Facts on How the EU works

You can have freedom of movement outside the EU if you’re in the single market

Norway and some other countries follow the free movement rules of the single market without being EU members.

Is the European Commission unelected or undemocratic?

This article is part of our Ask Full Fact series on the 2019 general election, answering your questions about the election, from claims the main parties are making to what happens on polling day.

EU staff don’t lose their pensions for criticising the EU

And nor would ex-commissioners like Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson.

Do MEPs get to vote for the new President of the European Commission?

Brexit Party MEP Richard Tice said MEPs did not get to vote on nominees to four key EU positions. MEPs will get to vote to approve one of them.

Was the new President of the European Commission democratically elected?

We checked a Facebook post which exaggerates the powers of the proposed new President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The EU hasn’t said Brexit will collapse the EU budget

The EU didn’t admit its budget will collapse without the UK’s contribution post-Brexit. The EU are in the process of agreeing a budget, without the UK, for 2021-27.

The UK can’t be forced into an “EU Army”

If the UK stays in the EU, it wouldn’t be forced into participating in an EU army. The UK has a veto on military policy.

Polish pensions are not directly subsidised by the UK

As of 2018, the most common retirement age for men and women in the EU was 65. In some countries, women can retire as early as 60.

This post about EU budget contributions is misleading

We don’t yet know what the EU budget will look like in 2022.

The UK can’t be forced to leave the EU or to join the euro

Political pressure to join the euro is all the UK might face.