James Mills is a web developer in the North East of England and founder of Refresh Teesside »
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Deloitte, which has 23 offices across the UK including Newcastle, is among the country's leading professional services firms » 
ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » I have been on nearly 40 business visits to Europe - and neighbouring countries - in last 20 years and each time come back full of determination to utilise the opportunities described.
I have spent the last 36 hours in Brussels helping to determine a new Erasmus scheme to host entrepreneurs across the 27 states of the EU.
As an entrepreneur I welcome this programme as I have learnt just as much off my fellow business colleagues over the years than from agencies. As David - a like minded Hungarian said to me - I learn most during the coffee breaks!
So why don't we in the north east think of european business opportunities more easily?
As a non-linguist I was, in equal measure, impressed and embarrassed at the fact that 100 delegates come from all over the EU to meet in Brussels and apart from an Italian MEP they all speak in English. My working group was led by a Spanish lady who worked magnificantly and presented the groups results by powerpoint in her second laguage.
So if you were about to say that you can't speak the language try another reason for not doing business abroad, plus trade missions can be subsidised and there are many trade representaitive organisations that can link you up with opportunities.
One thing I do know is that if you mix like minded entrepreneurs in a room they will do business. It has never been easier to work in partnership across Europe and the whole point of a trading block is...you guessed it to trade.
The further I move away from commodity trading of agricultural products the more I begin to get it. I sell Austrian boilers, frankly because they are the best. I sell local food products for exactly the same reason. The world will always be best served by all of us trading to our best skills and as such lets celebrate our differences.
On a lovely parochial note the signs go up to announce that Alnwick is the County town of Northumberland tomorrow - even if Wikipedia is a little open on the debate as to if Morpeth or Alnwick holds the title? I sponsored a posse to the House of Lords archive a few years ago and I have to say that Alnwick is in the ascendant and remains the place to where the County of Northumberland has greatest provenance.
No controversy today then!
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