TCTM02088 | Entitlement: Residence rules - Right to reside: Nationals of EEA member states

Countries within the European Union (EU) prior to 1 May 2004 were:

• UK

• Denmark

• Sweden

• Ireland

• France

• Germany

• Spain

• Portugal

• Netherlands

• Austria

• Belgium

• Finland

• Italy

• Luxembourg

• Greece

The EU has an agreement with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (the European Economic Area, [EEA]) and a separate agreement with Switzerland, which confers similar rights of EU nationals on nationals of those countries.

On 1 May 2004, ten countries joined the EU. They were:

• Estonia*

• Latvia*

• Lithuania*

• Poland*

• The Czech Republic*

• Slovakia*

• Hungary*

• Slovenia*

• Cyprus

• Malta

(* Called the “A8” countries - see below)

On 1 January 2007, 2 countries joined the EU. They were:

• Bulgaria

• Romania

On 1 July 2013, Croatia joined the EU.