Chemnitz receives EU information center: A step into the future!

Chemnitz receives EU information center: A step into the future!

Today is a special day for Chemnitz: the city is receiving a Europe Direct center from the European Commission. This new center will be inaugurated on the ground floor of Tietz and has big plans. The start of work will be celebrated on January 1, 2026, and the project will initially run for five years. How blick.de reports, the aim of the center is to inform and advise citizens on issues relating to the EU. Meeting formats should be created that strengthen trust in the EU and make its relevance visible in everyday life.

These formats will be particularly effective at the intervention areas of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025. The new information office will be located under the mayor's authority. Chemnitz will not be alone in this. As part of the next generation of Europe Direct centers, a total of 48 new locations will be opened in Germany germany.representation.ec.europa.eu supplemented.

EU engagement on site

The Chemnitz center is supported with generous grants of 44,000 euros annually from the European Commission, supplemented by funds from the Free State. The funding for the entire five-year term adds up to an impressive 220,000 euros. The more than 400 Europe Direct centers across the EU have played an important role since their establishment in 2005, providing a local point of contact for information from Brussels.

The positive response to the call for tenders reflects the great interest in EU issues. Barbara Gessler, the Commission representative in Germany, and Stefan Lock, head of the regional representation in Bonn, see the Europe Direct centers as a valuable opportunity to disseminate information locally. The offer is aimed at both citizens and local companies who have questions about the EU.

A look ahead

The new centers will be launched not only in Chemnitz, but also in Berlin, Erfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Gießen and Vilstal. This expansion shows that the EU wants to get closer to its citizens. It is encouraging to see that many of the existing centers can continue their work, ensuring a continuous exchange on European issues. The highest interest is highlighted in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, as Wolfgang Bücherl, head of the regional representation in Munich, notes. This positive development is also expected in Chemnitz.

In today's world, when many people are not always familiar with EU issues in everyday life, the creation of such contact points is even more important. There is great potential here to encourage citizens' engagement with Europe and to clarify questions that may have previously remained unanswered.