EU, EEA, EFTA and Schengen countries

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union formed by its member countries, and, within its territory, products, services, people and money can move freely without customs duties or other obstacles. The EU was established with the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. Finland joined the EU in 1995.

The EEA, or European Economic Area, consists of the member countries of the European Union and EFTA countries except Switzerland. The EEA agreement was established in 1994.

The EFTA, or European Free Trade Association, was founded in 1960 to promote free trade between its member countries. Finland left EFTA in 1995.

The Schengen countries form a territory where there are no travel restrictions or border controls between member states. The Schengen cooperation was initiated in 1985 by Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France and it now encompasses almost all EU countries. Finland has applied the Schengen agreement since 2001.

EU countries	EEA countries	EFTA countries	Schengen countries
Austria	Austria		Austria
Belgium	Belgium		Belgium
Bulgaria	Bulgaria
Croatia	Croatia
Cyprus	Cyprus
Czech Republic	Czech Republic		Czech Republic
Denmark	Denmark		Denmark
Estonia	Estonia		Estonia
Finland	Finland		Finland
France	France		France
Greece	Greece		Greece
Germany	Germany		Germany
Hungary	Hungary		Hungary
	Iceland	Iceland	Iceland
Ireland	Ireland
Italy	Italy		Italy
Latvia	Latvia		Latvia
	Liechtenstein	Liechtenstein	Liechtenstein
Lithuania	Lithuania		Lithuania
Luxembourg	Luxembourg		Luxembourg
Malta	Malta		Malta
The Netherlands	The Netherlands		The Netherlands
	Norway	Norway	Norway
Poland	Poland		Poland
Portugal	Portugal		Portugal
Romania	Romania
Slovakia	Slovakia		Slovakia
Slovenia	Slovenia		Slovenia
Spain	Spain		Spain
Sweden	Sweden		Sweden
		Switzerland	Switzerland