The idea of forming a community of European countries appeared after the Great Patriotic War. At the official level, the countries of the European Union united together in 1992, when the corresponding agreement was signed.
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The list of EU member countries has regularly expanded, and today there are about 28 countries. Let's take a closer look at the EU participants and the system as a whole.
What is the European Union
European countries that have joined the Union have state sovereignty and independence.
Moreover, each has:
- personal national language of communication;
- personal executive authorities, not only local, but also central.
Despite this, they have a lot in common. In particular, there are specific requirements that countries must mandatory comply, including the adoption of key policy issues in strict agreement with other EU states.
Countries that have expressed a desire to become a full member of the European Union will be forced to prove their adherence to the basic principles of the treaty and European values, in particular:
- democracy;
- providing human rights protection;
- principles of free market trade in a modern economy.
The European Union also has personal self-government bodies, in particular:
- general parliament - it includes representatives of all states;
- general judicial body;
- a general commission to resolve various issues;
- spending control coalition.
Thanks to the general legislation of those countries that are included in the European Union, we can confidently talk about the formation of a single market.
Most of them use a single monetary unit - the euro - in the process of their life.
Moreover, many countries of the European Union are part of the Schengen zone, which provides the opportunity for civilians to travel to all EU countries without any difficulties.
The entire list of states today (table)
In 2020, the list of EU countries that are included at the official level is as follows:
| Austria | Spain |
| Bulgaria | Denmark |
| Great Britain | Lithuania |
| Hungary | Cyprus |
| Italy | Holland |
| Slovenia | Poland |
| Portugal | Romania |
| Czech | Estonia |
| Belgium | Ireland |
| Germany | Latvia |
| Greece | Malta |
| Luxembourg | Slovakia |
| Finland | France |
| Croatia | Sweden |
These are the countries that are part of the European community. In addition, there are several more countries that are just applying to join the community.
Among them are:
- Serbia.
- Montenegro.
- Macedonia.
- Turkey.
- Albania.
Recently, Ukraine has also been applying to join the EU, but taking into account the political and economic situation, there can still be no talk of full membership.
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that a special map of the European Union has been developed, thanks to which you can visually study the geography.
The economic activities of the powers that are included in the European Union contain much in common.
In particular, we are talking about the fact that the economy of each individual country is completely independent, but at the same time they all must contribute specific shares, from which the total GDP is formed.
Additionally, it is necessary to pay attention to the implementation of the Customs Union policy in the European Union.
This allows us to say that full EU members can trade with other members without any specific restrictions and at the same time without duties.
It is important to remember that in the case of other states that are not full members of the EU, uniform customs tariffs are established.
In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that during the entire period of validity of the association agreement, no one has yet terminated the agreement.
The only exception is Greenland. This Danish autonomy with significant powers, back in 1985, decided to exclude itself from membership in the Union.
This was largely a consequence of lower fishing quotas. One of the latest high-profile world events was the holding of a referendum on the UK leaving the EU back in June 2016, when the majority of the local population voted for it.
However, in fact. The UK remains a full member of the EU, and this has become a reason to begin solving numerous existing problems.
Requirements for candidates for entry
To be able to become a full member of the Union in question, it is extremely important to fully comply with the stated criteria, which are reflected in international law, referred to as the “Copenhagen Requirements”.
The so-called etymology of documentation is dictated by the place of its formation. The requirements for potential applicants were developed and adopted in Copenhagen back in 1993 during the meeting of the European Council.
The main list of requirements that are extremely important to comply with includes:
In most cases, potential applicants for membership in the European Union are subject to extensive verification, based on the results of which an appropriate decision is made.
If a negative decision is received for a specific country, the state will be issued an official list of grounds on the basis of which the corresponding response was made.In this situation, there is a need to eliminate identified inconsistencies as quickly as possible.
Only in this case is it possible to re-submit applications and count on full members of the European Union.
As practice shows, it can take years or even decades to correct identified inconsistencies.
Prospects for Adoption
The process of globalization covers more and more spheres of life every year. Moreover, there are no exceptions for both large and small countries.
Thanks to the increased interaction of peoples and continents as a whole, we can talk about the maximum intensification of competition.
This is very difficult to achieve if you act alone, which is why territorial associations have been and are being formed at all times, some of them being achieved by major players at the global level.
According to the indicators of economic development, states that are full members of the European Union are considered to be exactly such players.
Many years of experience in the formation of interethnic state formations arose even before modern years.In particular, we are talking about the 19th century, when some European countries made repeated attempts to form such unions.
But the presence at that time of numerous contradictions and the lack of a sufficient level of competition among other countries did not make it possible to implement such plans.
Video: Initial Aspects
Using the experience of past years, in modern world The countries of Asia, as well as the direct competitor of the EU, America, have significantly strengthened, which is why the question of connection and unity was again raised among the leaders of European states.
Today, the unstable military and political situation around the world only suggests that many countries have plans to become full members of the EU, since in this case they can count on increasing the personal defense capability and integrity of their state.
The idea of creating a community of European states appeared after the Second World War. Officially, the countries of the European Union united in 1992, when the Union was legally established. Gradually, the list of EU member countries expanded, and now it already includes 28 states. You can see which countries are currently members of the European Union in the list below.
What is the European Union (EU)
The European powers that have joined this community have state sovereignty and independence, each of them has its own language, its own governing bodies, both local and central. Nevertheless, they have a lot in common. There are certain criteria that they must meet; they must coordinate all important political decisions with each other.
States wishing to join this oasis of prosperity must prove their commitment to the main principles of the Union and European values:
- Democracy.
- Protection of human rights.
- Principles of free trade in a market economy.
The EU has its own governing bodies: the European Parliament, the European Court of Justice, the European Commission, as well as a special audit community that controls the budget of the European Union.
With the help of common laws, the countries that are now members of the EU have effectively created a single market. Many of them use a single monetary currency - the euro. In addition, the majority, which allows their citizens to travel almost unhindered throughout the European Union.
Countries belonging to the European Union (EU)
Today the EU includes the following countries:
- Austria.
- Bulgaria.
- Belgium.
- Great Britain.
- Germany.
- Hungary.
- Greece.
- Italy.
- Spain.
- Denmark.
- Ireland.
- Lithuania.
- Latvia.
- Republic of Cyprus.
- Malta.
- Netherlands.
- Luxembourg.
- Slovenia.
- Slovakia.
- Poland.
- Finland.
- France.
- Portugal.
- Romania.
- Croatia.
- Sweden.
- Czech Republic.
- Estonia.
These are the countries included in the EU list for 2020. In addition, there are several more countries aspiring to join the community: Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey and Albania.
There is a special map of the European Union on which you can clearly see its geography:
The economic activities of the EU countries have much in common. The economy of each state is independent, but they all contribute certain shares that make up the total GDP.
In addition, the EU pursues a customs union policy. This means that its members can trade with other members without any quantitative restrictions and without paying duties. In relation to powers that are not members of the community, a single customs tariff applies.
Since the founding of the EU, not a single member state has yet left it. The only exception was Greenland, a Danish autonomy with fairly broad powers, which left the Union in 1985, outraged by the reduction in fishing quotas. Finally, a sensational event was the referendum in Great Britain, held in June 2016, in which the majority of the population voted for the country to leave the Union. This indicates that considerable problems are brewing in this influential community.
Polish influence on political, economic and cultural life Europe is quite large. At the same time, not all ordinary people know details about this country. Many of those who are going there to study, work or just as a tourist are interested in whether Poland is part of the European Union or not.
More about the European Union
To begin with, we should briefly say what this organization is. So, the EU is an association of sovereign states that have developed for themselves certain general rules in the field of economics, politics and other aspects of international life. Many laws and other legislative acts are also coordinated and work to implement unified policies in areas such as industry, communications, Agriculture, trade relations, judicial policy, cultural exchange, education, labor market and much more.
On a note! The EU even holds general elections, including to the European Parliament and other supranational authorities.
Participating countries
Some states joined this association earlier, some later, and some even more recently. Today the following countries are members of the EU:
The UK still formally remains a member of the euro, but after the well-known referendum, the so-called “Brexit” process was launched, as a result of which the country should leave the European Union.
It is important to know! The EU should not be confused with the eurozone, which is an international monetary union within which 19 countries use the euro as their national currency.
In addition, the Schengen Agreement is also another association. Schengen involves the interaction of a number of countries in matters of visa policy, as well as border crossings (their actual elimination). Some people who do not fully understand the situation may confuse all these concepts. And, in the meantime, they should be separated, since all of these are different things. To be fair, it should be noted that to a large extent these organizations are connected with each other, and their member countries “overlap” in many ways, that is, they are simultaneously members of all three, or at least two.
Today there are several candidate countries for membership (Serbia, Turkey, Montenegro, Macedonia). However, they all have completely different perspectives.
Poland membership
Today Poland is a member of the European Union. She joined it on May 1, 2004, when another expansion of this organization took place. At the same time, several other countries, mainly Eastern European, received membership. Despite the fact that accession to the EU was greeted with optimism by many, the country has some difficulties in relations with other member states. This applies in particular to certain trade aspects, immigration, the refugee situation and other issues. Despite the fact that a number of countries have opposed and continue to oppose certain aspects of Polish policy, there is no talk of its leaving the EU.
In addition, Poland is a member of the Schengen Agreement, which provides for the harmonized issuance of visas valid throughout its territory. Along with this, national visas are also retained. For example, they can be issued to temporary and permanent employees who arrive there to work. The Poles themselves can work freely throughout the European Union, as well as in a number of other countries, for example, Norway.
A united Europe has always been a dream for the inhabitants of the continent. Many times, since the Middle Ages, it was “collected” by military means. But the moment came when the countries of the continent united voluntarily, wanting to create a political community leading to economic prosperity.
The foundation of the new union was laid by Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Holland. Then the British, Danes, Irish, and soon the Greeks were added to them. But history did not stand still and the opportunity to become part of the new community was used by Portugal, Austria, Spain, and then Hungary. Soon, the two northern states - Finland and Sweden - also decided to join the European Union.
At the beginning of the 21st century, ten states joined the EU at once. Approval for entry was given to all three Baltic states, as well as Poland, Malta, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Cyprus. Bulgarians and Romanians were the next to join the ranks of peoples united under a blue flag decorated with golden stars.
The listed processes occurred from 1957 to 2013. Croatia became the last member of the union.
And in 2016, the first ever attempt to leave the EU was made. The British government organized a general vote: the people voted to sever relations with the EU. The start of the separation process is planned for the end of March 2019, but until that time, Great Britain remains a full-fledged component of the European community. Therefore, the United Kingdom now has the same privileges and responsibilities as other EU countries.
Which countries are no longer part of the European Union?
There are very few states on the European continent that have not managed to join the European Union. Switzerland planned to join, but the application was frozen after a general vote was held within the country. The Swiss referendum gave a negative result. For almost the same reason, Norway cannot be seen on the EU lists. A referendum was held here twice, and both times the people voted against entry.
Eastern European states that did not join the European Union did so for various reasons. If Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova have to bring their laws and economy into line with EU standards, then Russia and Belarus have not expressed a desire to become members of a united Europe. And since 2014, the European Union has supported the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation due to the situation around Ukraine and Crimea.
Kosovo, Transnistria, Georgia, Moldova, Bosnia cannot be in the EU for political reasons. It's about on unresolved territorial disputes. These states cannot claim equal membership until they solve their pressing problems.
Countries that left the EU
By 2019, there are still no states that would leave the EU. Perhaps only Greenland can be considered such a country. It was in the European Union as part of Denmark, but left in 1985 because fishermen on the harsh northern island were unhappy with the low standards for catching fish.
A full-fledged precedent will be created by Great Britain, which is beginning the process of parting with European Union already in the spring of this year. Following the United Kingdom, other states may leave the organization. How many countries in Europe are ready to do this? Analysts from America name six states that could follow the example of England. Firstly, these are Sweden and Denmark. They advocate strengthening border controls.
Greece links its economic problems with restrictions that it has to comply with due to the requirements of the European Union. Voices have repeatedly been heard from Athens, the capital of the state, declaring their desire to leave the EU.
The refugee problem also greatly influenced public opinion in Holland, Hungary and France. The majority of residents of these countries have already become Eurosceptics.
EU applicants
There are quite a lot of people who want to join the ranks of the European Union. But no more than five of all possible applicants can be considered official candidates. We can talk about Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Albania as being ready to join. Two more states are considered as potential associate members of the EU - Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The state whose prospects for joining the European Union are assessed as the best is Turkey. It has been negotiating accession with the EU for more than 20 years. And he has been an associate member since 1964. The history of Turkey's attempts to join the union is full of contradictions.
The country has many supporters within the organization. They believe that Türkiye will strengthen the EU's position in the region. Of course, there are opponents, but despite this, Turkey may soon be indicated on maps as part of the European Union.
Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro just a couple of decades ago were parts of one country - Yugoslavia. They formed as independent states quite recently. Therefore, the process of joining the EU countries takes a fairly short time.
The EU itself is spending a lot of money and great effort on unification with Serbia, but this country’s position on a number of political issues makes it doubtful that accession is possible in the near future. Montenegro is now much closer to joining. Macedonia, due to political instability, may even find itself “overboard.”
Requirements for applicant countries
The list of requirements for everyone who wants to become part of a united Europe is reflected in a document that was drawn up in Copenhagen in 1993. According to it, every state that has submitted an application to join the European Union is subject to strict verification. The criteria are:
- adherence to democratic principles. The state must not only adhere to them in words, but also be able to successfully apply them in conducting domestic and foreign policy;
- The most important qualities of a European state that has the right to join the EU are considered to be practical support at the state level for such democratic procedures as protection of the individual and upholding the priority of legal rights;
- the country must successfully develop its own economy and increase its competitiveness;
- There must be a correlation between the principles and objectives of the policy of the candidate country and the course of the European Union.
If the state is denied based on the results of the audit, then it must be provided with a full list of reasons for such a decision so that it has the opportunity to eliminate them and resubmit the application.
Gradation of European countries by year of accession to the EU
Croatia was made the newest member of the European Union. This happened in 2013. Six years earlier, the accession was successfully completed by Bulgaria and Romania. They became part of the "fifth expansion" that began nine years earlier. Then the EU was replenished with Cyprus, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Baltic states joined. The number of members of the organization has increased significantly.
In 1995, the founding countries managed to attract Sweden, Austria, and Finland. It turned out to unite with the Portuguese and Spaniards in 1986. Persuade Greece in 1981. And welcome Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland in 1973.
Post-war Europe suffered for a long time from the difficulties of reconstruction and mutual mistrust. But by 1957, the Italians, French and Germans had overcome their differences, forgotten old feuds and started new history Europe.
Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland also played an important role. It was they who became the core of the new union, which took shape in 1957 after the signing of an interstate treaty in Rome. It marked the creation of an economic organization, which over its more than half a century of history has transformed into the modern European Union. Its symbol was the coat of arms depicting 12 sparkling stars on a blue field.
History of the formation of the EU
Despite its deep roots, the history of the EU is usually counted from 1948, when the Brussels Pact on Security Cooperation between countries was signed. Three years later, a document was signed on the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The agreement was signed by German, French, Italian representatives, as well as diplomats from the Benelux countries. The headquarters of the union is located in Brussels. There is a trend towards unification in Europe.
Relations between states developed. In addition to broad economic cooperation, a unified police and judicial space was created, and the foundations of a common foreign policy and military security were laid. The Lisbon Agreement formed the European Union in its modern form.
One of the fundamental documents that made it possible not formally, but actually to erase borders from the map of Europe, was an agreement signed near the small Luxembourg village of Schengen. The document made it possible to abolish visas when moving within Europe and thereby create a visa-free zone, which was almost immediately called Schengen.
Expansion history
Both the forms of cooperation and the list of states that showed a desire to work together under the new rules expanded. Of course, at first there were only six of them: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany and France. It took 16 long years for the first expansion to take place. This happened in 1973 and there were nine participants.
The largest increase in EU membership was the fifth enlargement. The document of accession was signed in 2003. Ten states became members of the “European family”. The fifth enlargement includes the accession of the Bulgarian and Romanian peoples to the European Union in 2013.
European Parliament officials promise that by 2025 the list of countries will be expanded again.
EU governance
The main governing political institution of the European Union is the European Council. All important resolutions defining current EU policy are adopted at Council congresses. Leaders of all EU countries gather here. It is they who make all the decisions, which are then followed by all nation states. Here they not only formulate political “wishes”, but also create normative documents that have legal force and are binding on all subordinate structures of both the European Union and national states.
Currency in the European Union
The Euro is the official currency of the European Union. It is in circulation in nineteen countries. Three states, being members of the European Union, still continue to use their own currency. But Andorra, Montenegro, the Vatican, and Monaco are not at all bothered by another currency, and the euro is used there as an official means of payment.
The European Central Bank is in charge of control over the issue and the euro exchange rate. His other task is to determine the financial and economic policy of the association. Having first released its new money on the foreign exchange market in 1999, the European Union Bank ensured its long life and great popularity. Today the euro is the bottom of the world's reserve currencies, a status it received thanks to Deutsche Bank, located in Berlin, and the high status of the German mark, of which it became the de facto heir.
Economic activity
It is aimed, firstly, at eliminating barriers within the EU and, secondly, at defending the interests of both the union and its individual members on international trading platforms. The EU budget is controlled by the European Court of Auditors, whose headquarters are located in Luxembourg.
By bringing together such world leaders industrial production, like Germany, France, Italy, Britain, the European Union can rightfully be considered one of the most powerful economic conglomerates. The EU's GDP is estimated at 22% of the world's total. Only China and the USA bypass it.
The European Union is also one of the world leaders in terms of GDP per capita: the average figure was about 35 thousand euros per year. In the eurozone, Germany leads in terms of wages, while Estonian citizens have some of the lowest incomes.
Legal system
The unique system of law that has emerged in the European Union is based on general and functional law. These two pillars are the basis of the jurisprudence of a united Europe.
Functional law is a combination of two wonderful principles that complement each other. These are the principles of supremacy and direct action. The first of them declares the priority of the laws of the union over the legal acts of states that are members of the EU. The second allows EU structures to apply laws not only to state entities, but also to residents - individuals and legal entities, which has not previously been used by any supranational structures.
Established in 1952 as a court under the ECSC. It is now a permanent institution of the European Union. The basis of his work is the resolution and trial of cases within his jurisdiction. Makes decisions on legal issues. The activities are regulated by the Charter of the court, which determines the formation, work, and limits of competence.
Member states, EU structures, individuals and legal entities. Its decision is binding on all national courts. Most of the cases heard by the court concern the interpretation of EU laws and the resolution of disputes between EU members.
Strasbourg is home to another important element of the European legal system. This is a court that deals with cases related to human rights violations. Its jurisdiction extends to all signatories to the Convention for the Protection of Fundamental Freedoms.
Political structure
After the signing of the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, the political structure of the EU changed. The executive, judicial, and legislative powers acquired a number of additional functions and powers.
The EU executive has two components:
- European Council;
- European Commission.
The legislative branch is represented by:
- European Parliament;
- Council of the European Union.
The judiciary is a system consisting of three links:
- Court of First Instance;
- Special judicial chambers.
The European Union has priority over the member states of the union when concluding international agreements concerning customs regulations, conditions of trade competition, common trade policy, monetary policy, defense environment and resource conservation.
The political structure of EU states is extremely diverse. The form of government of some countries has not changed since the Middle Ages; a monarchy has been established there. Of course, there have long been no traces of absolutism, and kings exist only in name, but in essence all these European countries have long been parliamentary or presidential republics.
Prospects in politics
It is believed that the EU is now experiencing a crisis. Last years The union was beset by many problems that European states tried to solve together. The Ukrainian crisis and the situation around Crimea became difficult trials, which led to complications in relations with Russian Federation and the emergence of military tension in territories located almost in the center of Europe. Problems of states are also relevant North Africa, the Middle East, which caused hundreds of thousands of refugees.
The unity of the countries belonging to the EU was shaken, and the influence of Eurosceptics began to grow. A particularly strong blow was the referendum in Great Britain, which led to the country's exit from the European Union. But external and internal political challenges are multiplying, constantly testing the strength of the “European family”. Is it so whole and united in 2018-2019? Most likely, only the joint efforts of all members of the union can lead to a happy resolution of all the complex problems that arise daily before the EU.
Main political parties
European parties operate in several EU member states at once. They are financed from European Union funds and interact both with EU officials and with representatives of individual states.
The oldest registered party is the European People's Party, which has existed since 1976. Representatives position themselves as liberal conservatives. It is the most influential political union in the EU.
It is worth noting such parties as:
- European Green Party (1984);
- European Free Alliance (1989);
- Party of European Socialists (1992);
- European Left Party (1998);
- European Democratic Party (2004).
The remaining political associations are younger; they have not yet acquired sufficient political influence.
Corruption in the EU
Corruption regularly becomes the scourge of all major state entities, if control over the activities of financial institutions is insufficient, and management is complex, even confusing. Such bribery practices not only undermine the authority of democratic institutions, but also create fertile ground for the development of organized crime.
According to reports from various EU departments, losses from corruption in 2018 amounted to about 900 billion euros. The main problem is said to be insufficient control over compliance with the law in some member states of the union. To combat these phenomena, it was proposed to compile a “corruption rating” of EU states so that it could influence the distribution of EU money.
EU Armed Forces
The EU does not have a unified armed force. Within its framework, various mechanisms of interaction between the military of national states were created. But basically the policy is within the powers of EU member states.
NATO remains the main military association in Europe today. It includes 27 European states, 22 of which are members of the EU.
However, the Treaty on European Union, the new version of which came into force in 2009, provides for significant interpenetration of the military structures of various EU member states. But there is practically no military contingent subordinate directly to the EU. Due to disagreements in the European Council, the optimal form of military integration has not yet been found.
Population of the European Union
In the 28 member countries of the European Union, covering an area of about 4.5 million square kilometers, the population is more than 500 million people. The largest countries by population are Germany - 81 million people, and France - 65 million people. The national composition of Europe has not changed for centuries. Different nations living side by side have long gotten used to each other, and know everything about the habits and ethnic characteristics of their neighbors. The population density in Europe is very high.
Another problem in Europe is high average age population. Every year the percentage of working-age Europeans decreases and the number of dependents increases.
It would seem that refugees could help by filling available jobs, but most live on benefits that are large enough that they do not need to work. Many do not even try to learn the language or obtain citizenship of their host country. Effective mechanisms for solving these demographic problems have not yet been developed.
EU relations with other countries
Responsibility for relations with states outside the EU rests with the person holding the position of High Representative of the Union. Federica Mogherini currently holds this post. Many EU countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council and take an active part in international politics.
The European Union has existing agreements on cooperation and trade with foreign neighbors. Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Turkey, and Israel managed to become good trading partners of the European Union.
The EU is one of Russia's most important trading partners and the main consumer of Russian gas and oil. Geographical position EU countries allows you to quickly receive energy delivered overland using pipelines.
The EU is active not only in trade foreign policy. Diplomatic representations of the European Union operate throughout the world. They are in New York, in the African Union and even in Afghanistan.
The history of the formation of the European Union began in 1951 with the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which included six countries (Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France and Germany). Within countries, all tariff and quantitative restrictions on trade in these goods were lifted.
March 25, 1957 The Treaty of Rome was signed to create European Economic Community(EEC) based on the ECSC and the European Community atomic energy.
In 1967, three European communities (the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community) merged to form the European Community.
On June 14, 1985, the Schengen Agreement on the free movement of goods, capital and citizens was signed - an agreement providing for the abolition of customs barriers within the European Union while simultaneously tightening controls at the external borders of the EU (came into force on March 26, 1995).
On February 7, 1992, the Treaty establishing the European Union was signed in Maastricht (Netherlands) (came into force on November 1, 1993). The agreement completed the matter previous years on settlement of monetary and political systems European countries.
In order to achieve the highest form economic integration The euro, the single EU currency, was created between EU states. The euro was introduced in non-cash form on the territory of EU member states on January 1, 1999, and cash banknotes on January 1, 2002. The euro replaced the ECU, the conventional unit of account of the European Community, which was a basket of currencies of all EU member states.
The EU is responsible for issues relating to, inter alia, the common market, the customs union, the single currency (with some members maintaining their own currency), the common agricultural policy and the common fisheries policy.
The organization includes 27 European countries: Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia. On January 1, 2007, Bulgaria and Romania officially joined the European Union.
European Union institutions:
The highest political body of the European Union is European Council. As a meeting of heads of state at the highest level, the Council effectively determines the tasks of the Union and its relations with member states. The sessions are presided over by the president or prime minister of the country holding the rotating presidency of the EU's governing bodies for six months.
The highest executive body of the European Union is European Commission (CEC, Commission of the European Communities). The European Commission consists of 27 members, one from each member state. The Commission plays a major role in ensuring the day-to-day activities of the EU. Every commissioner, like a minister national government, is responsible for a specific area of work.
European Parliament is an assembly of 786 deputies directly elected by citizens of EU member states for a term of five years. Deputies unite in accordance with their political orientation.
The EU's highest judicial body is European Court(official name - Court of Justice of the European Communities). The court consists of 27 judges (one from each member state) and nine advocates general. The Court regulates disagreements between member states, between member states and the European Union itself, between EU institutions, and issues opinions on international agreements.
