20 years in the City of Venice

Europe Direct is the european information network for citizens, created by the European Commission to publicise the activities and opportunities offered by the European Union and has been active in the City of Venice for 20 years. Europe Direct Information Centres (also known as EDICs), present in all countries with 434 Centres distributed throughout the country and hosted by local public authorities (regions, provinces, metropolitan cities, municipalities), universities, cooperatives, consortia and associations. The City of Venice is one of the 44 selected centres in Italy that provide continuity to the European information service to citizens through a special desk that allows citizens, civil society, businesses and institutions to obtain comprehensive information and practical advice, "at hand", on the rights enshrined in European legislation as well as on the opportunities arising from participation in the European Union.

Since 1999, the Municipality of Venice, as project leader and host organisation, has had the information desk on the European Union, initially called IPE- Info Point Europe, in 2004 renamed Antenna Europe Direct and since 2005 Europe Direct.

Europe Direct Venezia Veneto has been awarded three mandates by the European Commission for the selection of structures and partners for the management of the Europe Direct Information Centres for the four-year period 2009-2012, the five-year period 2013-2017 and the three-year period 2018-2020.

The Europe Direct Venice Veneto office keeps active its Venetian subnet composed of 23 institutional partners spread over the regional territory:Regione del Veneto; the Provinces of Belluno, Padova, Rovigo, Treviso and Città metropolitana di Venezia; Prefettura di Venezia; Unioncamere del Veneto - Eurosportello and Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Venezia Rovigo; the municipalities of Bassano del Grappa, Castelfranco Veneto, Chioggia, Jesolo, Padova, Spinea, Thiene , Valdagno and Vicenza; Iuav University of Venice, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Esu di Venezia, Venice International University and the Ufficio scolastico Regionale per il Veneto.