European Economic Area

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 countries. It operates an internal (or single) market which allows free movement of goods, capital, services and people between member states.

The European Economic Area (EEA)

The members of the EU, being:

• Austria
  
• Belgium
  
• Bulgaria
  
• Croatia
  
• Cyprus
  
• Czech Republic
  
• Denmark
  
• Estonia
  
• Finland
  
• France
  
• Germany
  
• Greece
  
• Hungary
  
• Ireland
  
• Italy
  
• Latvia
  
• Lithuania
  
• Luxembourg
  
• Malta
  
• Netherlands
  
• Poland
  
• Portugal
  
• Romania
  
• Slovakia
  
• Slovenia
  
• Spain
  
• Sweden
  
• United Kingdom
  

As well as the following EFTA members:

• Iceland
  
• Liechtenstein
  
• Norway
  

References

The EEA allows them to be part of the EU’s single market.

Switzerland is neither an EU or EEA member but is part of the single market - this means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.

See also

• Europe
• European Union
• Single market
• European Economic Area