Perhaps this is a specifically French thing. From the rest of the European countries, which typically don't have overseas territories, Europe refers to the cont

Perhaps this is a specifically French thing. From the rest of the European countries, which typically don't have overseas territories, Europe refers to the continent, and typically not even Eastern Europe at that. I've heard people try to use Europe in the context of EU, but typically it requires a clarification because someone misinterprets what they say or it's actually incorrect due to the hold-outs of Switzerland, Norway, UK etc. I heard it more a few years ago than I do now, these days people tend to specifically refer to EU, and Europe more refers to Schengen or the geographical region. If someone says a European holiday, or it was designed in Europe, or someone is from Europe, the listener doesn't expect Reunion or Serbia, they expect somewhere roughly between Czechia and Spain. Including others under the Europe umbrella would be purposefully deceitful from the speaker's side, or trying to make a political point. Then again, perhaps this is a central European perspective.