Travelling in Europe 2010.
Date: 2010-03-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Communication
Subjects: Europe, tourism, travel

Travelling
in Europe
2010

European Union

Travelling in Europe 2010

The European Union stretches over the continent of Europe from Lapland
in the north to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the west coast of Ireland to
the shores of Cyprus: a rich tapestry of landscapes from rocky coastlines to
sandy beaches, from fertile pastureland to arid plains, from lakes and forests
to arctic tundra.

The peoples of Europe with their diverse traditions, cultures and languages
make up over 7 % of the world’s population. Their historic heritage is charted in
prehistoric cave paintings, Greek and Roman antiquities, Moorish architecture,
medieval fortresses, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. The modern
Europe too attracts the traveller with its vibrant cities, colourful cultural
festivities, winter and summer sports, and varied cuisine.

Europeans love to travel and the removal of most passport and baggage
formalities has made travelling much easier. Sixteen EU countries share the
same currency, the euro, which makes price comparisons easy and removes
the cost and inconvenience of changing money. The creation of a single
market now approaching 500 million people has brought wider choice and
lower prices. In fact most Europeans ﬁnd it as easy to travel within the EU as to
travel within their home country.

Documents you will need

For EU citizens
Passport or identity card
There are no longer any frontier controls at the borders between 22 EU
countries. This is thanks to the Schengen rules which are part of EU law. These
rules remove all internal border controls but put in place eﬀective controls
at the external borders of the EU and introduce a common visa policy. All
EU countries are full Schengen members except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland,
Romania and the United Kingdom. You will therefore need to present a valid
passport or ID card to travel to those ﬁve countries. Iceland, Norway and
Switzerland are also Schengen members but are not in the EU.

When entering or leaving the EU at the external borders you will need a valid
passport or an ID card.

It is best to have your passport or ID card when travelling in the EU because
you may be required to prove your identity. If public order or national security
so require, checks at the internal borders may be carried out for limited periods.

Make sure that any children travelling with you either have their own passport
or ID card or are registered on your passport.

Agreements with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland enable their
nationals to be treated in the same way as EU citizens and to travel with just an
ID card or passport in the EU.

Visa
You will not need a visa for travelling within the EU.

For non-EU citizens
Passport
You will need a valid passport.

Visa
There are 34 countries whose nationals do not need a visa to visit the EU for
three months or less. These include Australia, Canada, Croatia, Japan, New
Zealand and the United States. The list of countries whose nationals require
visas to travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland diﬀers slightly from other EU
countries. If in doubt, check with the nearest consulate of any EU country.

If your visa is from a country fully applying the Schengen rules, it
automatically allows you to travel to the other Schengen countries as well.
Moreover, if you have a valid residence permit from one of those Schengen
countries, it is equivalent to a visa. You may need a national visa to visit non-
Schengen countries.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

€ 0.35

€ 0.11

Money

The euro
The euro is the legal tender for around 329 million people in 16 EU countries:
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
EU countries not using the euro are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United
Kingdom. The eight countries that have entered the EU since 2004 are commit-
ted to adopting the euro when they are ready.

The symbol for the euro is €. The euro notes are identical in all countries but
each country issues its own coins with one common side and one side display-
ing a distinctive national emblem. All the notes and coins can be used in all EU
countries that have adopted the euro, including many of their overseas entities,
such as the Azores, the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, French Guiana, Gua-
deloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City have adopted the euro as their national
currency, which also gives them the right to issue a certain number of euro
coins with their own national sides. A number of countries and territories use
the euro as their de facto currency, such as Andorra, Kosovo and Montenegro.

In European countries outside the euro area, many hotels, shops and restau-
rants, particularly in tourist areas, accept payment in euro as well as the national
currency, although they are not legally obliged to do so.

Cash and cards
Thanks to EU rules, withdrawing euro from a cash machine costs you the same

anywhere in the EU as it does in your own country from a cash machine that

does not belong to your bank. The transaction fee for making a debit or credit

card payment in the EU in euro is the same as in your own country. Charges

may of course diﬀer between banks.

Shopping

Within the EU
There are no limits on what you can buy and take with you when you travel
between EU countries, as long as it is for personal use and not for resale.
Taxes (VAT and excise duties) are included in the price you pay and no further
payment of tax can be due in any other EU country.

Tobacco and alcohol
To determine whether tobacco and alcohol are for personal use, each country
can set guide levels. In other words, if you carry a larger quantity of these
goods, you may be asked to prove that they are intended for personal use and
to justify their purchase. The guide levels may not be lower than:

800 cigarettes
400 cigarillos
200 cigars
1 kg of tobacco
10 litres of spirits
20 litres of fortiﬁed wine (such as port or sherry)
90 litres of wine (of which, a maximum of 60 litres of sparkling wine)
110 litres of beer

For a limited time, some countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) are maintaining a limit of
200 cigarettes brought back from Estonia and Lithuania and some countries
(Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Sweden and the United Kingdom) are restricting
travellers from Bulgaria and Romania to 200 cigarettes.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

€ 0.35

€ 0.11

Coming from outside
If you enter the EU from outside, you can bring with you goods free of VAT and
excise duties for personal use within the limits set out below. The same applies
if you come from the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar or other
territories where EU rules on VAT and excise do not apply.

Alcoholic drinks
1 litre of spirits over 22 % vol. or
2 litres of fortiﬁed or sparkling wine
4 litres of still wine
16 litres of beer

Tobacco products
There is a higher or lower limit depending on the country you are visiting and a
country may choose to only apply the lower limits to land and sea travellers.

Higher limit
200 cigarettes
100 cigarillos
50 cigars
250 g tobacco

or
or
or
or

Lower limit
40 cigarettes
20 cigarillos
10 cigars
50 g tobacco

or
or
or

Other goods including perfume
Up to a value of € 300 per traveller or € 430 for travellers by air and sea is
allowed. Some EU countries apply a lower limit of € 150 for travellers under 15.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

Help for consumers
As a consumer, you are protected by basic laws no matter where you are in
the EU.
• EU laws on food labelling enable you to make informed choices about

what you are buying. You can check the list of ingredients for any that are
associated with allergies or intolerance. There are regulations about what
products can be called ‘organic’ and rules on the use of nutrition and health
claims on foods.

• The unit price of products — the price per kilo or per litre — must be given

by supermarkets to make it easier to compare prices.

• Cosmetic products have to indicate how long they can be used after

opening. Look out for the open jar symbol. Sunscreen products should
now have clearer labelling, including a standardised indication of UVA
protection, standardised terms for describing levels of protection and no
misleading terms such as ‘total protection’.

• EU law oﬀers protection on package holidays and timeshare property

schemes.

Respecting the
environment

You can make your contribution to tackling the problem of climate change by
tracking your carbon footprint on your mobile phone while on your travels.
Download mobGAS (mobgas.jrc.ec.europa.eu) free and calculate how much
impact your daily activities are having on the environment and get practical tips
on how to reduce that impact.

, the EU Eco-label, on everyday consumer goods from

Look for the Flower
soaps and shampoos to shoes to help you ﬁnd greener products. You can also
use the Flower to ﬁnd an environmentally friendly hotel, bed and breakfast,
youth hostel or campsite. The Flower tells you that the tourist accommodation
or camp site limits its energy and water consumption, reduces waste and
makes use of renewable energy sources.

€ 0.35

€ 0.11

By road

Driving licence
A valid driving licence issued in an EU country is valid throughout the EU. In
some countries, in addition to carrying a valid driving licence, you will need to
have your vehicle registration document with you.

Motor insurance
Wherever you are travelling in the EU your car insurance policy will
automatically provide the minimum cover (third party liability) required by law.
This also applies to Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. If you have comprehensive
insurance at home, check that the cover extends to travelling in other countries.

A green card is not obligatory when travelling in the EU but it serves as
internationally recognised proof of insurance and it makes it easier to settle
claims arising from an accident. If you do not take a green card with you, you
should carry your certiﬁcate of insurance.

Your insurer can give you a European accident statement form, a standard
document that makes it easier to make a declaration on the spot if you have an
accident in another country.

Driving safely
In all EU countries, seat belts must now be worn in all vehicles, including tourist
coaches and minibuses. Children must also have appropriate child restraints in
cars and lorries and, where possible, in other vehicles as well.

Using a mobile phone while driving greatly increases the risk of an accident and
it is either explicitly or implicitly forbidden in all EU countries.

level varies between 0.2 mg/ml
The maximum permitted blood alcohol
and 0.8 mg/ml although some countries do not allow any alcohol in the blood
while driving.

Remember to drive on the left side of the road in Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and
the United Kingdom and that in some countries, such as Belgium, France, the
Netherlands and Portugal, you normally have to give way to traﬃc coming from
your right.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

By air

Creating a single European market in air transport has meant lower fares and
a wider choice of carriers and services for passengers. EU measures from 2009
will improve the performance and safety of the European aviation system and
will mean safer, greener and more cost-eﬃcient ﬂights.

Air passenger rights
As an air passenger, you have certain rights when it comes to information
about ﬂights and reservations, damage to baggage, delays and cancellations,
denied boarding, compensation in the case of accidents or diﬃculties with
package holidays. These rights apply to scheduled and chartered ﬂights, both
domestic and international, from an EU airport or to an EU airport from one
outside the EU, when operated by an EU airline. The EU also maintains a list of
airlines banned from operating in the EU and using EU airports. Disabled or
elderly passengers are now entitled to free help on aircraft and in EU airports
so that they can travel as easily as anyone else. Travellers can compare prices of
air travel as a result of EU rules to ensure that the price given includes all taxes,
fees and surcharges.

If you have a complaint, ﬁrst contact the airline or organiser of the package
holiday. If they fail to fulﬁl their obligations then you should complain to the
competent national enforcement body. Call the Europe Direct freephone
number 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 to get details of the relevant authority.

Security
In order to ensure a high level of security throughout the EU, common rules
and standards have been laid down on such things as screening of passengers,
cabin and hold baggage and aircraft security checks. There is an agreed EU list
of items that are not allowed in the cabin on ﬂights from EU airports and a list of
articles banned from the baggage hold. Check also on the latest restrictions on
carrying liquids.

€ 0.35

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By rail

The EU has 210 000 km of railways with extensive international passenger

services. There are 5 000 km of high-speed lines in several countries with trains

reaching speeds of up to 320 km/h and the network is being extended.

International rail passenger transport is set to become more competitive from

the beginning of 2010 when any licensed, certiﬁed rail company established in

the EU will be able to oﬀer international rail passenger services.

Rail passengers’ rights have been reinforced and improved with better

information, rights in the event of delay, missed connections and cancellations

and assistance for the disabled and the elderly.

Staying healthy

Access to healthcare
As an EU national, you can get free or reduced-cost healthcare if you are
suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a temporary visit to any EU coun-
try, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Only publicly funded health
treatment is included in this scheme and each country has its own rules for
public medical provision. In some, treatment is free, in some you pay part of the
cost and in others you have to pay the full cost and then claim a refund. So keep
all your bills, prescriptions and receipts.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

A European health insurance card simpliﬁes procedures, cuts red tape and
helps to speed up the reimbursement of costs. If you do not yet have a card,
get it from your local social security or sickness insurance oﬃce. Some countries
incorporate the European card on the reverse side of a national card and others
issue separate cards.

Travel insurance
You may want to take out travel insurance as only some EU countries pay the full
cost of medical treatment. Illness or an accident abroad may mean extra travel,
accommodation and repatriation costs, for which you may want to be insured.

Medicines
Take your prescription with you if you are carrying prescribed medicines. Do
not exceed the quantities needed for your personal use during your trip, as
large quantities of drugs can create suspicion.

Immunisation
There are, in general, no immunisation requirements when travelling in the EU.
However, there are requirements or recommendations for certain of the EU’s
overseas territories. Check with your doctor before you go.

Bathing water
Strict standards are set for bathing water throughout the EU and the overall
water quality is improving. An annual European Commission report gives useful
water quality information for holiday-makers on both coastal and inland waters
across the EU.

If you see a Blue Flag on a beach or at a marina, you can be assured that it has
reached speciﬁc standards on water quality, safety, services, environmental
management and information. Over 2 700 beaches and marinas in the EU were
awarded a Blue Flag in 2008/09. This voluntary scheme is run by the Founda-
tion for Environmental Education.

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Communicating

Languages
Europe is rich in languages. The main language families in the EU include
Germanic, Romance, Slav, Baltic and Celtic. The EU institutions have 23 oﬃcial
languages but there are many other lesser-spoken ones.

Many Europeans speak at least one other language as well as their mother
tongue and over a quarter of the adult population speak at least two foreign
languages. However, during your travels in Europe, try using a few phrases of
the local language when talking to local people. Start with a good morning:

Bulgarian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Estonian
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hungarian
Irish

Dobro utro
Dobré ráno
God morgen
Goedemorgen
Good morning
Tere hommikust
Hyvää huomenta
Bonjour
Guten Morgen
Kalimera
Jó reggelt
Dia dhuit

Italian
Latvian
Lithuanian
Maltese
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Slovak
Slovene
Spanish
Swedish

Buongiorno
Labrīt
Labas Rytas
L-Għodwa t-Tajba
Dzień dobry
Bom dia
Bună dimineaţa
Dobré ráno
Dobro jutro
Buenos días
God morgon

Telephone
There is just one preﬁx for making international telephone calls anywhere in
the EU. It is 00.

The country codes are:

A
B
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
E
EST
F
FIN

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Germany
Denmark
Spain
Estonia
France
Finland

43
32
359
357
420
49
45
34
372
33
358

GB
GR
H
I
IRL
L
LT
LV
M
NL
P
PL
RO
S
SK
SLO

United Kingdom
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Ireland
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Latvia
Malta
Netherlands
Portugal
Poland
Romania
Sweden
Slovakia
Slovenia

44
30
36
39
353
352
370
371
356
31
351
48
40
46
421
386

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an

extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on

the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU

online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009

© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual

photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

Mobile phones
You can use your mobile phone anywhere in Europe and in many other parts
of the world thanks to the EU’s GSM technical standard. Mobile phone users
abroad have enjoyed signiﬁcant savings of around 60 % thanks to the EU roam-
ing regulation which sets limits or ‘Eurotariﬀs’ on international roaming rates for
voice calls. The cost of sending a text from abroad has also been substantially
reduced and now costs no more than 11 cents (excluding VAT).

Eurotariﬀ maximum per minute roaming charge in euro (excluding VAT)

Average charge
summer 2006

1 July 2010 1 July 2011

Mobile calls made abroad
Mobile calls received abroad

€ 1.10
€ 0.58

€ 0.39
€ 0.15

€ 0.35
€ 0.11

Operators are free to oﬀer cheaper rates so look out for the best deals. Custom-
ers now receive an automated message of the charges that apply for calls, texts
and data roaming services such as surﬁng the web or downloading movies. A
mechanism for protecting consumers from ‘bill shock’ in data roaming services
will be available from March 2010. Customers will be able to specify in advance
the maximum they want to spend for data roaming services and a default cut
oﬀ limit of € 50 per month will be applied as from July 2010 if the customer
does not speciﬁcally opt for another amount.

An EU website (ec.europa.eu/roaming) lists the Eurotariﬀ oﬀered by operators
in all 27 EU countries and has links to their websites. Tariﬀs for sending text
messages or using data services can also be compared.

Postage
Postage stamps can only be used in the country in which you buy them, even
when priced in euro.

Electricity
All Europe has 220–240 volt, 50 cycle alternating current. Cyprus, Ireland, Malta
and the United Kingdom have square three-pin plugs but, in general, all other
EU countries have two-pin plugs. These may vary but you should be able to
use your appliances, such as hairdryers and shavers, anywhere. Adaptors can
usually be bought in airports and tourist resorts.

Things to do

There is a dazzling choice of things to do and see in Europe. For ideas and
information on all countries, have a look at the European tourist destinations
website www.visiteurope.com or go to the websites of the oﬃcial national
tourist organisations of each EU country.

A
B
BG
CY
CZ
D
DK
E
EST
F
FIN
GB
GR
H
I
IRL
L
LT
LV
M
NL
P
PL
RO
S
SK
SLO

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

www.austria.info
www.visitﬂanders.com and www.opt.be
www.bulgariatravel.org
www.visitcyprus.com
www.czechtourism.com
www.germany-tourism.de
www.visitdenmark.com
www.spain.info
www.visitestonia.com
www.franceguide.com
www.visitﬁnland.com
www.visitbritain.com
www.visitgreece.gr
www.hungary.com
www.enit.it
www.discoverireland.com
www.visitluxembourg.lu
www.lithuaniantravel.com
www.latviatourism.lv
www.visitmalta.com
www.holland.com
www.visitportugal.com
www.poland.travel
www.romaniatourism.com
www.visitsweden.com
www.slovakia.travel
www.slovenia.info

The abbreviations for countries are those used on nationality plates on cars.

The EU supports and contributes to many cultural projects and events across
Europe every year. One of these is to designate a cultural capital of Europe.
Essen in Germany, Pecs in Hungary and Istanbul in Turkey share the title in
2010. ‘Essen for the Ruhr’, a metropolis in western Germany, is hosting a
myriad of projects throughout the year to celebrate architecture and urban
development, the performing arts, literature, history and creative industries.
Pecs, the historic university city in southern Hungary, has a colourful line-up of
festivals, art exhibitions, classical, folk and pop music, theatre, dance, ﬁlm and
literary events. The year 2010 in Istanbul, with its ancient mosques, palaces,
museums and bazaars, is alive with special cultural projects from fashion
shows and costume exhibitions to Turkish Makam music concerts, Tangoweek,
Ramadan festivities and an international puppet festival.

Choosing a time to travel

Weather
Europe’s weather is generally temperate. This table shows average minimum
January temperatures and average maximum July temperatures in the capitals
of the EU countries.

Average min.
January ºC
– 4
– 1
– 4
5
– 5
– 3
– 2
2
– 10
1
– 9
2
6
– 4
5
1
– 1
– 11
– 10
10
– 1
8
– 6
– 7
– 5
– 3
– 4

Vienna
Brussels
Sofia
Nicosia
Prague
Berlin
Copenhagen
Madrid
Tallinn
Paris
Helsinki
London
Athens
Budapest
Rome
Dublin
Luxembourg
Vilnius
Rīga
Valletta
Amsterdam
Lisbon
Warsaw
Bucharest
Stockholm
Bratislava
Ljubljana

Average max.
July ºC
25
23
27
37
23
24
22
31
20
25
22
22
33
28
30
20
23
23
22
29
22
27
24
30
22
26
27

A
B
BG
CY
CZ
D
DK
E
EST
F
FIN
GB
GR
H
I
IRL
L
LT
LV
M
NL
P
PL
RO
S
SK
SLO

Pets

Travelling with a cat or dog is now much easier with the new EU pet passport
available from any vet. All cats and dogs must have a passport containing
details of a valid rabies vaccination. Until at least 30 June 2010, Ireland, Malta,
Sweden and the United Kingdom also require proof that the vaccination has
been eﬀective.

In addition, treatment for ticks and tapeworm is required for entry into
Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Finland and Sweden require a
tapeworm treatment.

An animal has to be identiﬁed by an electronic microchip. A clearly readable
tattoo is also acceptable until July 2011, except if you are taking your animal to
Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom where a microchip is already required.

Time zones

GMT

GMT +1

GMT +2

GMT +3

GMT +4

Summer time
Daylight saving time begins across the EU on 28 March 2010 when clocks are moved
forward an hour and it ends on 31 October 2010 when clocks are put back an hour.
The dates for 2011 are 27 March and 30 October.

If things go wrong

Single European emergency number: 112
To contact the emergency services in any EU country from any phone, ﬁxed or
mobile, dial 112, free of charge.

Loss or theft
Report any theft to the local police. You will need to enclose the police report
when making your insurance or compensation claim. Cancel any lost or stolen
credit cards immediately. If your passport has been stolen, report it to your
country’s consulate or embassy as well as to the police. Remember that if you are
outside the EU you can get help from the consulate or embassy of any other EU
country if yours is not represented.

Getting in touch with the EU

ONLINE
Information in all the oﬃcial languages of the European Union is
available on the Europa website: europa.eu

IN PERSON
All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres.
You can ﬁnd the address of the centre nearest you at:
europedirect.europa.eu

ON THE PHONE OR BY MAIL
Europe Direct is a service which answers your questions about
the European Union. You can contact this service by freephone
(00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11), or by payphone from outside the EU
(+32 2 2999696), or by electronic mail via
europedirect.europa.eu

READ ABOUT EUROPE
Publications about the EU are only a click away
on the EU Bookshop website: bookshop.europa.eu

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about
the European Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
REPRESENTATIONS
Representation in Ireland
18 Dawson Street, Dublin 2
IRELAND
Tel. +353 16341111
Internet: ec.europa.eu/ireland/
E-mail:
eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu

Representation in the
United Kingdom
8 Storey’s Gate, London SW1P 3AT
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 2079731992
Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in Wales
2 Caspian Point, Caspian Way,
Cardiff
CF10 4QQ
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 2920895020
Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in Scotland
9 Alva Street, Edinburgh EH2 4PH
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 1312252058
Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in
Northern Ireland
74–76 Dublin Road, Belfast BT2 7HP
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 2890240708
Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in the
United States
2300 M Street, NW — 3rd floor
Washington DC 20037
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Tel. +202 8629500
Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41st Street, 20th floor
New York, NY 10017
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Tel. +212 3713804
Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT OFFICE
Office in Ireland
European Union House
43 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
IRELAND
Tel. +353 16057900
Internet: www.europarl.ie
E-mail:
epdublin@europarl.europa.eu

United Kingdom Office
2, Queen Anne’s Gate,
London SW1H 9AA
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 2072274300
Internet: www.europarl.org.uk
E-mail:
eplondon@europarl.europa.eu

Office in Scotland
The Tun, 4 Jackson’s Entry
Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8PJ
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel. +44 1315577866
Internet: www.europarl.org.uk
E-mail:
epedinburgh@europarl.europa.eu

There are European Commission and Parliament representations and oﬃces
in all the countries of the European Union. The European Commission also has
delegations in other parts of the world.

Area
(1 000 km2)

Population
(million)

Per capita
gross domestic product

(

)

31

111

79

43

357

43

70

132

505

544

301

9

65

65

10.7

7.6

10.4

5.5

82.0

1.3

4.4

11.2

45.8

64.3

60.0

0.7

2.2

3.3

28 100

9 300

19 000

27 800

27 400

14 300

32 299

23 200

24 600

26 100

23 300

22 900

11 300

12 600

Area
(1 000 km2)

Population
(million)

3

93

0.3

34

84

313

92

230

20

49

305

411

244

0.4

10.0

0.4

16.4

8.3

38.1

10.6

21.4

2.0

5.4

5.3

9.2

61.6

and

Area
(1 000 km2)

Population
(million)

Per capita
gross domestic product

(

)

63 300

14 500

18 900

31 200

29 800

14 100

18 100

10 500

21 200

16 500

26 600

28 200

27 600

Per capita
gross domestic product

(

)

Area
(1 000 km2)
Area
(1 000 km2)

Population
(million)
Population
(million)

š
š

The former Yugoslav

56
56

25
25

771
771

India

Per capita
gross domestic product
Per capita
)
(
gross domestic product
)
(
14 700
14 700

7 900
7 900

4 234

3 287

9 327

365

499.7

25 100

1 166.0 (3)

2 300 (2)

1 338.6 (3)

4 900 (2)

127.0 (3)

25 700

16 889

140.0 (3)

13 000 (2)

4.4
4.4

2.0
2.0

71.5
71.5

10 300
10 300

9 159

304.0 (3)

36 900

Figures are from 2009. Source: Eurostat (epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu)

(1) Gross domestic product is the total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a year. It is often used
to express wealth. PPS, purchasing power standard, is a unit representing an identical volume of goods and services in each country,
irrespective of price levels. The value of 1 PPS unit corresponds roughly to 1 euro. Figures are forecasts.

(2) Figures for 2008

(3) Source: www.census.gov

(

)

Travelling in Europe 2010

Europe: a continent with thousands of years of history, a rich cultural heritage
and some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery. So much for the traveller to
discover and explore and all made much easier thanks to the European Union.

You can cross many borders within the EU without being checked and the euro
makes it easier to shop around for bargains. You have easy access to healthcare
should you need it and pets no longer have to be left at home. If you drive,
your driving licence and motor insurance policy issued in one EU country are
valid in all the others. And you can use your mobile phone everywhere.

For more information,
helpful tips and a map
of Europe, see inside.

This Travelling in Europe 2010 leaﬂet is also published on the Internet in an
extended version, which provides links to more detailed information on
the subjects covered: europa.eu/travel

You can ﬁnd this leaﬂet and other short, clear explanations about the EU
online at ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission
Directorate-General for Communication
Publications
B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in December 2009
© European Union, 2010

Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual
photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder.

Illustrations: Hugo van Look

doi:10.2775/3642

NA-32-09-160-EN-C

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