How do I get a job in another European country? My flight has been cancelled – what are my rights? What EU grants can my organisation apply for? Is it safe to shop online in another EU country? Are there any EU rules that guarantee the quality of our food?
These are some typical questions people have about the EU. We can answer them.
What we do
The Europe Direct Contact Centre is run by the European Commission. We answer any question from the public about the European Union, via phone or email. Our staff includes native speakers of the EU's 24 official languages, as well as Ukrainian and Russian.
We can
- give you an immediate answer to general questions about the EU
- help you navigate on the webpages published by the EU institutions
- find more specialised information. If needed, we ask an expert in the European Commission on your behalf
- give you the contact details for the best sources of further information and advice
- give you information that is factually correct and updated, according to the standards of public civil service. However, our answers are never legally binding.
What we can't do
Unfortunately, Europe Direct is not able to do any of the following:
- register or forward complaints/problems (but we can tell you who to contact)
- comment on EU policies
- give legal advice or interpret EU laws for you
- deal with any matters that are not in the remit of the EU
- help make your political opinions about EU matters known. However, you can comment on specific EU proposals at this website or you can follow us and comment on social media. You can also influence EU policy via the public political debate with your elected representatives at national and European level.
How to use Europe Direct
Our services do not cost you anything. You can call us from anywhere in the EU, for free at 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11. In a very few cases some tele operators do not allow access or charge for this. That is why you can also reach us via alternative numbers in each country.
You can write or call us from anywhere in the world. If calling from outside the EU, you pay the standard network rate. You can also make internet phone calls.
Outside our opening hours – working days 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central European Time – you can leave a message, or ask us to phone back using this form.
For written enquiries, we normally answer within 3 days. More complex enquiries may take longer. On the average we answer phone calls within 15 seconds.
Your Europe
You can find out more about your practical rights under EU law and in some cases, get legal advice on how they apply – at Your Europe.