Overview of the European Union (EU)

Location and Membership

• The EU is located in Europe and has unclear boundaries.
• Official Member Countries (by population):
  • Germany
  • France
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Netherlands
  • Greece
  • Belgium
  • Portugal
  • Czech Republic
  • Hungary
  • Sweden
  • Austria
  • Bulgaria
  • Denmark
  • Slovakia
  • Finland
  • Ireland
  • Croatia
  • Lithuania
  • Latvia
  • Slovenia
  • Estonia
  • Cyprus
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta

EU Functions

• Key points to understand:
  1. Countries pay membership dues.
  2. Vote on laws that all member countries must follow.
  3. Citizens of member countries are also EU citizens, allowing free movement within member states.

European Economic Area (EEA)

• Includes Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein which are not EU members but allow free movement for EU citizens.
• EEA members pay fees to the EU and must comply with certain laws, but have exemptions in areas like farming and fishing.

Schengen Area

• An agreement that allows for free movement across borders without passport checks.
• Switzerland is part of Schengen but not the EU, meaning EU citizens can enter but not stay permanently.
• The UK and Ireland have stricter border controls due to their island status.

Currency and Economic Union

• The Euro is the currency of the Eurozone, used by most EU members.
• Non-Eurozone members like Denmark, Sweden, and the UK have permanent exceptions to not adopt the Euro.
• Some non-EU countries (Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, Vatican City) can use the Euro under specific conditions.

Outermost Regions and Overseas Territories

• Islands maintained by Portugal, Spain, and France are part of the EU, extending its reach significantly.
• Outermost Regions include:
  • Madeira and Canary Islands (Portugal and Spain)
  • French islands in the Caribbean, Reunion, and French Guiana.
• Overseas Territories can complicate EU law as they may not apply, but residents are often EU citizens.

Other Complications

• Numerous exceptions and unique cases exist:
  • Isle of Man, Spanish Cities in North Africa, Gibraltar, specific regions in Greece, Faeroe Islands.
• Each location may have unique regulations that affect EU citizenship and movement.

Conclusion

• The EU's structure is complex, with many exceptions and varying degrees of membership and participation among different countries.
• This complexity is characterized by a significant number of asterisks indicating exceptions to general rules.