THE Isle of Man got representation in Brussels in April after the government appointed a new representative.
Patrick Bourke was appointed as the director of European Affairs and Brussels representative to act as the eyes and ears of the Isle of Man and to lobby on behalf of the Isle of Man Government.
Mr Bourke was recruited from the UK Ministry of Justice in London where he led the department's European, Crown Dependencies and devolution team.
The Isle of Man Government tasked Mr Bourke with strengthening relations with key decision-makers, promoting the Island's economic and cultural interests, and to gather intelligence on relevant issues.
Mr Bourke said: "I am delighted to have been appointed to this exciting role and look forward to working with new colleagues in the public and private sectors to represent the interests of the Isle of Man on the ground in Brussels."
Establishing a permanent presence in Brussels represented an important step towards furthering the Isle of Man's interests in Europe across a wide range of complex and challenging issues according to the government.
The then Chief Minister Tony Brown MHK: said: "I am pleased to welcome Patrick as the Island's representative in Brussels.
"We have worked closely with him and his team at the Ministry of Justice over a number of years and he is perhaps uniquely well positioned to lead our Brussels office given his comprehensive understanding of the workings of the Isle of Man, our relationship with the UK and the EU and his hands-on experience of working in the Brussels environment.
"Although we are not part of the EU, decisions they make can have a major impact on the Isle of Man, so establishing a permanent office in Brussels will be beneficial on many levels."
The Isle of Man Office is located in the European quarter, close to the commission headquarters, many embassies and the parliament.
Mr Bourke's salary is unknown however £250,000 was allocated for salary, running and admin costs for the first year.
Update: In November South Douglas MHK Kate Beecroft raised Mr Bourke's job role in the House of Keys. For more on this click here.
This story is part of isleofman.com's Review of the Year 2011.
