Education in the European Union:

As in all the variables we are analysing, education is a competence that corresponds to each of the member countries. However, The European Union intervenes in certain strategic aspects aimed at ensuring equal opportunities, quality and competitiveness.

One example of such policies is the Digital Education Action Plan, which pursues a number of key strategic objectives:

• Foster the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem.
• Enhancing digital competences and skills for digital transformation.

Education and health care are the two workhorses of the so-called welfare state in Europe. This implies that the state becomes the guarantor and provider of education in all EU countries.

Thus, In Europe, states still retain control over most of the functions related to educational provision, to a greater or lesser extent depending on whether the systems are more or less centralised.

University education in some EU countries:

The countries discussed below offer free university education.

• GERMANY:

The prestige of German education and the strength of its economy make Germany a popular destination for international students. University education is free of charge in some Länder, and in the remaining Länder, only administrative fees of no more than 100 euros per year are payable. The language of instruction is German, a language of great importance in fields such as engineering.

• GREECE:

Enrolment in degree courses is free at all public universities in the country except the Hellenic Open University, which is a distance learning university. Classes are generally in Greek, but some degrees can be found taught in English, especially those dedicated to subjects with a more international perspective. Again, the beaches and the good weather are an incentive to choose this country as a study destination.

• DENMARK:

Students from the European Union can access the high quality education offered by Danish universities free of charge. It is difficult to find degrees taught in English but there are some. Some are also taught in German. It is a expensive country to live in but if you can find a job you can apply for the Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU), which is a grant of around 750 euros per month given by the Danish government to university students.

• SWEDEN:

As usual in the Nordic countries, Sweden offers free, quality education and a high standard of living, but it is also an expensive country. Degrees are usually in Swedish, but there are some English-language programmes designed for international students, especially at Stockholm University.

Let us look at other cases from other countries:

• SPAIN:

Most universities are public, and are therefore financed by the State, through the central administration and the Autonomous Communities, and are governed by the general student admission system and tuition fees. is established by the relevant administration. The university system is made up of 85 universities (50 public and 35 private), as well as 322 research institutes and 78 science and technology parks.

• FRANCE:

At FranceThe bachelor's degree (Diplôme National de Licence) is awarded over six semesters. Upon completion, students can access a master's degree, which lasts four semesters (corresponding to a bachelor's degree + 5 years of study). studies). There were 71 universities and 1 national polytechnique institute in April 2016. There is no concept of private university in France, but there is a concept of private faculty.

The registration fees in France The state covers most of the costs of accessible courses at public higher education institutions. The actual cost of studies is the same as anywhere else in the world: about 10,000 euros per year.

• ITALY:

At Italythe university education is divided into three cycles, in which the following diplomas can be obtained: a diploma universityafter 2 or 3 years of study. A bachelor's degree, after a 4 or 6-year course of study. A specialisation degree, which takes a minimum of two years. Italy has 96 universities of which 17 are private. 

The average tuition fees for a public higher education in Italy can range from €900 to €4,000 per year, depending on whether you are from the EU or not, the specific institution, as well as your programme and level of study.

Health in the European Union:

Each Member State is responsible for its own health policy, organisation and financing, scenarios which may result in different situations of accessibility, availability and level of payments of sick people when using care services.

The economic crisis has meant that in recent years the focus has been primarily on the profitability of each system, but there are other factors that have a marked influence on the more day-to-day aspect of healthcare.

• Who is most satisfied with their own healthcare system?
• In which countries does it take the longest to see a doctor?
• Are there paediatricians in Primary Care?

In the following analysis we look at the different parameters that define day-to-day healthcare in Europe. The EU complements national health policies by supporting the governments of its member countries to achieve common goals, share resources and overcome common challenges.

In addition to formulating EU-wide laws and standards for health products and services, it also provides funding for health projects across the EU. EU health policy focuses on protecting and improving health, equal access to modern and efficient healthcare for all Europeans, and coordination in the face of serious health threats affecting more than one EU country.

Disease prevention and response play a prominent role among the EU's public health priorities. Disease prevention concerns many areas, such as vaccination, the fight against antibiotic resistance, the fight against cancer and responsible food labelling.

Two specific agencies support national governments on health issues. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assesses and monitors emerging disease threats in order to coordinate the response. The European Medicines Agency is responsible for the scientific evaluation of the quality, safety and efficacy of all medicines in the EU.

PREVAILING MODELS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN EUROPE:

First of all, a basic differentiation should be made between National Health Services (Beveridge model) and Social Insurance Schemes (Bismark model). 

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES:

• Directly controlled by the government.
• Funding comes from the state budget (state taxes).
• Universal access.
• Salaried medical practitioners.
• Government control and management with some private sector involvement.
• Some co-payments by users.

SOCIAL INSURANCE SYSTEMS (BISMARK MODEL):

• Organised around mutuals.
• Financing covered by employer and employee contributions. 
• Joint management by employers and employees.
• The resources go to funds, which are non-governmental entities regulated by law.
• The "funds" contract hospitals, family doctors, etc. to provide services to the insured through contracts based on a budget or on a fee-for-service basis.

Private healthcare in Europe:

In Europe, private health services co-exist with public health services. In fact, there is a spirit of collaboration between the two, although not to the same extent in all countries. In any case, private healthcare plays its cards right and offers higher levels of agility in service and greater efficiency in management.

As a result, more and more European citizens are supplementing their (universal) public health care coverage with private insurance policies. The private healthcare sector is growing steadily and is an excellent alternative for business people arriving in Europe with their health cover contracted through insurance companies.

Housing in Europe:

Within the EU-27, there are large differences in how Europeans live in terms of the size and type of housing, its quality and whether ownership or renting predominates. The evolution of house prices for sale and rentals also changes significantly across countries.

We analyse the housing situation in the EU with the data from the European Statistical Office Eurostat.

• How have house purchase and rental prices evolved?
• Are there more owners or tenants?

In the European Union (EU), 70% of the population lived in owner-occupied households.The remaining 30% lived in a rented house at the end of 2019. The data in this Eurostat interactive publication show annual figures up to that year and therefore do not reflect the impact of the covid-19 crisis that has hit the whole continent in all aspects in 2020.

In Spain, the proportion rises to 76.2% of owners, but far from Romanians, Hungarians or Slovaks. These data and many more can be found in the report. The percentage of the population that either owns or rents the house in which they live is significantly different between member states. In the EU, 69.81 PT3T of the population live in their own dwelling, while the remaining 30.21 PT3T lived in rented houses.

BUT WHERE ARE THERE MORE OWNERS?

In Romania (95.8% of the population owns a house), followed by Hungary (91.7%) and Slovakia (91%) or Lithuania (90.3%). In all Member States, ownership is the most common way of living. Only in Germany is renting able to come close to owning, with 491 Tbp3T of the population renting, compared to 511 Tbp3T owning.

This is followed by Austria, with 44.81 PTP3T of tenants and Denmark, where 39.21 PTP3T of the population live in rented flats. Spain exceeds the European average, with up to 76.2% of owners compared to 23.8% of renters, although it must be said that this proportion has been growing towards the rental market in recent years, especially since the economic crisis of 2008 and the bursting of the real estate bubble.

Living in a house or flat also differs between Member States and depends on whether you live in a city or in the countryside. In 2019, 531 PT3T of the population lived in a detached house, which includes semi-detached houses, while 461 PT3T lived in a flat (only 11 PT3T lived in other accommodation).

Ireland (92%) had the highest proportion of the population living in a detached house, followed by Croatia and Belgium (both 77.6%) and the Netherlands (74.8%). Houses are more common in two thirds of the member states.

Buying a home in Europe:

Each country has its own legislation when it comes to establishing methods and systems of taxation for non-EU citizens wishing to buy a home in Europe. In general, there are no restrictions for non-EU nationals. Only one valid identification document and a current account opened in the country concerned.

IT IS WORTH GIVING SOME GENERAL ADVICE:

MAKE SURE OF THE TOTAL PRICE:

Normally the prices of the properties that appear on the real estate portals are not the final prices. You should find out what commissions and taxes you will have to pay at the end of the process.

These concepts can amount to an additional 10 to 15%.

PLAN THE SALE AND PURCHASE WELL:

Do not pay reservations or down payments without having a clear idea of the route to take until you have the key to the property in your hand, and be absolutely sure of the most suitable option.

If for some reason you change your mind once you have made a down payment, I could lose the money to the real estate company.

TAXES:

Normally, non-EU citizens pay the same taxes as EU citizens, but beware of legislative differences between countries. In Spain, taxes vary, depending on whether the property is used or new (new construction purchased directly from the developer).

The purchase tax is the VAT in continental Europe or IGIC in the Canary Islands. The amount of this tax can vary between 10 and 21% (be aware of the differences between nations). This tax is paid at the moment of signing the deed of sale.

Following the Spanish example, it will have to pay the Stamp duty (Impuesto de Actos Jurídicos Documentados) and payment will be made at the time of registration of the property. In the case of the purchase of a second-hand property, the transfer tax is payable.

OTHER EXPENSES:

Notary fees, Land Registry fees and, changes of utilities (gas, water and electricity, real estate commission 2 years 15%, mortgage costs (appraisal and interest rate agreed with the bank).

The case of France:

We stress the importance of identifying these concepts in each country. In the case of France will have to pay the notary's fees. These are controlled by the government and depend on the level of property taxes, but the sum of the fees cannot exceed 10 % of the value of the property.

Stamp duty is also charged at 5.8 % for properties over five years old, while newer homes incur a cost of 0.7 % plus VAT. However, check your initial contract and prices, since, properties are occasionally sold as "toutes tax comprises" (TTC), meaning that all taxes are included.

Once you own a residential property in France, you will also have to pay a land tax and local taxes:

• The "Taxe d'habitation"(housing tax): is owed by the persons staying in the dwelling. So, if the property is rented, it is the tenant who pays the tax. It is calculated on the basis of the rental value of the property, but the applicable rate depends on each municipality.
• The "Taxe foncière"(property tax): is the responsibility of property owners;
• "Cotisation foncière des entreprises"(CFE): is a tax payable by companies, calculated on the basis of the rental value of the property occupied by a professional. This tax is payable if the property is used for professional purposes. The person liable for the tax is the occupier of the premises.
• "Taxe des logements vacants": is a tax levied on unoccupied dwellings in certain urban areas at the owners' expense.
• "Taxe d'enlèvement des ordures ménagères".: This tax is levied to finance the household waste collection service and exists in most municipalities in France. The tax is payable by the owner or usufructuary of the dwelling or premises. However, if the property is rented, the tax paid can be recovered by charging it to the rental contract expenses.

RENTING A PROPERTY IN FRANCE:

It is very important to know that in France, in order to rent a property, the tenant must be able to prove that he/she has an income at least 3 times higher than the rental price, i.e. if the rent is 500 euros, the tenant should receive at least 1500 euros net and fixed per month. The French complain about the bureaucracy involved in the process of renting a house (Paperasse).

They therefore recommend that aspiring tenants prepare their rental dossier: sOnly a well prepared rental dossier will enable you to outperform all other rental candidates.

THIS IS THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW:

• Prepare the basic documents for renting your property.
• Provide optional documents (but they sometimes make a difference).
• Refuse to disclose certain confidential information.
• Make sure your case stands out.
• Find a guarantor quickly if you have a low income.

THE MANDATORY DOCUMENTS ARE:

• Photocopy of your identity card (or passport). Last three payslips or pay slips (if you are an employee) or last two balance sheets (if you are self-employed).
• Proof of address (electricity bill, landline phone, internet box, gas, etc).
• If you need a guarantor, he or she will have to provide the same documents.

DOCUMENTS THAT ARE NOT MANDATORY BUT SUPPORT THE PROCESS:

• Last tax notice (avis d'imposition his and/or the guarantor's, if any).
• Student card if applicable.
• Residence permit.
• Employer's certificate.
• Photocopy of local taxes (taxe d'habitation, taxe foncière) if the guarantor owns his home.
• RIB.
• Rent receipts for the previous rent.

ADDITIONAL GUARANTEES:

To protect against possible non-payment, it is not uncommon for a landlord to require your tenant to provide a guarantor. Clearly, it is your guarantor, i.e. the person who will stand behind you, who your landlord will ask to pay the rent if you are unable to do so.

But, given the economic consequences involved, the role of guarantor is not always easy to fulfil...

However, if you do not have a guarantor, there are alternatives:

• The bank guarantee.
• The Visale reservoir.
• The online repository.

Renting a property in Ireland:

We conclude these examples of buying or renting in Europe in different European countries by looking at the rental process in Ireland.

Documentation:

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PROVIDED BY THE LESSOR:

• Household documents.
• Passport.
• Bank account into which you will receive the monthly payments.
• Registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, a body that regulates and licenses landlords to rent in Ireland. According to Irish law, all landlords must have this registration in order to rent, so ask your landlord for this paper.

BY THE LESSEE:

• Employment contract or letters from the English course.
• Irish bank account statement.
• Passports of all persons who will be living on site.
• References of the last landlord.
• Cover letter.

The contract: 

Usually, the lease specifies each of the items that are in the property. This way, when you vacate, the landlord can verify that everything in the lease is there. AAt the same time, you will be sure that, everything you buy while you are in the property is yours, and there will be no confusion!!!!

Furthermore, the contract should include other conditions of the tenancy, such as what can happen if something is damaged in the property, how to act in such a situation and who is responsible.

Rent:

Under Irish law, the tenant is obliged to pay the rent on time and must also be very careful to ensure that the property is kept in excellent condition. It is also important to mention that the landlord has the right to inspect the condition of the property as long as he gives you the date of this visit in advance.

Similarly, if you intend to move out of the property, you need to give advance notice so that the landlord can find someone else to occupy it. As can be seen, there are no major differences in the requirements and regulations established in the different European countries in the purchase or rental processes.

Transport in Europe:

Addresses the mobility needs of more than 700 million people and its associated burdens. Europe's political geography divides the continent into more than 50 sovereign states and territories.

This fragmentation, together with increased movement of people since the industrial revolution, has led to a high level of cooperation between European countries in the development and maintenance of transport networks.

Supranational and intergovernmental organisations, such as the European Union (EU), Council of Europe and the OSCE have led to the development of international rules and agreements that allow people and cargo to cross Europe's borders, largely with unique levels of freedom and ease.

Road, rail, air and water transport are prevalent and important throughout Europe. Europe was the place in the world with the first railways and motorways and is now the location of some of the world's busiest ports and airports.

The Schengen area allows for unchecked border crossing between 25 European countries. Freight transport has a high level of intermodal compatibility, and the European Economic AreaThe EU's new trade agreement, which allows for the free movement of goods across 30 states.

ROADS AND MOTORWAYS

The European Union boasts the best road and motorway network in the world. Roads play an important role in EU transport, helping to link distant regions, promoting cohesion, competitiveness and economic growth by efficiently connecting markets and people. Europe's roads carry 76% of tonne-km and 92% of person-km (both bus and passenger car) of all internal EU movement.

This gives an idea of its great importance and explains why the Community pays attention to the constant improvement of the network, its integration with other networks (air, sea and rail) and to ensuring its sustainability. The Community has earmarked 78 billion euros between 2007 and 2020 to subsidise projects on the continent's road network. In this link (+) for more information on European road policy.

AIR TRANSPORT:

Also, in air transport, Europe has an important network of infrastructures and airlines that have seen their activity greatly improved thanks to the policies of unification of the European sky (Open Skies) and the liberalisation of the activity, which has contributed to greater competitiveness and to making air transport accessible to all segments of the population.

This positive development has been a key driver for sectors such as tourism, which, except for the Covid years, has been growing steadily. In 2017, 1.2 billion tourism-related air journeys were made in Europe. Low-cost airlines have had a positive impact in this regard. In 2017, the European airline industry had a turnover of around €150 billion, with an average year-on-year growth of 6.9%. It is to be expected that activity will return to the same pace in the short to medium term.

Expectations are that by 2022 the sector will reach a value of USD 199.5 billion, an increase of 33.1% from 2017 with an average annual growth of 5.9%. Over this period passengers will grow by 24.7% with an average annual growth of 4.5%, reaching 1.271 billion passengers. Despite changes in the habits of European consumers. Internet penetration in Europe has increased from 70% in 2014 to 90% in 2019. In addition, the e-commerce in Europe has increased by 11% in 2017.

In any case, European countries have an abundant network of local, national and international airports that smoothly connect all corners of the continent.

MARITIME TRANSPORT:

Transport maritime represents the 90% of the international trade of Europe and the 40% of the trade to the EU hinterland. With more than 1,200 ports with cargo movement that allow the trade and the connection between EU member states. The map explains the location of the 15 most important European seaports offering regular connections to ports all over the world.

THE SCHENGEN AREA:

The Schengen area is an area of Europe made up of 26 countries. which have agreed to abolish internal border controls to allow the unrestricted free movement of persons, goods, services and capital, following common rules on external border controls. It should be noted that not all members of the European Union (EU) or all European countries are part of the Schengen area because they are two different zones. 

THE SIGNATORY COUNTRIES OF THE SCHENGEN AGREEMENT ARE:

• Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Luxembourg.
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are part of Shengen but not part of the European Union.
• The microstates Monaco, Vatican City and San Marino are de facto members of Shengen.

Ireland is a member of the European Union but is not part of the Shengen agreement.