How the EU works

EU member countries don’t all have to join the Euro by 2020

The UK and Denmark both have opt-outs and seven other countries only have to join once they’ve fulfilled certain requirements.

UK taxpayers aren’t subsidising France’s 35-hour working week

The EU budget is not spent on subsidising the French or German working week, or transport and utilities systems.

Can Spain really veto the withdrawal bill?

This article is part of our Ask Full Fact series on Brexit, answering your questions about Brexit and the latest negotiations between the UK and the EU.

Three things you might want to know about the government’s preparations for a No Deal Brexit

How could your driving license, mobile roaming fees, and GDPR rules be affected?

This claim about the UK's EU contribution is correct, but meaningless

Since 2000 the UK has made a net contribution to the EU of £122 billion in today’s money.

The UK is one of the biggest contributors to the EU budget

The UK has been the third or fourth largest contributing country to the EU budget in recent years.

Do EU rules prevent safer lorries?

Lorry design specifications are set by the EU, but the UK initially opposed its plans to allow safer lorries on the road.

How the EU works: what is the customs union?

The customs union simplifies trade between its members, but it doesn’t mean by itself that border checks are removed.

Is the EU’s budget ‘signed off’ by auditors?

It’s often argued both that the EU’s budget hasn’t been signed off by the auditors for years, and that it’s consistently given a clean bill of health.

The Foreign Secretary and the UK Statistics Authority: £350 million explained

The Foreign Secretary and the UK's statistics watchdog have clashed over an inaccurate claim that the UK is set to take back control of £350 million a week.

£350 million EU claim "a clear misuse of official statistics"

After we leave the EU, we cannot take back control of £350 million a week.

How many countries are in the EU?

Maps to guide you through a sea of acronyms.

Leaving the EU without Article 50

Pulling out of the European Union without triggering Article 50 would be illegal.

Article 50: a two-year limit

A two-year clock starts ticking as soon as the UK gives notice under Article 50 that it’s leaving the EU.

EU accounts ‘signed off’ but subject to errors

The issue of the EU's accounts rears its head again.

Who can veto a Brexit deal?

Individual countries won’t be able to veto an EU-UK deal on how it leaves the bloc, but could block a deal on future trade if they don’t like it.

How the EU works: leaving the EU

Professor Steve Peers explains the legal dimension of leaving the European Union. The UK would notify the European Council after a leave vote, triggering negotiations.

EU debate: does Brussels employ fewer bureaucrats than Derbyshire?

It's roughly correct that the European Union employs the same number of people as Derbyshire County Council, although it depends on who you count.

Ask Full Fact: quick answers to your questions

We've provided sources and answers to some more of your EU questions.

Ask Full Fact: How long would leaving the EU take?

Ask Full Fact: How long will it take to leave the EU and how many new treaties is it likely to take?

Ask Full Fact: did we vote for the EU in the 1975 referendum?

The 1975 referendum on the UK's membership of the European Community wasn't presented as just a trade agreement.

False claims about false claims about the EU referendum

Accusations of "completely untrue" claims on the membership fee, Turkey joining the EU, and an EU army aren't completely true.

The hunt for an EU army

The EU doesn't have an army, and doesn't look like getting one. It encourages military co-operation, and at least a few politicians support EU armed forces.