"The European Commission is the civil service of the European Union. Its powers are limited and, contrary to popular belief, its staff is small, about 22,800 civil servants, which is about the staff working for a medium-sized city council. The Commission has an office in every Member State, a little more than 40 people work in the 4 offices of the Representation in the UK in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh. We organise conferences and other events in the regions to tell people about proposed EU policy and its likely impact. We also promote local discussion and debate and gather feedback on what the public thinks about - and wants from - the EU. Part of our work is also a series of seminars for teachers who want to develop the international dimension in their schools. We also supply free publications in 23 languages.