The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union 27 European countries , which formed a “common market”, primarily ensuring the free movement of goods and people.

Within the EU there is a single currency - the euro, which as of 2020 is used 19 participating countries, and has its own parliament, empowered to make decisions in a wide range of areas - from issues related to protection environment before setting mobile tariffs.

MAP OF EU COUNTRIES

EU countries

The current list of countries that are members of the European Union in 2020 (as of today) is as follows.

EU COUNTRIES 2019

On Thursday June 23, 2016, a referendum was held in Great Britain, known throughout the world as Brexit. More than 30 million Human. The final turnout was 71.8%. As a result, 51.9% of Britons expressed a desire to leave the European Union. At the same time, the majority of citizens of England and Wales supported leaving the EU, while residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland were against it.

According to Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in 2009, any EU country has the right to leave this association. This article regulates the procedure for leaving the EU, in particular, a maximum of 2 years is provided for the final agreement of conditions. The official start of the process of separation of Great Britain from the European Union was scheduled for March 29, 2019. This was followed by a six-month extension until October 31, 2019.

Important. At midnight 31 January to 1 February 2020 Central European Time, the UK formally left the European Union. The country lost representation and voting rights in EU authorities, but remained part of the single economic space until the end of 2020. Within 11 months, the UK and the EU must agree on new terms of trade and cooperation.

The list of countries included in the EU in 2020, unlike in 2019, includes not 28, but 27 states.

Creation of the European Union

The idea of ​​creating the European Union arose against the backdrop of the horrific consequences of the Second World War. To avoid a repetition of such events and to maximally connect countries with each other economically, in 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed uniting the coal and steel industries of Europe.

As a result, in 1951, six states - France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg - signed Treaty of Paris and created the European Coal and Steel Community. The rapid growth of trade relations over 6 years led to the conclusion Treaties of Rome 1957, which led to the formation of the European Economic Community - the basis of the modern EU.

European Union in its current form was created on the basis Maastricht Treaty, effective from November 1, 1993, which led to the emergence of the single European currency - Euro. Subsequently, the main EU agreements were amended in accordance with the treaties signed in Amsterdam (1997), Nice (2001) and Lisbon (2009).

Accession of countries to the European Union

The first wave of EU enlargement occurred in 1973, following the entry into the union of Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark. Greece joined in 1981, and 5 years later (1986) Portugal and Spain joined. In 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union.

The largest expansion took place in 2004, when the EU gained 10 new members - Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Romania and Bulgaria joined in 2007, and Croatia became the last country to join the EU in 2013.

Functioning of the EU

The combined population of EU member states exceeds 510 million people. Previously exclusively economic union over the years of its existence has become a powerful political association, together problem solving security, migration, climate change, health, education and much more. Fundamental Principles The European Union is based on a single internal market, ensuring the free movement of goods, services, money and people, including labor.

The core values ​​of the EU include the rule of law, freedom, democracy, equality, respect for human rights and dignity. The functioning of the European Union is ensured 7 main institutions:

European Council.

Council of the European Union.

Court of Justice of the European Union.

European Court of Auditors.

European Central Bank.

Despite the nominal independence of each EU member and collective decision-making, individual countries occupy a dominant position in this association. For example, more than 60% Contributions to the general budget of the European Union come from 4 states - Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy. For comparison, the total share of the Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia - does not exceed 1%.

Many EU member countries receive considerable funds from the general budget to support the economy and social development, which significantly exceed the size of the initial contributions. Thus, sovereignty and the ability to significantly influence important decisions taken within the European Union are partially lost. Germany has been considered the political and economic leader of the EU for many years.

Candidates for EU membership

As already mentioned, the list of EU countries in 2020 includes 27 members. The last addition took place in 2013, when Croatia joined the association. Four Western European countries - Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein - are not members of the EU, but are closely integrated into the single economic market and are members of the Schengen area.

To join the European Union, a candidate country must meet the so-called Copenhagen criteria, which are based on democratic governance, respect for human rights, the functioning of a market economy and commitment to the goals and intentions of the EU. The right to join the European Union on a geographical basis is enshrined in Article 49 Maastricht Treaty.

As of 2020, there are 5 candidates for EU membership:

Türkiye - application from 1987

Macedonia - application from 2004

Montenegro - application from 2008

Albania - application from 2009

Serbia - application from 2009

All countries except Albania and Macedonia are negotiating accession to the EU. Potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are considered. In 2014, the European Union signed association agreements with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which is not a basis for applying for EU membership, but membership is possible in the future. Based on statements from high-ranking European officials, it can be concluded that We should not expect new countries to join the European Union in the coming years.

Since the fifties of the twentieth century, the European Union has existed, which today unites 28 countries of Western and Central Europe. The process of its expansion continues, but there are also dissatisfied unified policy and economic problems.

Map of the European Union showing all member states

Most European states are economically and politically united in a union called “European”. Within this zone there is a visa-free space, a single market, and a common currency is used. In 2020, this association includes 28 European countries, including regions subordinate to them, but located autonomously.

List of European Union countries

On this moment England is planning to leave the European Union (Brexit). The first prerequisites for this began back in 2015-2016, when it was proposed to hold a referendum on this issue.

In 2016, the referendum itself was held and slightly more than half of the population voted for leaving the European Union - 51.9%. It was initially planned that the UK would leave the EU at the end of March 2019, but after discussions in Parliament, the exit was postponed to the end of April 2019.

Well, then there was a summit in Brussels and Britain’s exit from the EU was postponed until October 2019. Travelers planning to travel to England should keep an eye on this information.

History of the EU

Initially, the creation of the union was considered only from an economic point of view and was aimed at connecting the coal and steel industries of the two countries - and. The head of the French Foreign Ministry stated this back in 1950. In those years, it was difficult to imagine how many states would later join the association.

In 1957, the European Union was formed, which included such developed countries as Germany, and. It is positioned as a special international association, including the features of both an interstate organization and single state.

The population of the European Union countries, having independence, should general rules, regarding all spheres of life, domestic and international politics, issues of education, healthcare, social services.

Map of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, members of the European Union

Since March 1957, this association has included: In 1973, the Kingdom of Denmark joined the EU. In 1981, it joined the union, and in 1986.

In 1995, three countries at once became members of the EU - and Sweden. Nine years later, ten more countries were added to the single zone -, and. Not only is the process of expansion going on in the European Union, but in 1985 it left the EU after gaining independence, joining it automatically in 1973 as part of, since its population expressed a desire to leave the association.

Together with some European states, the European Union also included a number of territories located outside the mainland, but related to them politically.

Detailed map Denmark showing all cities and islands

For example, along with France, Reunion, Saint-Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Mayotte and French Guiana also joined the union. At the expense of Spain, the organization was enriched by the provinces of Melilla and Ceuta. Together with Portugal, the Azores and Madeira entered into an alliance.

On the contrary, those that are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but have greater political freedom, did not support the idea of ​​joining a single zone and are not part of the EU, despite Denmark itself being a member of it.

Also, the accession of the GDR to the European Union occurred automatically with the unification of both Germanys, since the Federal Republic of Germany at that time was already part of it. The last country to join the union (in 2013) became the twenty-eighth EU member state. As of 2020, the situation has not changed either towards increasing the zone or towards reducing it.

Criteria for joining the European Union

Not all states are ready to join the EU. How many and what criteria exist can be found out from the relevant document. In 1993, the experience of the association’s existence was summarized and uniform criteria were developed to be used when considering the issue of entry next state into the association.

Where adopted, the list of requirements is called the “Copenhagen Criteria”. Topping the list is the presence of principles of democracy. The main focus is on freedom and respect for the rights of every person, which follows from the concept of the rule of law.

Much attention is paid to developing the competitiveness of the economy of a potential member of the Eurozone, and the general political course of the state should follow from the goals and standards of the European Union.
EU member states, before making any significant political decision, are obliged to coordinate it with other states, since this decision may affect their public life.

Each European state wishing to join the list of countries that have joined the association is carefully checked to ensure compliance with the “Copenhagen” criteria. Based on the results of the survey, a decision is made on the country’s readiness to join the Eurozone; in case of a negative decision, a list is drawn up, according to which it is necessary to bring the deviating parameters back to normal.

After this, regular monitoring is carried out over the implementation of the requirements, based on the results of which a conclusion is made about the country’s readiness to join the EU.

In addition to the common political course, there is a visa-free travel regime in the common space state borders, and use a single currency - the euro.

This is what the money of the European Union looks like - the euro

As of 2020, 19 out of 28 countries that are members of the European Union supported and accepted the use of the euro on their territory, recognizing it as their state currency.

It is worth noting that not all EU countries have the euro as their national currency:

• Bulgaria - Bulgarian Lev.
• Croatia - Croatian kuna.
• Czech Republic - Czech crown.
• Denmark - Danish krone.
• Hungary - forint.
• Poland - Polish zloty.
• Romania - Romanian leu.
• Sweden - Swedish krona.

When planning trips to these countries, it is worth taking care to purchase local currency, as the exchange rate in tourist areas can be very high.

Good day, dear readers! Ruslan welcomes you, and today I will tell you which countries are members of the European Union. We will also look at the history of its creation, development trends, and what it means in general.

I think that's pretty interesting topic, after all, we are all interested in politics, we go on vacation to different countries, and quite often we hear about the European Union on TV and in the media.

The states within it are independent and have their own official language, local and central governments, but there is much that unites them.

They meet certain criteria, which are called “Copenhagen criteria”, the main of which are democracy, protection of human rights and freedoms, as well as commitment to the principle of free trade in a market economy.

All important policy decisions must be agreed upon by EU member states. There are also general organs governance - the European Parliament, the court, the European Commission, the audit community that controls the EU budget, and the common currency - the euro.

Basically, all countries that are members of the EU are also part of the Schengen area, which means unhindered border crossings within the European Union.

Where did it all start?

In order to understand in more detail what the development trends of the EU are and which powers are members of it, let us turn to history.

The first proposals for such integration were made at the Paris Conference in 1867, but due to the great contradictions that existed between the countries at that time, these ideas were postponed for a long time, and only after the Second World War they were returned to them.

In the post-war period, only combined efforts and resources could restore the damaged economies of states.

In 1951 in Paris, France, Germany, Luxenburg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy signed the first treaty, the ECSC, thereby pooling natural reserves.

In 1957, the same states signed agreements on the founding of the European communities EuroAtom and the EEC.

In 1960, the EFTA Association was created.

In 1963, the foundation was laid for the community's relationship with Africa in terms of financial, technical and trade areas.

In 1964, a single agricultural market and the FEOGA organization were created, supporting the agricultural sector.

In 1968, the formation of the Customs Union was completed, and in 1973, Great Britain, Denmark and Ireland were included in the list of EU countries.

In 1975, the Lo Mei Convention on Trade Cooperation was signed between the EU and 46 countries around the world.

Then, in 1981, Greece joined the European Union, and in 1986, Spain and Portugal.

In 1990 the Schengen Agreement was adopted, in 1992 the Maastricht Treaty was signed.

Officially, the union began to be called the “European Union” in 1993.

Sweden, Finland and Austria joined in 1995.

The non-cash euro was introduced in 1999, and cash payments using it - in 2002.

The EU expanded significantly in 2004, with the accession of Cyprus, Malta, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. Then in 2007 Romania and Bulgaria joined, and in 2013 Croatia, which became 28 country, entered the EU.

However, not everything is as smooth in the development of the European Union as it might seem. Greenland left the EU in 1985 after gaining independence.

And more recently, in 2016, 52% of the UK population voted in a referendum to leave the union, in connection with which early elections will be held in the country parliamentary elections– June 8, 2017, after which concrete negotiations on England’s exit from the European Union will begin within a month.

If you look at the map of the Eurozone, you will notice that it also includes areas (mostly islands) that are not part of Europe, but are part of the EU member states.

It should be noted that the current situation in the world is ambiguous; many countries of the union have different views on the prospects for its development, especially after England’s decision.

Who is applying for inclusion in the EU?

If powers that are not members of the European Union wish to be included in its list, they must meet the “Copenhagen Criteria”. They undergo a special check, based on the results of which a decision is made on joining the EU.

At the moment there are 5 official contenders - Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Serbia and Albania.

A potential contender is Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Association agreements were previously signed by countries located on other continents - Egypt, Jordan, Chile, Israel, Mexico and others - all of them are also contenders.

The Eastern partners of the European Union are Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Georgia.

Basic principles of economic activity of countries

The activities of the European Union consist of the economies of its member countries, which are independent elements in international trade.

An undoubted advantage of the EU for citizens of any of its members is that they have the right to live and work in any country on the territory of the union. For example, it is much easier for Germans to move to France than for you and me.

The largest share of EU income comes from Spain, the UK, France, Germany and Italy. Strategic resources include gas, oil and coal, in terms of reserves of which the European Union ranks 14th in the world, which, you see, considering its territory, is not so much.

Tourism brings large revenues to the European Union, which is facilitated by a single currency, the absence of visas, and the expansion of trade and partnerships between states.

Currently, different forecasts are being made about how many countries will still join the EU, but according to experts, states from other continents will join the integration of economies the fastest.

Attention! Attentiveness check:

1. How many countries are in the EU?
2. Which country is leaving the EU?
3. Which EU country is not in the list below?

Write in the comments.

Thus, we have reviewed with you the history of the emergence and development of the European Union, the list of participating countries, as well as what joining it involves and what advantages it gives.

This is where our article ends.

I want to wish you a good day! See you again!

Best regards, Ruslan Miftakhov.

The European Union is a global organization that has significance in the political and economic world in our time. All states and all segments of the population are showing interest in the European Union, because the functions and goals of this organization affect the most current topics and problems. Scale, wide functionality, as well as powers in international relations have been making the European Union an influential global organization for a long time.

EU Member States

The European Union began its activities in the 50s of the 20th century. Today the organization unites 28 member countries of Western and Central Europe. Interest in the European Union is observed every year, and accordingly, the expansion process does not stand still. However controversial situations they do not bypass the union; there are certain dissatisfaction with the common policy and economic problems.

Countries that are members of the European Union:

There is a single market for all EU countries. The currency of the European Union (euro) is used in 17 countries, thereby creating the eurozone. In addition, these countries have the right to issue euro coins and banknotes.

As a serious and large-scale organization, the European Union has certain institutions:

1. The European Council - it determines the main political line of development of the EU. The European Council is headed by a chairman elected by the heads of state for a term of 2.5 years.
2. Council of the European Union - most often includes foreign ministers, or the relevant officials if any industry related issues arise. Deals with issues in all areas of activity.
3. The European Commission leads the common policy of the EU, a kind of government. Deals with legislative and regulatory documentation, as well as its compliance.
4. The European Court forms European law and controls its correct interpretation. In addition, cases of physical and legal entities, audits of EU income and expenditure reports are being carried out.
5. European Central Bank - manages the reserves of the European System of Central Banks, sets the EU's monetary policy, and also determines key interest rates.

History of the creation of the European Union

The creation of the European Union came at a difficult time after the Second World War. The first association was called the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and included six countries: France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.

In 1957, by signing the Treaty of Rome, the European Economic Community (EEC) was created on the basis of the European Atomic Energy Community and the ECSC.

1967 was a fundamental year, all three European communities (ECSC, EEC, European Atomic Energy Community) united to form the European Community.

1993 - entry into force of the agreement drawn up in the Netherlands, Maastricht - creation of the European Union. The adjustment of the monetary and political systems of European countries was completed at this stage.

Accession to the EU

The expansion of the European Union does not stop; according to current data for 2018, the following countries are contenders for EU membership: Albania, Turkey, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro. In addition, countries from other continents that previously signed an association agreement are also applying to join the EU: Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Lebanon, Chile, Mexico and others.

Speaking about applicants for membership in the European Union, we cannot fail to mention the large-scale exit from the EU, which is planned for March 2019. The UK held a referendum on leaving the EU, in which 52% of residents voted in favor of leaving the EU.

The accession of new countries to the EU occurs with careful selection. There are certain criteria, the candidate country must meet them. The list and rules of such criteria are collected in a separate document called the “Copenhagen Criteria”. Special attention focuses on the following issues:

1. Principles of democracy.
2. Human rights.
3. Development of economic competitiveness.

After passing the check for compliance with the criteria, a decision is made on whether the country will be accepted into the EU or whether it needs to wait a little longer. If the answer to EU membership is negative, then the candidate country is necessarily provided with a list of parameters and criteria that it must bring to normal within the specified time frame.

EU membership for any country is a prestigious and indicative factor of wealth. Unified policy " customs union", common foreign trade policy, freedom of internal movement, general economic space, common social standards - all these are privileges of members of the European Union.

On this page you can find out full list EU countries included in 2017.

The initial goal of creating the European Union was to connect the coal and steel resources of just two European countries - Germany and France. In 1950, it was impossible to even imagine that after a certain time the European Union would become a unique international entity, uniting 28 European states and combining the characteristics of an international organization and a sovereign power. The article describes which countries are members of the European Union, how many full EU members and candidates for accession there are currently.

The organization received legal justification much later. The existence of an international union was secured by the Maastricht Agreement in 1992, which entered into force in November of the following year.

Objectives of the Maastricht Treaty:

1. Creation international association with identical economic, political and monetary directions in development;
2. Creation of a single market by creating conditions for the unhindered movement of production products, services, and other goods;
3. Regulation of issues related to environmental protection and protection;
4. Reduced crime rates.

The main consequences of concluding an agreement:

• introduction of a single European citizenship;
• abolition of the passport control regime on the territory of countries that are part of the EU, provided for by the Schengen Agreement;

Although legally the EU combines the properties international education and an independent state, in fact he does not belong to either one or the other.

How many EU member countries in 2017

Today, the European Union includes 28 countries, as well as a number of autonomous regions subordinate to the main EU members (Aland Islands, Azores, etc.). In 2013, the last accession to the European Union took place, after which Croatia also became a member of the EU.

The following states have membership of the European Union:

1. Croatia;
2. Netherlands;
3. Romania;
4. France;
5. Bulgaria;
6. Luxembourg;
7. Italy;
8. Cyprus;
9. Germany;
10. Estonia;
11. Belgium;
12. Latvia;
13. Great Britain;
14. Spain;
15. Austria;
16. Lithuania;
17. Ireland;
18. Poland;
19. Greece;
20. Slovenia;
21. Denmark;
22. Slovakia;
23. Sweden;
24. Malta;
25. Finland;
26. Portugal;
27. Hungary;
28. Czech Republic.

The accession to the EU of the countries included in this list took place in several stages. At the first stage in 1957, the formation included 6 European states, in 1973 - three countries, including Great Britain, in 1981 only Greece became a member of the union, in 1986 - the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic, in 1995 - three more powers (Kingdom of Sweden, Republic of Austria, Finland). The year 2004 turned out to be particularly fruitful, when 10 European countries received EU membership, including Hungary, Cyprus and other economically developed countries. The latest enlargements, which increased the number of EU members to 28, were carried out in 2007 (Romania, Republic of Bulgaria) and 2013.

Quite often Russians have a question: “Is Montenegro a member of the European Union or not?”, since the country’s currency is the euro. No, at the moment the state is at the stage of negotiations on the issue of entry.

On the other hand, there are a number of countries that are members of the EU, but the currency used on their territory is not the euro (Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, etc.) The reason is that these states are not part of the euro zone.

What are the requirements for candidates for entry?

To become a member of the organization, you must meet the requirements, a list of which is displayed in the relevant regulatory act, called the “Copenhagen criteria”. The etymology of the document is dictated by the place where it was signed. The document was adopted in the city of Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1993 during a meeting of the European Council.

List of main criteria that the candidate must meet:

• application of the principles of democracy on the territory of the country;
• the person and his rights must come first, that is, the state must adhere to the principles of the rule of law and humanism;
• economic development and increasing its competitiveness;
• compliance of the country's political course with the goals and objectives of the entire European Union.

Candidates for EU membership are usually subject to careful vetting and a decision is made accordingly. In case of a negative answer, the country that received a negative answer is provided with a list of reasons on the basis of which such a decision was made. Inconsistencies Copenhagen criteria issues that are identified during the candidate screening process must be addressed as quickly as possible in order to be eligible for future EU membership.

Official declared candidates for EU membership