An information service for businesses serving Oxfordshire has achieved the top rating in a European Commission survey.

The European Information Centre (EIC), part of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce & Industry's Business Information Centre, is one of 233 across Europe.

It was classified 'in the blue zone', the highest of three categories judged by the European Commission's Audit Service.

Centre manager Barbara Moye said: "We're delighted that our services have received this recognition from the Commission. The European Information Centre plays an important role in helping local businesses, and contributing to making the Thames Valley region a major competitive force in Europe."

The European Information Centre is a first-stop shop for all European business information in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. It offers a tender alert service, providing weekly reports of European tenders relevant to a client. Other services include free general enquiries, business partner searches, business opportunities, grant finding, environmental management tools, an EC Watch current awareness service and newsletters.