Business Customs

For information on business customs, please consult the relevant Member States’ Country Commercial Guide.

Travel Advisory

AnchorAnchorFor information on any travel advisories, please consult the  Department of State’s Travel Website.

Visa Requirements

Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process.  Visa applicants should go to the Department of State’s Visa Website.

For information on visa requirements, please consult the relevant Member States’ Country Commercial Guide.

Currency

The euro was adopted as the currency of the European Union on January 1, 2002, and it is used by the institutions of the European Union and the nineteen Member States belonging to the eurozone: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.  Croatia adopted the euro on January 1, 2023.

The official languages of the European Union are Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, and Swedish.

Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays

The European Union generally follows the holidays of the Member State in which its institutions are located.  During August, most European Union organizations are staffed with minimum personnel.  For information on local holidays in EU Member States, please consult the relevant Member States’ Country Commercial Guide.  As some EU institutions are located in Brussels, the following is a list of official holidays observed in Belgium in 2023 and 2024.

The U.S. Mission to the European Union is closed on most U.S. and Belgian holidays.  For individual Member States’ local time and business hours, please consult the relevant Member States’ Country Commercial Guide.

Other Issues

For more information on the temporary entry of materials or personal belongings, telecommunications and electric issues, transportation, and health, please consult the relevant Member States’ Country Commercial Guide.

Appointments with the Commercial Service

Business travelers to the European Union seeking appointments with officials in the U.S. Mission to the European Union should contact the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in advance of their travel.