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January 20, 2017 -December 7, 2016 -
This state association includes: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia , Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden and Estonia.
At the very beginning of intra-European unification, back in the 90s of the last century, the first members of the European Union were six states: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France. Then the remaining 22 joined them.
The main factors or rules for joining the organization are compliance with the criteria established in 1993 in Copenhagen and approved at a meeting of the Union members in Madrid two years later. States must observe the basic principles of democracy, respect freedom and rights, as well as the foundations of a law-based state. A potential member of the organization must have a competitive market economy and recognize those already adopted in the European Union general rules and standards.
The European Union also has its own motto - “Harmony in Diversity”, as well as an anthem “Ode to Joy”.
European countries that are not members of the European Union
European countries that are not members of the organization include the following:
- Great Britain, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Switzerland in Western Europe;
- Belarus, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine in Eastern Europe;
- Northern European Iceland, Norway;
- Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vatican City, Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro in Southern Europe;
- Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Türkiye, partially located in Europe;
- and unrecognized states Republic of Kosovo and Transnistria.
Currently, Turkey, Iceland, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are potential candidates for membership in the European Union.
The Western Balkan countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo - are already included in this expansion program. However, the latter state is not yet recognized by the European Union as independent due to the fact that the separation of Kosovo from Serbia is not yet recognized by all members of the organization.
Several so-called “dwarf” states - Andorra, Vatican City, Monaco and San Marino, although they use the euro, still maintain relations with the European Union only through partial cooperation agreements.
There are only three and a half weeks left until May 1 - the day of European Union enlargement. The “Unified European Family” will almost double in size. EU members will be Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Estonia. There are ten states in total. But even after this, there will still be many countries in Europe that are not members of the EU. Moreover, these are not only economically underdeveloped or politically unstable countries, not only dwarf states like Andorra and Monaco, but also, for example, quite prosperous Norway, Iceland, and finally Switzerland.
The Swiss themselves jokingly call their country an island. After all, apart from tiny Liechtenstein, the “Alpine republic” is surrounded on all sides by EU states: in the north - Germany, in the west - France, in the south - Italy and in the east - Austria.
Just recently, the majority of Swiss residents were categorically against joining the European Union. Evidence of this is the results of the referendum that took place three years ago. However, in Lately Many Swiss are overcome by doubts: did they make the right choice then? More details about the current sentiments of the inhabitants of the “Alpine republic” will be discussed in the material prepared by Joachim Schubert-Ankenbauer.
It seemed that on March 4, 2001, all the i’s were dotted. As it became clear after summing up the results of the referendum, three quarters of the Swiss did not want to join the “single European family", that is, to the European Union. So it is not surprising that last fall in Switzerland parliamentary elections none of the major parties decided to make joining the EU their main theme election campaign, says political scientist Claude Longchamp:
For the public, the relevance of this topic has lost its former meaning. Switzerland began to cooperate very closely with the European Union after signing bilateral agreements with it, but the country is still not formally a member of the EU. This is exactly what the Swiss have always dreamed of.
Agreements regulating the relocation of EU residents to Switzerland and the procedure for transit of freight transport have already entered into force. The issue of signing the second package of documents is being discussed. However, critics point out that it will not be possible to solve all existing problems with the help of bilateral treaties. In particular, Germany recently decided to restrict flights over southern regions countries in order to reduce aircraft noise levels. This measure directly affects Swiss interests. After all, the country's main airport in the suburbs of Zurich is located only 12 kilometers from the German border.
By the way, not all is well at the border itself either. Switzerland is not part of the Schengen zone. Until recently, this did not prevent residents of the “Alpine republic” from visiting Germany and other EU countries completely freely. However, now the situation has changed. Swiss citizens still do not need a visa to enter Germany. But after tightening the rules, German customs and border guards now search and check the passports of all people crossing the Swiss-German border. That's 700 thousand people every day.
As a result, there were often queues at checkpoints at first. Crossing the border now takes much longer than before. There is even talk of making a passport stamp mandatory again when crossing the border.
As a result, Switzerland itself is now not averse to joining the Schengen agreement. This was also stated by the head of the Swiss Department of Finance, Hans-Rudolf Merz. True, there is one “but”. Bern insists on maintaining the secrecy of banking transactions. The European Union demands that Switzerland abandon this principle. This, according to EU countries, will prevent the export of illegally acquired capital to Switzerland. Then, they say, you are welcome to the “Schengen zone”.
But Brussels’ intention to introduce duties on the re-import of goods from the “Alpine republic” caused even greater indignation in Bern. The adoption of such measures is a serious test for the Swiss economy. The European Union made concessions, promising to postpone, but not cancel, the decision to levy duties. In response to Bern's indignation, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, during negotiations with the Swiss government, said, in particular:
We are discussing many issues, decisions on which were not made by federal Republic Germany, and the European Union as a whole. And I ask you to understand that in the future the number of such decisions will increase rather than decrease.
It becomes obvious that with the help of bilateral treaties alone, all conflict situations it won't work. Thus, even the agreement on the relocation of EU residents to Switzerland already needs to be revised in view of the upcoming expansion of the European Union. Otherwise, a stream of cheap labor from of Eastern Europe.
Nevertheless, politicians are in no hurry to achieve the Confederation’s entry into the European Union. Especially after the Swiss People's Party achieved significant success in the parliamentary elections last fall, and its leader Christoph Blocher, who was extremely critical of the EU, entered the government.
But the mood of the residents of the “Alpine republic” has changed somewhat. According to survey data published this Sunday, seven out of ten Swiss people now have no intention of protesting their country's accession to the European Union in the long term. Answering a question about the problems that Switzerland is currently experiencing, one of the residents of the country said:
Everything will be resolved by itself after Switzerland becomes a member of the European Union. It's simple. And someday it will happen.
Interestingly, the Swiss cantons are friendlier towards the EU than the government in Bern. At a meeting at the end of March, most cantonal leaders said that the policy of concluding bilateral agreements with the European Union was leading to a dead end.
We put it this way: in the long term, most cantons could see EU membership as their strategic goal,
Said, for example, the representative of the canton of Basel, Hans-Martin Tschudi. So the discussion about Switzerland joining the European Union may flare up with renewed vigor in the near future. It is possible that the expansion of the European Union scheduled for May 1 will provide an additional impetus.
Among other highly developed European countries that are not members of the EU, Norway and Iceland stand out. Unlike Switzerland, these countries have never adopted the principle of “eternal neutrality.” Both Norway and Iceland have been NATO members since the founding of the Alliance. It’s just that the residents of these countries, until recently, believed that it was better and more profitable for them not to join the European Union. Thus, in Norway, over the past three decades, two referendums have already taken place on the issue of joining the EU. And both times – in 1972 and 1994. – Norwegians spoke out against joining the “single European family.”
However, another referendum on this issue may soon be held in Norway - the third in a row. This was recently stated by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bunnevik. However, he, however, considered it necessary to add:
I don't want this to be taken as if everything is already decided. I have not yet changed my point of view; now there is simply no urgent need to make any decision on this matter. But since a lot is changing in the EU now, we simply need to be aware of what is happening in order to know which EU we will have to build relations with after the elections in 2005.
Until recently, Kjell Magne Bunnewik was considered one of the most ardent opponents of joining the European Union. In 2001, when he took office as head of cabinet, no one had any doubt about his negative attitude towards Norway's possible EU membership. Thus, the prime minister often reminded that if the country joins the European Union, people employed in the field will undoubtedly suffer. Agriculture and fishing. What made Bunnevik change his position?
According to the Prime Minister himself, two circumstances played a major role. First, the admission of 10 new member countries to the EU. Secondly, the need to strengthen the European Union as a counterweight to the United States in world politics and economics.
However, according to experts, there is one more circumstance that Kjell Magne Bunnevik chose to remain silent about. We are talking about public opinion research showing the growing popularity of the idea of joining the European Union. According to recent polls, two-thirds of the kingdom's population are in favor of Norway joining the EU. More than ever before.
Unlike Norway or Switzerland, the Balkan republics (if they had their way) would join the EU tomorrow... or better yet, today. The trouble is that no one is waiting for them in the European Union yet. The political situation in the Balkans remains too unstable; the economies of the former socialist republics are relatively poorly developed. Nevertheless, the prospect of, say, countries such as Croatia, Albania and Macedonia joining the European Union seems very real. Maybe not now, maybe not in 2007, when, as expected, the “single European family” will be replenished by Romania and Bulgaria, but someday this will still happen. The first step has already been taken. Two weeks ago, the Macedonian government sent to Ireland (the country currently presiding over governing bodies EU) application to begin negotiations on accession to the European Union. Details - in the message Zoran Jordanovski.
It was planned that the ceremony of handing over the official application to join the EU would take place in Dublin on February 26. However, on this day a tragic event occurred: as a result of a plane crash, Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski and eight other people who were on board the plane with him died. The ceremony was postponed, and the government delegation led by Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski urgently returned to Skopje.
At the funeral of the deceased president, European Commission President Romano Prodi said:
We are calm about the political future of your country. Boris Trajkovski's dream of Macedonia becoming a full member of a progressive and peaceful Europe must come true.
Unlike Switzerland or Norway, there are no ardent opponents of the country's accession to the EU among the Macedonian political establishment.
The future of Macedonia and the future of the entire region depends on integration into European and transatlantic structures.
Representatives of all opposition parties agree with the statement of the head of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry, Ilinka Mitreva.
But Macedonia now has many problems, without solving which, it is not worth even thinking about joining the European Union. Corruption is rampant in the country, and the fight against organized crime, money laundering, trafficking in women and drug trafficking is not effective enough. The state has still failed to reform the law enforcement system and ensure the independence of the judiciary.
The economy is in a deplorable state. Many enterprises inherited from the socialist past have not been operating for a long time. As a result, one in three adults in Macedonia is unemployed today. The average salary in the country is 175 euros. 30 percent of the population barely make ends meet. Needless to say, achieving generally accepted EU standards will not be easy. Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski is also aware of this:
We cannot be content with a small level of economic growth, because (realistically assessing the situation) this is not enough to bring the country to a qualitatively different level of development. We need to take a sharp leap forward. This requires investment. Our own capabilities are limited, so we rely on foreign capital. To do this, we need to demonstrate our capabilities and the openness of the country in order to thus attract foreign investors. In the economic and trade spheres - as well as in any other spheres of life - it is very important to create an atmosphere of trust.
How successful the measures taken by the current Macedonian government will be will become clear in the coming years...
The countries of the European Union did not immediately count the number in which they are represented today. The union expanded gradually thanks to common goals and worldviews.
European Union countries - sounds proud
Europe, as a geographical location, has concentrated quite a lot of countries, or rather, all the countries of the European Union, which differ from other states in their individual high development in absolutely all directions. At the moment, the countries of the European Union 2016 are 28 independent states with their own diverse focus. Back in 1992, the EU countries determined for themselves main goals, which should positively affect not only the growth rate of each EU country in 2016, but also other countries in the world.
Full list of EU countries 2016:
| Austria | Italy | Slovakia |
| Belgium | Cyprus | Slovenia |
| Bulgaria | Latvia | Finland |
| Great Britain | Lithuania | France |
| Hungary | Luxembourg | Croatia |
| Germany | Malta | Czech |
| Greece | Netherlands | Sweden |
| Denmark | Poland | Estonia |
| Ireland | Portugal | |
| Spain | Romania |
Based on which countries are members of the European Union, you can roughly formulate the main positions of this union. But you should not confuse the countries of the European Union and the Schengen zone, although most states can be found in both. For example, having a Schengen visa, it is impossible to cross the border of such EU countries as: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Great Britain, Romania and Ireland. A Schengen countries Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, in turn, are not members of the European Union in 2016.
Why there was a goal to unite the countries of the European Union 2016
The idea of creating a list of EU countries in 2014 arose immediately after the end of World War II. The countries of the European Union were supposed to be exclusively capitalist in nature. Countries belonging to the European Union began to unite looking at the created NATO, Soviet Union and the Council of Europe.
At first, EU countries pursued clean economic goal and proclaimed themselves a coal and metallurgical association in 1951 in Luxembourg. But already 1957 presented the countries of the European Union as states nuclear powered. It was 1957 that became the primary reason for the creation of the modern European Union.
Since 1951, today's countries of the European Union 2014 have been “growing up” gradually. With the entry of each state, the union became stronger and stronger. As a result, the countries of the European Union began to play a significant role in foreign relations in 2013; they began to adopt common laws and regulations. The countries of the European Union, the list of which is presented above, have become powerful political and economic association with its own unique strategy and views on current events in the world.
1973 is the time when Great Britain decided to join the European Union, followed by Denmark and Ireland.
1981 was the year Greece rejoined the union.
1986 became a landmark year for countries such as Portugal and Spain.
1995 was the year of the unification of the former European Union with Sweden, Austria and Finland.
2004 - the accession of Malta and Cyprus, as well as those countries that were in the past socialist camps and former Soviet republics: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia.
Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, followed by Croatia in 2013.
Now knowing for sure what countries are in the European Union today, we can say that the population here is 500 million people. Of the existing 28 states, 17 of them have entered the Eurozone, where the euro is considered the formal sole currency.
EU COUNTRIES. LIST OF EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES 2016.
The increased number of conflicts in the international arena creates an urgent need to update information on the composition of international organizations.
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The article provides the history of the European Union, as well as a list of countries that are official candidates for accession to the EU as of 2020.
What it is
European Union ( European Union) is an international, integrating 28 European countries and special territories under their control located outside Europe.
The purpose of creating the association is the formation of a single regional space with a similar political and economic structure.
EU member states are committed to maintaining their commitment to democratic values.
The political basis consists of the following institutions:
| The European Council is the highest political body Union, consisting of heads of government or member states of the EU | Also, the Council includes the Chairman of the European Commission and the Chairman of the Council itself. Since 2014, the position of Chairman of the Council has been held by former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Determines the main directions of the Union's integration policy, and also has the authority to change international treaties concluded within the framework of integration. Council decisions are binding on all countries that support their adoption |
| The European Commission is the highest executive body of the Union | The Commission consists of commissioners - each EU member state appoints one representative to this position. One Chairman is selected from among them - since 2014, he has been Jean-Claude Juncker, a representative of Luxembourg. The European Commission implements decisions of the EU legislative bodies, and also considers bills and monitors compliance with treaties |
| The Council of the European Union (Council, Council of Ministers) is the legislative body of the Union, consisting of 28 ministers (one from each state) | The Council is divided into 10 formations that consider a specific range of issues. In addition, he is vested with a number of executive powers on issues foreign policy and security |
| The European Parliament is the legislative and representative body of the Union | Which consists of 751 deputies elected by citizens of the participating countries. Deputies are divided according to the principle of belonging to a certain faction, of which there are 8 in Parliament. The Chairman controls the actions of Parliament during meetings. The European Parliament not only performs a legislative function, sharing it with the Council, but also controls the Commission. Also, the powers of this body include determining budget policy |
| The Court of Justice of the European Union is the highest judicial authority | Consists of 11 judges, advocates general, including 6 permanent and 5 rotating, chambers and plenums, as well as the Chairman |
| The European Court of Auditors is a body that controls the income and expenses of EU institutions. | Financial management, and performing some executive functions. The Chamber consists of 28 members |
| European Central Bank – the central banking authority of the EU | Led by 28 executives. The Bank's task is to maintain price stability. The Bank is authorized to develop the EU monetary policy, determine interest rates, and issue euros |
In addition, the EU:
- It is not a supranational entity.
- Acts as a subject of international public law.
- Represented in the UN, WTO, G7 and G20.
- Has 24 official languages
History of the creation of the European Union
The EU dates back to 1951, when Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed the Paris Agreement, which became the beginning of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
It is believed that the institutions of this association became the prototype of the existing EU bodies.The next stage in the unification of states was the signing by the same “six” of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which established the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
The EEC gave signatory countries the opportunity to unite internal markets and remove obstacles to economic integration.
In 1965, in Brussels, the Six signed a “merger treaty” that consolidated the European Coal and Steel Community, the Economic Community and the Atomic Energy Community.
Thus, the executive bodies of all three entities merged into a single institution - the European Commission, and the organizations themselves - into the European Community.
Since 1973, the Community begins to grow - Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland join the “six”, then Greece (1981).
By 1986, following the accession of Spain and Portugal, the European Community had 12 members.
The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992 by all member states of the European Community, establishes the European Union.
Three directions of integration are emerging - economic, foreign policy and domestic policy.
By that time, the EU was expanding - in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the organization.
In 2004, the EU added 10 new members (Hungary, Cyprus, the Baltic countries, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic), but faced a problem - the level of the economy of the new members was significantly lower than that of the “six” and the states that had joined earlier.
This also applied to Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU in 2007. By 2013, after Croatia joined the European Union, a list of 28 countries participating in the integration was formed.
What are the requirements for candidates?
In 1993, during a meeting held in Copenhagen, the council defined the main criteria that a country must meet to apply for EU membership.
In addition to the general geographical criterion– the location of the country within Europe (does not apply to special territories), the following requirements are distinguished:
Officially applied for membership
Such as:
| Albania | official candidate since 2014 |
| Macedonia | since 2005. It is noted that the state has made progress in bringing legislation into line with EU requirements, but the economic potential is insufficient |
| Serbia | official candidate since 2012. The main barriers to entry are economic situation countries and the problem of Kosovo |
| Türkiye | since 2005. Accession to the EU is hampered by certain aspects of Turkish legislation and government policy |
| Montenegro | official candidate since 2010. It is noted that the state needs to carry out significant reforms to join the EU |
Features of economic activity
| Creation of the Eurozone | and ensuring its control |
| EU Member States undertake to | ensure that public debt does not exceed 60% of GDP |
| The Union provides | compliance with antitrust laws |
| Development of infrastructure integration of EU member states is underway | for example, the Galileo navigation system |
| Implements a common agricultural policy | which is aimed at stabilizing agriculture and establishing affordable prices |
| Increase in tourists to EU member states | is ensured, among other things, by the single European Schengen area |
| EU | the world's largest exporter of goods and services |
| Main trading partners | are China and India |
Video: comparing countries