobility that previous
generations of Europeans could only
dream of. Long gone are the days
when most people stayed in the town
or village where they grew up. There
is now no more reason to stay in your
home country than in your home
town.
Home can be anywhere in Europe, at
any age and for any purpose:
volunteering, study, training, work...
Retirement too. Why not consider
spending your retirement years in
another country?
By the sea, perhaps, or somewhere
you can indulge your passion for hill
walking or nature watching.
Somewhere your grandchildren would
love to spend their holidays... The EU
has done a lot to make the move
simple.
Perhaps it will never be as easy for
Europeans to move from one EU
country to another as it is for US
citizens to move from one state to
another. But it is getting easier all the
time and it can be very rewarding.
Europe means opportunities: take
them!
© Royalty-Free/Van Parys Media
Home can be
anywhere in Europe, at
any age.
22
European Commission
It’s your Europe
Living, learning and working anywhere in the EU
Europe on the move series
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
2003 — 22 pp. — 16.2 x 22.9 cm
ISBN 92-894-5950-6
The European Union is not just about free trade, open borders and a common
currency. It also gives every EU citizen, regardless of age, the right to travel, live,
work, study and retire in any EU country they choose. And there are plenty of
opportunities.
This booklet tells you about those rights and opportunities. It points you to
sources of more detailed information and encourages you to think seriously
about the benefits and personal fulfilment to be gained through living, learning
or working in another EU country.
Other information on the European Union
Information in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Internet. You
can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int
All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You can can find the address of
the centre nearest you at this web site: europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm
EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about the European Union. You can
contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (or by payphone from outside the
EU:+32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect
You can also obtain information and booklets in English about the European Union from :
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
REPRESENTATIONS
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
OFFICES
Representation in Ireland
18 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11
Fax (353-1) 634 11 12
Internet: www.euireland.ie
E-mail: [email protected]
Office in Ireland
European Union House
43 Molesworth Street
Dublin 2
Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00
Fax (353-1) 605 79 99
Internet: www.europarl.eu.int
E-mail: [email protected]
Representation in the United Kingdom
Jean Monnet House
8 Storey’s Gate
London SW1P 3AT
Tel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92
Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10
Internet: www.cec.org.uk
Representation in Wales
2 Caspian Point, Caspian Way
Cardiff CF10 4QQ
Tel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20
Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35
Internet: www.cec.org.uk
Representation in Scotland
9 Alva Street
Edinburgh EH2 4PH
Tel. (44-131) 225 20 58
Fax (44 131) 226 41 05
Internet: www.cec.org.uk
United Kingdom Office
2 Queen Anne’s Gate
London SW1H 9AA
Tel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00
Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02
Internet: www.europarl.eu.int/uk
E-mail: [email protected]
Office in Scotland
The Tun, 4 Jackson’s Entry, Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh EH8 8PJ
Tel. (44-131) 557 78 66
Fax (44-131) 557 49 77
Internet: www.europarl.org.uk
E-mail: [email protected]
Representation in Northern Ireland
Windsor House
9/15 Bedford Street
Belfast BT2 7EG
Tel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08
Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41
Internet: www.cec.org.uk
Information services in the United States
2300 M Street, NW - 3rd floor
Washington DC 20037
Tel. (202) 862 95 00
Fax (202) 429 17 66
Internet: www.eurunion.org
305 East 47th Street
3 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Tel. (212) 371 38 04
Fax (212) 688 10 13
Internet: www.eurunion.org
There are European Commission and Parliament representations and offices in all the countries of the European Union.
The European Commission also has delegations in other parts of the world.
The European Union
Published in all the official languages of the European Union: Danish, Dutch, English,
Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.
European Commission
Directorate-General for Press and Communication
Publications
B-1049 Brussel/Bruxelles
Manuscript completed in August 2003
Cover illustration: Ascii
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2003
ISBN 92-894-5950-6
© European Communities, 2003
Reproduction is authorised.
Member States of the European Union
Printed in Belgium
PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER
New Member States due to join in 2004
Candidate countries
Situation: spring 2003
Europe on the move
EN
It’s your Europe
Living, learning and working
anywhere in the EU
16
NA-47-02-349-EN-C
This booklet tells you about those rights and
opportunities. It points you to sources of more detailed
information and encourages you to think seriously
about the benefits and personal fulfilment to be
gained through living, learning or working in another
EU country.
4
The European Union is not just
about free trade, open borders and
a common currency. It also gives
every EU citizen, regardless of age,
the right to travel, live, work, study
and retire in any EU country they
choose. And there are plenty of
opportunities.
ISSN 1022-8233
European Union