The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states, located primarily in Europe. The EU was created with the aim of promoting peace, prosperity, and freedom for its citizens. It has its roots in the European Coal and Steel Community, established in 1951, and has since expanded to encompass a wide range of policy areas, including trade, environmental protection, and foreign policy.
The EU has a unique institutional structure, which is based on three main bodies: the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission. Together, these bodies are responsible for making decisions on behalf of the member states, and for implementing EU policies and legislation.
Here is a list of the current 27 member states of the European Union, along with their entry dates:
- Belgium (1952)
- France (1952)
- Germany (1952)
- Italy (1952)
- Luxembourg (1952)
- Netherlands (1952)
- Denmark (1973)
- Ireland (1973)
- United Kingdom (1973)
- Greece (1981)
- Portugal (1986)
- Spain (1986)
- Austria (1995)
- Finland (1995)
- Sweden (1995)
- Cyprus (2004)
- Czech Republic (2004)
- Estonia (2004)
- Hungary (2004)
- Latvia (2004)
- Lithuania (2004)
- Malta (2004)
- Poland (2004)
- Slovakia (2004)
- Slovenia (2004)
- Bulgaria (2007)
- Romania (2007)
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