This evening I gave a closing speech at an information session for all our newcomers – staff and stagiaires starting work at the Committee. For the occasion I invited along Carlo Luyckx, who is Director of the Brussels-Europe Liaison Office. Brussels values greatly the presence of the European institutions and does a huge amount to try and make us as welcome as possible. This includes, an innovative  survival guide that Carlo distributed to the participants in the seminar. In return, I believe, we owe it to the cause of European integration and to our Belgian hosts to behave at all times in an appropriate and respectful manner. We are all, I argued, members of the European Union’s communication team. The way we behave in and out of the office can confirm or destroy prejudices.