Before I left on my trip, I got some Norwegian Kroner and some British Pounds in cash, so I’d have it ready. That prompted a question from a few friends about whether Norway was on the Euro or not.
I had done some research about it previously, and thought it was something interesting to know, so, here’s some info about the EU, Schengen Agreement, and who is using Euros. You learn something new every day!
What Countries Are EU Members
The EU’s 28 member countries are: 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, and the United Kingdom.
That will drop to 27 when Brexit causes the UK to leave the EU.
The EU eliminates all border controls between members. That allows the free flow of goods and people, except for random spot checks for crime and drugs.
The Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Area guarantees free movement to those legally residing within its boundaries. Residents and visitors can cross borders without getting visas or showing their passports. In total, there are 26 members of the Schengen Area. They are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Two EU countries (Ireland and the UK) have declined the Schengen benefits. Four non-EU countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) have adopted the Schengen Agreement.
The Eurozone
The eurozone, created in 2005, consists of all countries that use the euro. All EU members pledge to convert to the euro, but only 19 have so far. They are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Here is a table showing which country belongs to what:
There you have it. Your lesson for today!
(I’m still working on trip updates)