The European Union is an association of states, mainly located in Europe.
The association was created in February 1992 by signing the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993.
Read about how many countries there will be in the European Union in 2025 in the ICTV Facts article.
Now watching
What is the European Union
The European Union is an international entity that combines the characteristics of an international organization and a state, but from a legal point of view, it is neither one nor the other.
This union of countries pursues a policy aimed at integrating the European region. The EU has a standardized system of laws and a common market, common foreign and security policy. 20 EU countries have introduced a single currency, the euro.
Residents living in the EU can move freely within the Schengen area without passport control, and can live and work freely in any EU country.
The European Union is a subject of international public law and has the following institutions of power:
- European Parliament;
- European Commission;
- European Council;
- Court of Justice of the EU;
- European Court of Auditors;
- European Central Bank.
Enlargement of the European Union
The Maastricht Treaty on the establishment of the European Union was signed by 12 states on February 7, 1992. However, the initiators of the creation of a European international entity were Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands back in 1957, establishing the European Economic Community.
Over the years of its existence, the EU's membership has expanded four times:
- 1995 – accession of Austria, Finland, Sweden;
- 2004 – the largest expansion, with the entry of Malta, Cyprus and eight Eastern European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania);
- 2007 – Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU;
- 2013 – The latest enlargement to date, Croatia joined the EU.
During the entire existence of the EU, only Great Britain left it. The so-called Brexit occurred on December 31, 2020.
How many countries are in the European Union – 2025
The European Union consists of 27 states. These are:
- Belgium – March 25, 1957;
- Germany – March 25, 1957;
- France – March 25, 1957;
- Italy – March 25, 1957;
- Luxembourg – 25 March 1957;
- Netherlands – March 25, 1957;
- Ireland – 1 January 1973;
- Denmark – January 1, 1973;
- Greece – January 1, 1981;
- Spain – January 1, 1986;
- Portugal – January 1, 1986;
- Finland – January 1, 1995;
- Sweden – January 1, 1995;
- Austria – January 1, 1995;
- Estonia – May 1, 2004;
- Latvia – May 1, 2004;
- Lithuania – May 1, 2004;
- Poland – May 1, 2004;
- Czech Republic – May 1, 2004;
- Slovakia – May 1, 2004;
- Hungary – May 1, 2004;
- Slovenia – May 1, 2004;
- Cyprus – 1 May 2004;
- Malta – 1 May 2004;
- Bulgaria – January 1, 2007;
- Romania – January 1, 2007;
- Croatia – July 1, 2013.
The EU also includes the French overseas territories and the Spanish semi-enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which are located outside Europe.
