:00:00. > :00:08.Now on BBC News we have Politics Europe.
:00:09. > :00:14.I'm a reporter for the BBC's Politics Europe programme, so I
:00:15. > :00:19.get to see a lot of the EU, whether it's livening up the sometimes
:00:20. > :00:28.The bad news is we've just been thrown out of the Parliament.
:00:29. > :00:32.Or visiting the shipyards of the newest member of the bloc, Croatia.
:00:33. > :00:36.Those ferries are heading for Turkmenistan.
:00:37. > :00:43.And this is an oil tanker that the shipyard will rent out.
:00:44. > :00:51.Lots of our laws come from it but how much do you really know
:00:52. > :01:01.Over the next half`hour we will see how Brussels uses its funds to
:01:02. > :01:15.and park outside their holiday cottages it feels different.
:01:16. > :01:18.But you drive in five miles and the industry was at a low ebb.
:01:19. > :01:23.We will find out how they are getting into space as well.
:01:24. > :01:25.This is creating jobs, high`technology jobs for Europe.
:01:26. > :01:27.It creates intellectual capital, something Europe has been investing
:01:28. > :01:33.Plus, who knew there was a right way and a wrong way to hang
:01:34. > :01:46.The way the stars are always looking up and the feet open.
:01:47. > :02:21.Welcome to the Politics Europe insider's guide to the EU.
:02:22. > :02:24.It has been a busy year for the three main institutions that
:02:25. > :02:30.In May there were elections for the European Parliament.
:02:31. > :02:33.It saw the extreme left, the extreme right and Eurosceptics
:02:34. > :02:39.But the only directly elected part of the EU is still dominated
:02:40. > :02:42.by parties of the centre`right and centre`left.
:02:43. > :02:49.Jean`Claude Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg, became
:02:50. > :02:52.the president of the commission, the bit of the EU that dreams up
:02:53. > :02:58.new legislation and makes sure every country sticks to the rules.
:02:59. > :03:01.One of which was dominated by the issue of whether that guy from
:03:02. > :03:06.Still, the entire continent was torn between those who think Europe is
:03:07. > :03:11.brilliant and those who think it is bust.
:03:12. > :03:14.But say what you like about the EU, they are pretty good
:03:15. > :03:27.The gift shop at the European Parliament.
:03:28. > :03:31.Proof you can put the EU flag on just about anything.
:03:32. > :03:38.This is the head of protocol at the parliament.
:03:39. > :04:16.They generally go into wool, not this kind of material.
:04:17. > :04:22.The rules say the European flag should be flown
:04:23. > :04:30.in every meeting room and every event and flown correctly.
:04:31. > :04:33.It has a sense in the way that the stars are always looking upwards.
:04:34. > :04:55.thank you for showing the European flag but it's the wrong way.
:04:56. > :05:08.It was originally chosen by the Council of Europe,
:05:09. > :05:11.a separate body which oversees the European Court of Human Rights.
:05:12. > :05:13.The stars were only adopted in '85, when a bit
:05:14. > :05:17.In the present world I think it's important because, as national
:05:18. > :05:20.states, we are too small compared with these big countries like India
:05:21. > :05:38.It is instantly recognisable but you can't hum it.
:05:39. > :05:41.Unlike the EU's official anthem, from Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
:05:42. > :05:47.The conductor of the Brussels' Philharmonic reveals the mystery.
:05:48. > :06:02.Beethoven was a genius because of that.
:06:03. > :06:09.With very essential things, he could create emotion and strong emotion.
:06:10. > :06:10.Besides that, the chords that accompany
:06:11. > :06:29.A simplicity found in music of all cultures and all ages.
:06:30. > :06:35.More universal, more federal, more European, more for everybody,
:06:36. > :06:47.The motto, united in diversity, or Europe's official day,
:06:48. > :06:50.May the 9th, if you have your Euro branded calendar to hand.
:06:51. > :06:54.This is the symbol for the euro, chosen because it looks
:06:55. > :07:00.like the letter E but mainly because it looks like the Greek
:07:01. > :07:05.letter that showcases Europe as the cradle of civilisation.
:07:06. > :07:07.The two lines through the middle represent stability
:07:08. > :07:13.A lot of those euros are spent on the EU's regional funds,
:07:14. > :07:17.where Europe tries to help some of the continent's poorest regions.
:07:18. > :07:27.In the eyes of Brussels, on a par with Sicily or Transylvania, because
:07:28. > :07:32.the annual income is less than three quarters of the EU average, which
:07:33. > :07:35.means it qualifies for special regional funding called convergence,
:07:36. > :07:38.designed to even out economic disparities across Europe.
:07:39. > :07:44.Here and Wales are the only places in the UK that get it.
:07:45. > :07:46.In typical EU style, there are loads of other funds
:07:47. > :07:52.as well but the bulk of regional money goes to regions like this.
:07:53. > :07:55.In Cornwall's case, half a billion pounds over six years.
:07:56. > :08:01.This yacht builders was awarded ?190,000.
:08:02. > :08:07.It had to match the funding with their own money.
:08:08. > :08:10.This is what it paid for, the mould for making the hull
:08:11. > :08:18.The boats go to the super rich but they are helping to spread
:08:19. > :08:23.Cornwall is very pretty around the outside.
:08:24. > :08:26.In summer, when the Range Rovers come down from London and park
:08:27. > :08:30.outside their lovely holiday cottages, it feels different.
:08:31. > :08:33.You drive in five miles and the industry was at a pretty low
:08:34. > :08:43.Up the road, over ?4 million was spent at this train station.
:08:44. > :08:52.That paid to build this new loop, which means you can have two trains
:08:53. > :08:55.passing each other in the station at the same time, which means you can
:08:56. > :08:59.It helps people to get here, once fields,
:09:00. > :09:03.The centrepiece is the University of Exeter's environment
:09:04. > :09:14.But they all seem quite cheap compared to the biggest project,
:09:15. > :09:27.But the company raised the same amount.
:09:28. > :09:29.It comes together here at the innovation centre.
:09:30. > :09:35.Investment in the internet, new workspaces, education and employment
:09:36. > :09:38.lured this games company, which has gone from one worker last summer to
:09:39. > :09:51.There isn't really an aspect of the business operation down here
:09:52. > :09:56.which isn't in some way affected by European Union convergence funding.
:09:57. > :10:00.Do you go to bed at night thanking the founding fathers of the EU?
:10:01. > :10:08.I wouldn't say I think about it that deeply.
:10:09. > :10:11.But it certainly is something that has made it a lot easier
:10:12. > :10:14.for us to achieve our aims and our goals, or to set off
:10:15. > :10:25.In return, the EU gets its flag plastered everywhere.
:10:26. > :10:29.Yes, everywhere, which enrages critics,
:10:30. > :10:32.who think the UK could spend its own money, thank you very much.
:10:33. > :10:42.There's a much bigger political question within that.
:10:43. > :10:44.In terms of, would UK government have made this
:10:45. > :10:46.investment, so that's probably an MP`politician type answer.
:10:47. > :10:49.But as a local councillor, I'm not sure that investment would
:10:50. > :10:55.It has happened through the European Union and it's going to
:10:56. > :11:02.We will certainly do our best to make the most of that investment.
:11:03. > :11:04.Home time and Europe funded this place as well.
:11:05. > :11:06.Brussels insiders admit not every euro
:11:07. > :11:17.But regional funds aren't going anywhere, they are staying a crucial
:11:18. > :11:24.But what about the people who work behind the scenes?
:11:25. > :11:30.To become an EU official, you have to pass a gruelling test.
:11:31. > :11:37.Here at the EU's very own recruitment agency.
:11:38. > :11:41.Obviously sometimes we are extremely busy
:11:42. > :11:47.because there is an enlargement so we have to bring in large numbers.
:11:48. > :11:51.If you look over the history of the office over the last 12 or
:11:52. > :11:53.so years, proably the institutions have hired somewhere between 1,500
:11:54. > :12:01.The numbers applying would be somewhere around 70,000.
:12:02. > :12:08.But it is less gruelling than it used to be.
:12:09. > :12:10.Until 2010 there used to be a test of EU knowledge.
:12:11. > :12:13.This was much criticised and it was one of the things that,
:12:14. > :12:20.in our modernisation of the selection process, we abolished.
:12:21. > :12:24.Sometimes those questions were very specialised.
:12:25. > :12:26.It changed rapidly and you could probably only really
:12:27. > :12:30.It helped if you were already here, for example.
:12:31. > :12:34.I think I could do with some preparation.
:12:35. > :12:37.It's one of those tests where you have to work out
:12:38. > :12:57.Is there something you really want in your life?
:12:58. > :13:08.If I was trying to get through this process, what would be
:13:09. > :13:19.First, I would rephrase it as, if I want to go through the process.
:13:20. > :13:37.Slightly awkward pep talk over, it's test time.
:13:38. > :13:39.Facing a test of puzzles, all on the computer.
:13:40. > :13:49.Like everyone I will do the first part of my mother tongue.
:13:50. > :13:51.Unlike everyone else, I'm missing out part two because
:13:52. > :14:09.According to a large`scale study, energy, earthquakes...
:14:10. > :14:13.Well, all I can say is that was very intense.
:14:14. > :14:15.You are up against the clock, the questions are really tough
:14:16. > :14:18.and you are putting quite a lot of pressure on yourself.
:14:19. > :14:25.I got the results a few days later.
:14:26. > :14:30.If I get through I'll have another day of face`to`face exercises
:14:31. > :14:33.and even then I'll only go into a recruitment pool with no
:14:34. > :14:50.I think they are just being nice because they say that I
:14:51. > :15:02.wouldn't have passed most of the competitions that they run.
:15:03. > :15:05.I may have been able to have passed one of the easy ones.
:15:06. > :15:08.I didn't pass but let's meet some of my fellow Brits who did.
:15:09. > :15:11.The biggest thing that surprised me on my travels is the number
:15:12. > :15:35.In the Hague, the ambassador in Switzerland,
:15:36. > :15:42.They are not saying she is a British person. It is not relieve the
:15:43. > :15:47.primary. They are not saying she is a British
:15:48. > :15:52.person. It is not This was useful for Whitehall having you in this
:15:53. > :15:58.job, as a back channel? There is now back channel. I will talk to anyone
:15:59. > :16:02.who wants to talk to me. There are a lot of senior people reaching the
:16:03. > :16:11.end of young EU careers and not enough Joannes, just outing her job
:16:12. > :16:17.in the IT department. I am properly one of a handful of Brits I have
:16:18. > :16:21.known over the last 18 months. Mainly my colleagues are from lots
:16:22. > :16:25.of different European countries. Of course that was part of the appeal
:16:26. > :16:31.of coming to work here, the mix of people and cultures. I find that
:16:32. > :16:36.brilliant trusting. That is the story that the statistics tell as
:16:37. > :16:40.one of the institutions, the one of the institutions, the
:16:41. > :16:44.commission where Joanne works. The number of UK nationals there has
:16:45. > :16:50.fallen by 24% over the last seven years which means that now just 4.5%
:16:51. > :16:55.of the staff are British and the UK makes up 12.5% of the population of
:16:56. > :17:02.the EU, so as a nation we are seriously underrepresented, a
:17:03. > :17:06.situation that one EU official told me was a catastrophe. That is kind
:17:07. > :17:12.of how they see it here at the Foreign Office as well. They
:17:13. > :17:17.launched a new drive to get people considering careers as EU civil
:17:18. > :17:21.servants. For anyone tempted to keep the British end up over there, what
:17:22. > :17:27.is the EU really like as an employer? Do you find yourself going
:17:28. > :17:32.back home and being an advocate for the EU at dinner parties and at the
:17:33. > :17:41.pub? Absolutely, 100%. But I'm very happy to. Is this a fun place to
:17:42. > :17:46.work? It's, we don't have fun you know, we have job satisfaction! What
:17:47. > :17:55.about the think tanks, where people are paid to talk about the EU? No
:17:56. > :17:59.need to come `` no need to go to Brussels when there is so much
:18:00. > :18:03.Europe a short stroll from your office. Here you will find the
:18:04. > :18:10.Centre for European reform, a think tank. Just around the corner and
:18:11. > :18:16.above the faith society, you will find another think tank called Open
:18:17. > :18:20.anti`. They have a team of anti`. They have a team of
:18:21. > :18:24.multilingual researchers who translate the European press so we
:18:25. > :18:29.don't have too. Just down the road you will find Business for Britain,
:18:30. > :18:38.a group which is pro`reform and pro`referendum, and somewhere
:18:39. > :18:44.amongst all this scaffolding on this main road, another EU campaign group
:18:45. > :18:49.has sprung up, called British Influence, describing it itself as a
:18:50. > :18:55.cross`party pro EU membership organisation. Time to head further
:18:56. > :19:05.afield. In these offices you will find the extremely pro`EU group
:19:06. > :19:15.Business for Europe, run by Roland rot. This is the office of the very
:19:16. > :19:20.Eurosceptic newsgroup. Next door to the Calvin Klein shop which is
:19:21. > :19:25.appropriate, because they think Europe is a load of pants. Then
:19:26. > :19:31.there are the groups that are no longer with us, like Britain in
:19:32. > :19:36.Europe, which united big names in support of the euro, or its
:19:37. > :19:42.antithesis, Business for sterling. Some I did not have the time to
:19:43. > :19:48.visit, like global Britain, or the European movement. Now to the better
:19:49. > :19:56.off out campaign, an offshoot of the Freedom Association. Their office is
:19:57. > :20:02.on that boat. I have heard there is even a bar on board. Just don't make
:20:03. > :20:10.the same mistake as me. Better off out, how are you better off ``
:20:11. > :20:15.different than get Britain out? Get Britain out put their case and we
:20:16. > :20:22.put ours, but we look to emphasise the positive is. Finally, the EU has
:20:23. > :20:28.its own presence here in the form of this house where you can get lots of
:20:29. > :20:32.informative literature. We have to point out that this used to be Tory
:20:33. > :20:36.Central office! Finally we are heading to the final frontier to
:20:37. > :20:42.explore the work of the European Space Agency. Europe's XO Mars rover
:20:43. > :20:50.crawls over the surface of the red planet. Except it is really the
:20:51. > :20:53.Netherlands where you will find the research and technology centre of
:20:54. > :20:58.the European Space Agency. It is where most of the missions are
:20:59. > :21:03.planned and built. This one takes off in 2018 and will have robotics
:21:04. > :21:08.designed by an engineer from Greece. Better not crash, it is costing 1
:21:09. > :21:15.billion euros plus. What would you say to your fellow Greeks who are
:21:16. > :21:19.struggling financially to say this is worth investing in? This is
:21:20. > :21:25.investing in research and development, intellectual capital,
:21:26. > :21:29.which is something Europe has been investing in. It is creating
:21:30. > :21:37.knowledge and satisfying the need for research of the human kind.
:21:38. > :21:43.There are a lot of positive aspects that do bring a return. Missions are
:21:44. > :21:50.launched in French guy in South America. Astronauts get trained in
:21:51. > :21:54.Germany. A new lad has just opened up in the UK. In Holland I put on
:21:55. > :22:00.some fashionable space where to meet one of the senior Brits here, where
:22:01. > :22:06.they simulate the conditions up there. One of Mark's pet projects is
:22:07. > :22:10.the Rosetta probe which later this year will land on a comet,
:22:11. > :22:16.hopefully. There is a huge amount of science to be done, analysing how
:22:17. > :22:21.the comet is put together. Then we top it off by landing the comet.
:22:22. > :22:26.Comets are time camp shills, they are stuff left over from Earth and
:22:27. > :22:31.the solar system when the planets were made and the sun was made,
:22:32. > :22:35.there is some dust left if you like. Bashar macro time camp shills.
:22:36. > :22:40.Analysing that, we can learn about how life potentially came to light
:22:41. > :22:46.in the first place. We can do things together which are very ambitious. I
:22:47. > :22:51.think it is a great example of human cooperation in that regard. The
:22:52. > :22:56.badges come off at that point and we are sitting in a control room
:22:57. > :23:03.waiting for the results to come back from one of our missions, we are all
:23:04. > :23:07.European, it is great. There are no European flags, because the agency
:23:08. > :23:11.is independent. It is funded and run by its 20 member states which
:23:12. > :23:14.confusingly include Canada. The United Kingdom is the fourth largest
:23:15. > :23:21.contributor behind France, Germany and Italy. Spending about ?250
:23:22. > :23:25.million last year. A few years ago we upped our contributions, making
:23:26. > :23:29.the UK lots of friends around here. Each member pays a basic
:23:30. > :23:36.subscription based on their national income and the more you pay in, the
:23:37. > :23:42.more work gets sent your country's way. Member states then pick and
:23:43. > :23:47.choose which missions to invest in. Some nations stains have specific
:23:48. > :24:01.launchers and they will invest more in launchers than other areas.
:24:02. > :24:05.sensors, in other things. Having said it is not part of the European
:24:06. > :24:15.Union, the equivalent of the GPS called
:24:16. > :24:23.Galileo. The Lisbon Treaty also gave Brussels the power to have its own
:24:24. > :24:29.space policy for the first time. And prepare for Britain to go space mad
:24:30. > :24:37.with the first British astronaut to head into the orbit on a European
:24:38. > :24:43.mission. That is all we have time for. How do you say Eurozone crisis
:24:44. > :24:50.in Estonian? Visiting all the important bits of the EU. The
:24:51. > :24:54.president of the council sits there and then the leaders like Angela
:24:55. > :24:58.Merkel and David Cameron sit around this table, and the negotiations
:24:59. > :25:03.start. And getting my hands on European history. The Treaty of Rome
:25:04. > :25:07.signed in 1957 by the six original member states. It sets out the
:25:08. > :25:12.principle of a common market and ever closer union between the
:25:13. > :25:19.peoples of Europe. I have learned to big lessons. Nothing ever stand
:25:20. > :25:22.still when it comes to the EU, and everything is a product of constant
:25:23. > :25:24.negotiation. Hopefully after our journey together, you feel like an
:25:25. > :25:37.insider too. It may not be a statistic you want
:25:38. > :25:42.to hear in August but it may be the first months in around eight or nine
:25:43. > :25:43.when we see temperatures falling at