European update: Cyprus, Malta join eurozone; EU culture commissioner says tolerance of different cultures is no longer enough; as the Schengen border zone expands, debate continues over which countries should join EU.

The European dream

Tolerance of different cultures is no longer enough: Europeans should create an "inter-cultural society" in which interaction across cultural boundaries is the norm, says European culture commissioner.

Europe: Are some are more equal than others?

According to George Orwell's damning parody of the hypocrisy of Communism, Animal Farm, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." Sixty years on, some European citizens - many of whom endured decades of Communist misrule - are asking whether a similar motto should not apply to them in 2007.

Europe's Schengen area

As of 21 December 2007, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia became part of the Schengen area. We give you the low-down on Europe's Schengen border-free area which began in June 1985 in the Luxembourg town of Schengen.

Cyprus, Malta join eurozone

Cyprus and Malta introduced the euro as their countries' official currency on 1 January expanding the eurozone group to 15 members and 318 million people. Euro banknotes and coins have been circulating in Cyprus and Malta since 1 January, at rates of €1 to 0.585274 Cyprus pounds and 0.429300 Maltese lira. Cyprus pounds and Maltese lira can still be used until 31 January, in parallel with the euro.

[Copyright Expatica + dpa]