7.5 The European Union and Economies

Notes

• The European Union (EU) is a union of European countries with a single market, free movement of goods, services, money and people. Many members use the euro. The Schengen Area removes most border checks between its members.
• The United Kingdom left the EU in 2020. NATO is a separate military alliance.
• Western Europe is highly developed, with strong service, manufacturing and tourism sectors. The Ruhr in Germany was a major industrial region. Rotterdam (Netherlands) is Europe's busiest port.
• Rivers and canals, like the Rhine and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, carry heavy cargo.
• Europe's population is aging and growing slowly, so some countries rely on immigration.
• Many of Eastern Europe's economies were command economies under communism and moved toward market economies after 1991.