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The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The Union has a total area of 4,233,255 km 2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated total population of over 448 million.
Learn about the EU's history, values, priorities, achievements and budget. Find out the latest news and events on EU enlargement, solidarity, skills, recovery and more.
- Overview
- Origins
European Union (EU), international organization comprising 27 European countries and governing common economic, social, and security policies. Originally confined to western Europe, the EU undertook a robust expansion into central and eastern Europe in the early 21st century. The EU’s members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. The United Kingdom, which had been a founding member of the EU, left the organization in 2020.
The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993. The treaty was designed to enhance European political and economic integration by creating a single currency (the euro), a unified foreign and security policy, and common citizenship rights and by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs. The EU was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012, in recognition of the organization’s efforts to promote peace and democracy in Europe.
The EU represents one in a series of efforts to integrate Europe since World War II. At the end of the war, several western European countries sought closer economic, social, and political ties to achieve economic growth and military security and to promote a lasting reconciliation between France and Germany. To this end, in 1951 the leaders of six...
The European Union. What it is and what it does. This publication is a guide to the European Union (EU) and what it does. The first section briefly explains what the EU is. The second section, ‘What the European Union does’, describes what the EU is doing in more than 40 different areas to improve the lives of people in Europe and further afield.
Feb 1, 2020 · Learn about the history, members, languages, currency, borders and budget of the EU. Find out which countries use the euro, belong to the Schengen area and are represented in the European Parliament.
The common principles and values that underlie life in the EU: freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law, promoting peace and stability. Key facts and figures Statistics on EU countries and populations, economy and employment, transport and energy and the EU institutions.
Learn about the European Commission's role, priorities, policies and services. Find out how to participate, access EU funding, statistics, events and publications.
