| We help and give information fluently in Spanish, English and German; and also do our best in communicating in most European languages. The association is run by members who volunteer to give their time freely to help other European citizens with questions or difficulties they encounter when trying to take up residency in the islands. Every year in September the association holds its annual general meeting when the governing committee members are elected, the previous year’s work scrutinised and programmes for the following year suggested. One of the lighter sides of the association is the cultural integration aspect, which includes excursions, informative conferences and charity work for some local organisations. Ciudadanos Europeos (Baleares) has approximately 3,500 members of various European nationalities in the Balearic Islands. The main form of contact is either through the association’s website or on receipt of the bi-monthly newsletter that is produced by volunteers. All members receive a copy of the newsletter giving them a brief, up-to-date account of changes that might affect them, reminding them of special dates and any social, cultural activities scheduled to take place in the near future. |
| A brief history of our Association |
| The Ciudadanos Europeos (Baleares) association was founded in 1994. Its first information office offering free information to the general public was inaugurated in 1997 with the assistance of the then Balearic Government. However, in 2000, following a change in government, funding to continue devolved on the private sector. In 2005 the Balearic Government and Palma City Council assisted in the re-opening of an office in Plaza España, Palma, alongside the Tourist Information Office. After the Municipal Elections in May 2007 and the resulting change of government, there was unfortunately no longer provision of funding for our Association; regrettably, we also had to give up our municipal office in Plaza España, Palma. It has taken us some time to rethink and reorganize the Association, however, due to the tremendous amount of enquiries still coming in over our website and the regret expressed by our existing members that CE is no longer organizing fun events, the members of the CE Committee have decided that we must continue to offer our members help and support, as well as, traditionally, cultural & fun events. We are now very much relying on all of our members and friends for their support to enable us to carry on offering the services of our Association. In view of the fact that for the time-being, we are reduced to offering a telephone & email helpline service, and no longer have an office open to the public, we have decided to raise a small standard annual membership fee of 12€ per person (48€ for company membership). |
