EU, eurozone, Schengen and EEA: what is the difference?

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Europe has several overlapping clubs, and they are easy to mix up. A country can be in the European Union but not use the euro, use the euro but not be in the EU, or be in the passport-free Schengen area without being an EU member at all. This guide sorts them out. Memberships do change, so check an official EU source if the detail matters for a trip or a move.

The European Union (EU)

The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states. Members share a single market, common rules on trade, competition and consumer protection, and joint institutions that make laws. EU citizens have the right to live, work and study in any other member state. The 27 are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The United Kingdom left in 2020.

The eurozone

The eurozone, or euro area, is the group of EU countries that have adopted the euro as their currency, with monetary policy set by the European Central Bank. Bulgaria became the 21st member at the start of 2026, following Croatia in 2023. EU members that still use their own currency are:

Czechia (koruna)
Denmark (krone, which has a long-standing arrangement to stay outside the euro)
Hungary (forint)
Poland (złoty)
Romania (leu)
Sweden (krona)

Some places outside the EU also use the euro. Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City do so under agreements with the EU, while Montenegro and Kosovo use it without a formal agreement.

The Schengen area

Schengen is an area without routine passport checks at internal borders. It has 29 members: 25 EU countries plus four that are outside the EU, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania became full members at the start of 2025. EU members outside Schengen:

Ireland, which keeps its own Common Travel Area with the UK.
Cyprus, which is legally committed to joining but is not yet a member.

Visitors from many countries can stay in Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the whole area rather than country by country. Our separate guide in this room covers that rule in detail. Countries can temporarily reintroduce internal border checks, so carry your passport or national identity card even when travelling between Schengen countries.

The European Economic Area (EEA)

The EEA extends the EU's single market to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. They follow most single market rules, and their citizens enjoy free movement, but they are not EU members, do not vote on EU laws and are outside EU farming and fisheries policy.

Switzerland, a special case

Switzerland is in Schengen and in the European Free Trade Association, but not in the EU or the EEA. Its relationship with the EU rests on a set of bilateral agreements, including free movement of people. It uses the Swiss franc.

Putting it together

A few examples show how the memberships combine:

France: EU, eurozone, Schengen and EEA.
Ireland: EU, eurozone and EEA, but not Schengen.
Sweden: EU, Schengen and EEA, but not the eurozone.
Norway: Schengen and EEA, but not EU or eurozone.
Switzerland: Schengen only, of these four.
Montenegro: uses the euro, but is not in the EU, Schengen or the EEA.
United Kingdom: none of them.

Why it matters for travellers

Border checks depend on Schengen, not the EU. Flying from Paris to Dublin means passport control; driving from Germany to Switzerland usually does not.
Currency depends on the eurozone. In Prague, Budapest, Copenhagen or Stockholm you will need the local currency or a card.
Mobile roaming rules that let you use your home allowance apply across the EU and, by agreement, the EEA, but not automatically in Switzerland. Check your own plan.
Health cover schemes such as the EHIC generally apply across the EU, the EEA and Switzerland.

Which of these memberships has confused you most on a trip? Ask in the comments.