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The European Union (EU) is a union of countries known as member states. There are currently twenty five countries which belong to the EU. These are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom (inclusive of Scotland and Wales)
This is expected to expand to twenty seven with Romania and Bulgaria due to join the Union in 2007/2008
The EU has a common single currency, the Euro and common policies for economics and trade, social issues, foreign policy, security and defense, and judicial issues. Citizens of each member state in the EU hold European citizenship and passports which allow them live, work, and study in any of the member states.
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| Working In The European Union
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If you are an EU Citizen, the rights you hold include the "right of abode" to enter another EU country and live and work there without restriction. You also have the right to apply to work in any position, excluding sensitive positions such as those in the defence industry.
Following is some general information on working in Europe. For further information on all aspects of working and living in the European Union, visit:
http://europa.eu.int |
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The Euro is the common currency of the EU. At present, not all members of the EU use the Euro. Those member states that have adopted the euro are Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Four small non-EU countries also have adopted the Euro as their national currency. These are Vatican City, Andorra, Monaco, and San Marino.
The Euro is divided into 100 cents. Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides and are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 Euros. Coins are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 Euros. Although bills are identical in all countries, each country issues its own coins, which have a common design on one side and a national design or emblem from the country of issue on the other.
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Each member state of the EU holds primary responsibility for health care in that state. Health care rules, regulations and entitlements will vary dependant upon the member state in which you are living and working.
However, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is available to citizens of the EU as well as those in an additional four European countries. Those countries currently participating in the European Health Insurance Card scheme are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (inclusive of Scotland and Wales). Similar in size and shape to a standard credit card, the European Health Insurance Card allows its holder to receive emergency medical treatment in another member state free of charge or at a reduced cost. Please note that this card is not for any pre-existing medical condition, but only for accidents and emergencies. |
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This varies dependant upon the member state of the EU in which you are living and working. Generally, the government of each member state set tax rates for that state. However, there are a series of regulations in place to prevent tax rules which might limit the rights of EU citizens to work anywhere in the EU. |
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If you are a citizen of the EU, your driving license from your country of origin is valid throughout the EU. However, different rules and regulations, such as the practical and theoretical test required to obtain a license, the length of validity of the driving license, and the fee to issue a new or replacement driving license may vary across the member states. |
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