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“What countries are in the European Union?” is a question that exploded in popularity after Brexit, when UK citizens suddenly found themselves Googling things they never needed to before, like which European countries now required a visa and whether packing a ham sandwich could land them in trouble. But it’s not just Britons asking. Digital nomads and travelers from all over the world are now seeking clarity on the difference between European Union countries, Schengen Zone countries, non-Schengen countries, and the best places to go in Europe that don’t come with sticky visa restrictions.

 

The truth is, European geography can be wildly confusing, so this guide breaks it all down, from understanding what the EU is and knowing which countries belong to what, to how to use a Schengen calculator and where to go when your 90 days are up.

1. What is the European Union?

Covering much of the European continent, the European Union is a unique partnership between 27 countries that decided life’s better when you work together. From mighty Germany to pint-sized Malta, these nations team up to keep the peace, make life fairer, celebrate cultural quirks, and boost the economy. The EU’s efforts were internationally recognized in 2012, when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in keeping peace in Europe. And here’s a charming detail: write to the EU in any of its official languages, and you’ll get a response in that exact tongue.

 

The European Union is powered by three key institutions that shape how laws are made and implemented across its member states. The European Commission proposes new laws and ensures existing ones are upheld. The European Parliament represents EU citizens directly, as its members are elected by the people in all EU countries. The Council of the European Union brings together government ministers from each member country to debate, amend, and adopt laws.

 

The first six European Union countries were Germany, Italy, France, and the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg). It now also includes Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia (Czech Republic), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

 

The majority of European Union countries use a single currency, the Euro; however, there are a few outliers. These are Bulgaria (Bulgarian Lev), Czechia (Czech Koruna), Denmark (Danish Krone), Hungary (Hungarian Forint), Poland (Polish Zloty), and Sweden (Swedish Krona).

2. What is the Schengen Area and how does it differ from the European Union?

In 1985, five European countries (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany) met on a boat in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg (hence the name), to sign an agreement that would reshape European travel forever. The Schengen Agreement was born, eliminating internal border checks and allowing people to move freely between participating countries as if they were traveling between states.

 

Today, the Schengen Area includes almost 30 countries and grants passport-free travel to more than 450 million people, including most EU countries and also four non-EU members: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

 

Though most European Union countries are in the Schengen Area, the two are not identical. The European Union is a political and economic partnership, while the Schengen Area is all about borderless travel. Notably, Ireland has opted out of Schengen, and the United Kingdom was never a Schengen country. The United Kingdom officially left the EU in 2020 (Brexit), meaning it now stands outside both of these European clubs. Thanks to the Amsterdam Treaty of 1999, the Schengen rules became part of EU law, creating a tighter weave between the two systems, but not complete overlap.

 

Here is a helpful way to think of it: a French citizen going to Spain without flashing their passport? That’s thanks to Schengen. That person voting in the EU Parliament elections? That’s the EU. Different clubs, different perks, but both are integral to life and travel in Europe.

 

So, in essence, the difference between the European Union and the Schengen area is that the EU is a political and economic union between the majority of countries geographically located in Europe, while Schengen grants free movement with no border checks to citizens of those countries, plus some others. There are countries that are EU but not Schengen, and some countries that are Schengen, but not EU.

3. Which non-EU countries are in the Schengen Zone?

The non-EU Schengen countries are Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland. While the Schengen Area is largely made up of EU Member States, these four countries have snagged membership through special association agreements without ever joining the EU.

 

Norway and Iceland also belong to yet another alliance called the Nordic Passport Union, alongside Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. This separate union has allowed free movement between Nordic nations since the 1950s.

4. Which non-Schengen countries are in the European Union?

Cyprus and Ireland are European Union member states, meaning they share in the EU’s political and economic frameworks, but they are not part of the Schengen Area.

 

Cyprus, which joined the EU on 1 May 2004, currently implements only part of the Schengen rules and continues to conduct border checks. The Republic of Ireland has opted out of joining the Schengen Zone, choosing to maintain its own independent border controls.

5. What is the difference between the EU, EEA and EFTA?

Now that we’re well-versed in the most famous of Europe’s alliance acronyms, the EU, here are two more that you might also encounter.

 

The European Economic Area (EEA) connects the EU Member States with three non-EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, with the goal of strengthening economic ties, allowing these countries to participate in the EU’s single market without being full political members of the EU. In short, the EEA is the EU plus three extras. You might see signs at airport immigration gates saying “EU/EEA passport holders this way.”

 

Then there’s EFTA, short for the European Free Trade Association. Created in 1960 to promote free trade and economic integration, EFTA once had seven members, but most left when they joined the EU. Today, EFTA includes just four countries, which are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Out of these, only Switzerland isn’t part of the EEA.

6. Understanding the 90/180 rule and how to use a Schengen calculator

If you’re a non-EU national or from a country that’s lucky enough to enter Schengen states without a visa (like passport holders from the U.S., Canada, and Australia), you’ll need to get cozy with the 90/180 rule.

 

So, what exactly is the 90/180-day rule? It’s the invisible clock ticking behind every border-free train ride, croissant-fueled café break, or dreamy Mediterranean escape. How it works is that once you enter any Schengen Zone country, a 180-day window begins. Within that 180-day period, you’re allowed to spend up to 90 days, total, across all Schengen countries. You can come and go as often as you like, but the total number of days spent in the zone must not exceed 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. What trips people up is that it’s a rolling window, not a fixed one. That means every single day you’re in the Schengen Area, you need to look backward 180 days and count all the days you were there, including your entry and exit dates. It doesn’t reset every three months.

 

If this sounds like a spreadsheet headache waiting to happen, you can use the official EU Schengen calculator. I don’t personally love the interface of that one and prefer to use visa-calculator.com, which does the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is select your entry and departure days on a calendar and hit “calculate.”

 

7. The best places in Europe to visit that aren’t in the Schengen Zone

If you’re looking for non-Schengen places to go in Europe without worrying about the 90/180 rule, there are a couple of places to have on your radar.

 

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey are all actively working toward EU membership, which would bring them into the Schengen Area automatically.

 

Albania has become increasingly popular for digital nomads who hop on the ferry from Corfu and congregate in places like Sarandë, Vlorë, and Ksamil. Over in the Caucasus, Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, has carved out a name for itself as a creative city with a thriving nomad scene and generous visa policies (it also has a nomad visa).

 

Montenegro has quietly become a digital nomad darling, and for good reason. It has jaw-dropping coastal beauty, wallet-friendly living, and reliable internet. I’ve had two stints there, first in Ulcinj, closer to the Albanian border, and then in Tivat, staying at Nomio. This is a gorgeous coliving and coworking facility with fully furnished apartments, a spa, a swimming pool, a sleek rooftop, and a conference hall. The sunsets from my balcony at Nomio were nothing short of showstopping. A wise friend once rightfully described staying at Nomio as “Nordic living with the Balkan price.”

Places to travel in Europe

To help you plan your travels in Europe, here is a cheat sheet listing each country’s position on the EU/Schengen/EEA/EFTA map.

 

Albania: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Austria: EU, Schengen, EEA

Belgium: EU, Schengen, EEA

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Bulgaria: EU, Schengen, EEA

Croatia: EU, Schengen, EEA

Cyprus: EU, non-Schengen, EEA

Czech Republic: EU, Schengen, EEA

Denmark: EU, Schengen, EEA, Nordic Passport Union

Estonia: EU, Schengen, EEA

Finland: EU, Schengen, EEA, Nordic Passport Union

France: EU, Schengen, EEA

Georgia: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Germany: EU, Schengen, EEA

Greece: EU, Schengen, EEA

Hungary: EU, Schengen, EEA

Iceland: Non-EU, Schengen, EEA, EFTA, Nordic Passport Union

Ireland: EU, non-Schengen, EEA

Italy: EU, Schengen, EEA

Latvia: EU, Schengen, EEA

Liechtenstein: Non-EU, Schengen, EEA, EFTA

Lithuania: EU, Schengen, EEA

Luxembourg: EU, Schengen, EEA

Malta: EU, Schengen, EEA

Moldova: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Montenegro: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Netherlands: EU, Schengen, EEA

North Macedonia: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Norway: Non-EU, Schengen, EEA, EFTA, Nordic Passport Union

Poland: EU, Schengen, EEA

Portugal: EU, Schengen, EEA

Romania: EU, Schengen, EEA

Serbia: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Slovakia: EU, Schengen, EEA

Slovenia: EU, Schengen, EEA

Spain: EU, Schengen, EEA

Sweden: EU, Schengen, EEA, Nordic Passport Union

Switzerland: Non-EU, Schengen, EFTA

Turkey: Non-EU, non-Schengen

Ukraine: Non-EU, non-Schengen

United Kingdom: Non-EU, non-Schengen

 

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