Thinking and acting both locally and globally is the job of an MEP, we learn as we accompany Eva Lichtenberger for a day in her Alpine home region.

Close to you: A Tyrolean European

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16050135/m005-0021-en_mf.srt

Hall in Tirol  with its multi-spired historic centre

is close to the capital of Tyrol,  Innsbruck.

the small town is  more than a scenic backdrop.

It provides her with ideas and ensures  she remains grounded in reality.

Austrian politicians  must be able to stomach a lot of coffee.

For breakfast, Eva Lichtenberger meets a  fellow party member from the town council

to discuss the local impact of  new EU proposals on public procurement.

What do you think we should  focus on at European level?

and receive bids from other regions  or other countries,

we are almost obliged  to choose these candidates,

even though they might not be very familiar  with the region or the local conditions.

they should be obliged to comply  with local regulations.

But this is not happening?  -Absolutely not.

As with all towns in the Tyrolean Inn Valley,  traffic noise is ever present in Hall.

Therefore it is hardly surprising  that Eva Lichtenberger

chose to be a member of  the EP's Transport Committee.

HGV transportation is also a topic in the  meeting with the regional party executive.

I would mainly like to discuss three issues

which are highly sensitive at the moment.

you will probably have heard in the media  that we are facing problems now.

megatrucks should not be allowed  to cross the EU's internal borders.

But now, under pressure from  the International Road Transport Union,

Commissioner Kallas is suddenly saying  that megatrucks may cross borders after all.

Should we consider launching an initiative  with the federal executive of the Greens

in order to demonstrate that we aren't  interested in having megatrucks at all?

In the historic centre of Innsbruck  online activists are waiting.

the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement,

which they and Lichtenberger both perceive  as a threat to civil liberties on the internet.

I'm here to tell you about  the latest developments regarding ACTA.

I'd also like to discuss our  further course of action in this final phase

in order to ensure that we achieve our goal,  which is for ACTA to be scrapped.

People who pay are being charged  two or three times too much,

while others get everything for free illegally.

which has already been  signed into law in Belgium.

You would pay five or six euros per month

as a flat rate charge  to cover artistic rights.

This would be part of your internet package.

After covering so many  different topics in one day,

it is time to look at the bigger picture.

Every few months Eva Lichtenberger  meets up with the journalist Irene Heisz

to discuss how Europe  is portrayed in the media

and how it is perceived amongst citizens.

I think that in regional politics Europe  is mainly a topic for political rhetoric,

where people think it's  trendy and sophisticated

On the other hand there are  very strong 'Hoamatl' tendencies.

That's true. But nobody will know  what this word means.

It refers to a 'My home is my castle' attitude.  We are truly international here!

Is it my problem if the translation service  doesn't know this expression?

In the EP it actually is a problem.  -I see.

Otherwise they'll say: 'The speaker  is using an untranslatable expression.'

I sometimes observe a very polarised view,  where people say,

you are either a Tyrolean or a European.

I personally don't see a contradiction there.

if I can bring about a positive change,  however small, then that's a good thing.

This will continue to depend on  working on many different issues

and, more importantly,  with many different people.