Is Greece in the EU? European non-EU countries. European Union after the Cold War

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 fixed. Gradually, the list of EU member states expanded, and now it already has 28 states. You can see which countries are now 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. However, they have a lot in common. There are certain criteria that they must meet, they must coordinate all important political decisions among themselves.

States wishing to join this oasis of prosperity must prove their adherence 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 freely throughout the European Union.

Countries belonging to the European Union (EU)

The following countries are currently members of the EU:

Austria.
Bulgaria.
Belgium.
United Kingdom.
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 other countries that are candidates for joining 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 countries that are part of the EU have much in common. The economy of each of the states is independent, but they all contribute certain shares, which make up the total GDP.

In addition, the EU has 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 the powers that are not part of the community, there is a single customs tariff.

Since the founding of the EU, none of the member states has left it yet. The only exception was Greenland, a Danish autonomy with fairly broad powers, which withdrew from the Union in 1985, indignant at the reduction in fishing quotas. Finally, a sensational event was the referendum in the UK, held in June 2016, in which the majority of the population voted for the country's withdrawal from the Union. This indicates that considerable problems have ripened in this influential community.

Against the backdrop of the collapse of the largest unification of Eurasia - the USSR, 28 European powers organized their unification - European Union. What it is, today it is known, perhaps, to all more or less literate people. However, there are a number of subtleties in the relations of the countries within it, as well as in the relations of this association with the Russian Federation.

How was the European Union formed?

The European Union combines the features of a state and an international organization. In fact, however, it is neither one nor the other. Legally, it is not fixed as a subject of international law, but in fact it takes part in international relations.

The population is over five hundred million people. The official languages are the languages of all Member States. In addition, the EU has its own flag and anthem, which are signs of statehood. Throughout the territory of the association there is a single currency - the euro.

The EU was not formed in one day. Attempts to combine the production of different countries began in 1952. The association that we know today exists since 1992. At the same time, the list of its participants has only expanded until today.

Here is the full list of states (28 countries) that are members of the European Union for 2019 (in alphabetical order):

		Date of entry
	Republic of Austria

	Bulgaria

	United Kingdom

	Germany


	Ireland

	Republic of Cyprus
	Luxembourg



	Netherlands
	Portugal


	Slovenia
	Slovakia

	Finland
	Croatia

The complexity of the existence of this association is largely due to the inability of states to observe only their own interests in economic and political terms. All participating countries are obliged to act according to the agreement, while any of them can impose a ban on a particular proposal.

Despite the fact that the EU has its main base in Brussels, the official capital of the European Union has not been determined. All 28 countries - participants in turn dominate for a six-month period.

Who left the EU?

To date countries that have left the European Union. However, for the first time, the UK announced this intention after many years of cooperation in 2016. The exit process is lengthy and requires solving many issues.

Short for the name of Great Britain ( Br itain) and the English word " exit» - exit, the name of the process appeared, such as Brexit (Brexit). Officially, England can be considered to have left the organization after the ratification of the withdrawal agreement.

Political scientists predict imminent exit from the European Union and some other states:

Sweden . Because it is the prototype of the UK in the Scandinavian world and does not agree with some EU decisions. In addition, the single currency was never fixed on its territory;
Denmark . Since in 2015 a referendum was held there on the integration of legal regulation. However, the people voted against by a majority, which indicates the unwillingness to rejoin the organization as a precaution;
Greece , whose economy is not in the best position, in connection with which many member countries are in favor of its exclusion from the ranks of membership;
Netherlands , because many residents, according to the results of a poll, would like to leave the ranks of the union after the UK;
Hungary does not agree with the EU policy towards refugees and is ready to decide on the issue of subordination to it in this direction at a referendum;
France , namely, the majority of its population considers the EU to be the culprit of many of its problems, which allows us to talk about Euroscepticism in the ranks of the French and their desire to leave the union.

Why is Switzerland not part of the European Union?

In 1992, Switzerland, like other countries, sent its application to join the then emerging new global political union. However, a little later, a referendum was held on the issue of accession, which resulted in the division of opinions of citizens almost equally.

However, Swiss citizens who expressed their negative opinion, it turned out to be slightly more. In 2016, Switzerland officially formalized the refusal to join and withdraw its application.

The organization of the European Union is such that:

Any country can block the adoption of certain decisions;
All participants pay contributions to the EU, while the situation is such that small powers, such as Poland, get much more from coexistence than large developed economies;
States such as Greece, which can be considered "under-integrated", exist only at the expense of the European Union;
In addition, there are a number of countries that are not included in the composition, but conduct settlements in Euros or vice versa, which are members of the Common European Space, but are not members of the EU.

All this makes the EU a huge structure with many problems and unresolved issues.

Switzerland, territorially located in the center of Europe, is not interested in the union because:

Has its own stable developed economy;
Own stable currency.

The only direction in which they are ready to cooperate is politics. However, this is not enough to join such an unstable structure today.

How to get EU citizenship?

EU citizenship gives the right to move freely within its territory, as well as to live in any of the countries that are part of it and conduct commercial activities. In order to get such opportunities, you need to become a citizen in any of the participating countries. There are 28 in total as of 2018.

Accordingly, in order to acquire EU citizenship, it is necessary to fulfill the conditions for obtaining it in the respective country. Most often it is:

Official residence in the territory of the state for a certain amount of time. Each state has its own deadlines. Therefore, if in Belgium three years are enough for this, then in France the period is calculated in ten years;
Find ethnic roots in your family. That is, if your grandparents or grandparents were citizens of the chosen state, then you can safely submit documents;
Marriage to a citizen of an EU state gives the right to obtain her citizenship after some time of residence in her territory. These terms are also different;
The birth of children in the territory of an EU state automatically gives the newborn the right to be a citizen of the country of birth.

Thus, when studying the issue of obtaining EU citizenship, it is necessary to be guided by the legislation of a particular country.

First you have to go there, live there for a while;
Then get a residence visa;
Under the relevant circumstances described above, it is possible to apply for an EU passport.

What can be imported into Russia from the European Union?

The rules for importing certain products into Russia are regulated by the Customs Code and other bills. As for the European Union, in connection with the recent events and the sanctions imposed on Russia, there are following restrictions:

Goods of plant and animal origin are allowed weighing no more than five kilograms. In order to introduce a larger amount, you need to issue a special permit from Rosselkhoznadzor;
Seeds and planting products are allowed to be imported only with a special permit;
Products are allowed to be imported only in their original packaging;
Alcohol is subject to import no more than three liters free of charge, from three to five liters, having previously paid a duty;
The value of all baggage must not exceed EUR 1,500 for a single trip by land and EUR 10,000 for air transport.

As for the names of goods, there is no need to worry. The retaliatory measures of the Russian Federation do not apply to individuals. I.e the traveler can purchase any product from the list of sanctioned for personal use or consumption, or as a gift. The main thing is that its quantity does not exceed the above standards.

In addition, when traveling to a certain country, you should study its customs relations with the Russian Federation, since individual rules may apply between us. All the necessary information is contained on the Rosselkhoznadzor website.

Thus, the political and economic merger of European countries, which was formed in the early nineties, is called the European Union. That this association is a huge structure that has an impact on the world economic and political situation is obvious. However, not all countries located in the single European space seek to obtain membership in this organization, and some even declare their readiness to leave it.

Video: how and why did the European Union emerge?

In this video, historian Maxim Sholokhov will tell you why it became necessary to unite these countries into a coalition, and why their economy could do without the European Union:

On this page you can find out the full list of EU countries included in the composition for 2017.

The original purpose of the European Union was to connect the coal and steel resources of just two European countries - Germany and France. In 1950, one could not even imagine that after a certain time the European Union would become a unique international entity that united 28 European states and combined the features of an international organization and a sovereign power. The article describes which countries are members of the European Union, how many full members of the EU and candidates for membership are currently.

The organization received legal justification much later. The existence of the 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:

Creation of an international association with identical economic, political and monetary directions in development;
Creation of a single market by creating conditions for the unhindered movement of production products, services, and other goods;
Regulation of issues related to the protection and protection of the environment;
Decreased crime rate.

The main consequences of the conclusion of the contract:

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

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

How many EU member states 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 entry into the European Union was made, after which Croatia also became a member of the EU.

The following countries are members of the European Union:

Croatia;
Netherlands;
Romania;
France;
Bulgaria;
Luxembourg;
Italy;
Cyprus;
Germany;
Estonia;
Belgium;
Latvia;
United Kingdom;
Spain;
Austria;
Lithuania;
Ireland;
Poland;
Greece;
Slovenia;
Denmark;
Slovakia;
Sweden;
Malta;
Finland;
Portugal;
Hungary;
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, 6 European states became part of the formation, 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 especially fruitful, when 10 European countries, including Hungary, Cyprus and other economically developed states, received EU membership. The last enlargements, which brought the number of EU members to 28, were carried out in 2007 (Romania, Republic of Bulgaria) and 2013.

Quite often, Russians have a question: "Does Montenegro enter 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 area.

What are the requirements for candidates to join

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

List of the main criteria that the candidate must meet:

application of the principles of democracy on the territory of the country;
a person and his rights should be in the first place, that is, the state should adhere to the principles of the rule of law and humanism;
development of the economy and increase of 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 subjected to scrutiny, resulting in a decision being made. In case of a negative answer, the country that received a negative answer is provided with a list of the reasons on the basis of which such a decision was made. Non-compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, which are identified during the verification of the candidate, must be eliminated as soon as possible in order to be eligible for EU membership in the future.

Official declared candidates for EU membership

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 alliance was laid by Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Holland. Then they were joined by the British, Danes, Irish, and soon the Greeks. But history did not stand still and the opportunity to become part of the new community was used by Portugal, Austria, Spain, 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. The Bulgarians and Romanians were the next to join the ranks of the peoples united under the blue flag adorned with golden stars.

These processes took place from 1957 to 2013. Croatia was 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 spoke in favor of breaking off relations with the EU. The start of the secession process is planned for the end of March 2019, but until then, the UK remains a full-fledged component of the European community. Therefore, now the United Kingdom 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 failed to enter the European Union. Switzerland planned to join, but the application was frozen after a national vote was held. The Swiss referendum gave a negative result. For almost the same reason, the EU and Norway cannot be seen on the lists. A referendum was held here twice, and both times the people voted against joining.

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 in line with EU standards, then Russia and Belarus have not expressed a desire to become part of a united Europe. And since 2014, the European Union has supported the imposition 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. These are unresolved territorial disputes. These states cannot claim equal membership until they solve their pressing problems.

Countries that left the EU

By 2019, there are no states that would have left 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 the fishermen of the harsh northern island were not satisfied with the low standards for fish catch.

A full-fledged precedent will be created by Great Britain, which begins the process of parting with the European Union this spring. 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 can follow the example of England. First, it is Sweden and Denmark. They are in favor of strengthening border controls.

Greece attributes its economic problems to the restrictions it has to comply with because of the requirements of the European Union. From Athens, the capital of the state, voices were repeatedly heard declaring their desire to leave the EU.

The refugee problem also strongly influenced public opinion in Holland, Hungary and France. Most of the inhabitants of these countries have already become Eurosceptics.

Applicants for EU accession

There are 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. Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Albania are ready to join. Two more states are considered as potential associate members of the EU - Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Turkey is called the state whose prospects for getting into the European Union are estimated as the best. It has been negotiating accession with the EU for more than 20 years. And has been an associate member since 1964. The history of Turkey's attempts to enter the union is full of contradictions.

The country has many supporters within the organization. They believe that Turkey will strengthen the position of the EU in the region. Of course, there are opponents, but despite this, Turkey will probably soon be marked on maps as part of the European Union.

Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro just a couple of decades ago were parts of one country - Yugoslavia. They were formed as independent states quite recently. Therefore, the process of accession to the EU countries is quite a short time.

The EU itself spends a lot of money and great efforts on unification with Serbia, but the position of this country 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 be “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 him, each state that has applied for entry into the European Union is subject to strict verification. The criteria are:

adhering to democratic principles. The state should not only verbally adhere to them, but also be able to successfully apply them in the conduct of domestic and foreign policy;
The most important qualities of a European state that has the right to enter 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 law;
the country must successfully develop its own economy, increase its competitiveness;
there must be a correlation between the principles and objectives of the policy of the candidate country with the course of the European Union.

If the state is refused based on the results of the audit, then it must be provided with a complete list of the reasons for such a decision so that it has the opportunity to eliminate them and re-apply.

Gradation of European countries by years of accession to the EU

Croatia has managed to become the newest member of the European Union. It happened in 2013. Six years earlier, accession had been successfully completed by Bulgaria and Romania. They became part of the "fifth expansion" that had begun nine years earlier. Then the EU was replenished with Cyprus, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, 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 the eighty-sixth. Persuade Greece in 1981. And welcome Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland in 1973.

Post-war Europe has long experienced the difficulties of reconstruction and mutual distrust. But by 1957, the Italians, French and Germans had overcome the contradictions, forgotten the old feuds and laid the foundation for a new history of Europe.

Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands 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 that, 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.

The history of the formation of the EU

Despite the deep roots, the history of the EU is usually counted from 1948, when the Brussels Pact on security cooperation was signed. Three years later, a document on the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was signed. 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. In Europe, there has been a trend towards unification.

Relations between states developed. In addition to broad economic cooperation, a single police and judicial space was created, and the foundations were laid for a common foreign policy and military security. The Lisbon Agreement shaped the European Union in its present 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 cancel visas when moving within Europe and thereby create a visa-free zone, which was almost immediately called the Schengen zone.

Expansion history

The forms of cooperation were expanded, as was the list of states that had expressed a desire to work together under the new rules. Of course, at first there were only six of them: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany and France. It took a long 16 years for the first expansion to occur. It happened in 1973 and there were nine participants.

The largest increase in EU membership was the fifth enlargement. The accession document was signed in 2003. Ten states became members of the "European family". The fifth expansion also includes the accession to the European Union of the Bulgarian and Romanian peoples in 2013.

European Parliament officials promise that by 2025 the list of countries will be replenished again.

EU management

The main governing body of the European Union is the European Council. At Council Congresses, all important resolutions that determine the current policy of the EU are adopted. The leaders of all EU countries gather here. It is they who make all decisions, which are then followed by all nation-states. Here, not only political “wishes” are formed, but also normative documents are created that have legal force and are binding on all subordinate structures of both the European Union and national states.

Currency in the European Union

Euro is the official currency of the European Union. It circulates in nineteen countries. Three states, being members of the European Union, still continue to use their own currency. But Andorra, Montenegro, the Vatican, Monaco do not interfere with another currency at all, and the euro is used there as an official means of payment.

The European Central Bank controls the issuance and exchange rate of the euro. Its 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 EU bank ensured their long life and great popularity. Today, the euro is one 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 actual heir.

Economic activity

It is aimed, firstly, at removing barriers within the EU and, secondly, at defending the interests of both the union and its individual members on international trading floors. The EU budget is controlled by the European Court of Auditors, headquartered in Luxembourg.

By bringing together such world leaders in industrial production as Germany, France, Italy, Britain, the European Union can rightly be considered one of the most powerful economic conglomerates. The GDP of the European Union is estimated at 22% of the world's volume. Bypass it only China and the United States.

Also, the European Union is 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, and Estonian citizens have one 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. It is these two pillars that form 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 the 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, legal entities, which was not previously used by any supranational structures.

Established in 1952 as a court attached to the ECSC. Now it is a permanent institution of the European Union. The basis of its work is the resolution and consideration of cases within its jurisdiction. Makes decisions on legal matters. The activities are regulated by the Charter of the court, which determines the formation, work, limits of competence.

Member states, EU structures, individuals and legal entities can apply to the EU court. Its decision is binding on all national courts. Most of the cases heard by the courts concern the interpretation of EU laws, 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 the violation of human rights. Its jurisdiction extends to all who have signed 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 has changed. The executive, judicial, and legislative powers acquired a number of additional functions and powers.

The executive branch of the EU has two components:

European Council;
European Commission.

Legislative power is represented by:

the 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 in concluding international agreements relating to customs regulations, commercial competition conditions, common trade policy, monetary policy, environmental protection and conservation of resources.

The political structure of the 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 are no traces of absolutism for a long time, and kings exist only nominally, but in essence all these European countries have long been parliamentary or presidential republics.

Perspectives in politics

It is believed that now the EU is in crisis. In recent years, the union has been faced with many problems that the states of Europe have tried to solve together. The Ukrainian crisis and the situation around Crimea became severe tests, which led to complications in relations with the Russian Federation and the emergence of military tension in territories located almost in the center of Europe. Also relevant are the problems of the states of North Africa and the Middle East, which have caused the emergence of hundreds of thousands of refugees.

The unity of the countries that are members of the EU has been shaken, and the influence of Eurosceptics has begun to grow. A particularly strong blow was the referendum in the UK, which led to the country's exit from the European Union. But external and internal political challenges are multiplying, constantly testing the "European family" for strength. Is it so integral and united in 2018-2019? Most likely, only the joint efforts of all members of the Union will be able to lead to a happy resolution of all the complex problems that arise daily before the EU.

Major political parties

Europarties operate simultaneously in several EU member states. They are financed from EU 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 association in the EU.

It is worth noting such parties as:

European Green Party (1984);
European Free Alliance (1989);
Party of European Socialists (1992);
Party of the European Left (1998);
European Democratic Party (2004).

The remaining political associations are younger, they have not yet managed to acquire sufficient political influence.

Corruption in the EU

Corruption regularly becomes the scourge of all large state formations, if control over the activities of financial institutions is insufficient, and management is difficult, even confusing. Such practices of bribery 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 agencies, losses from corruption in 2018 amounted to about 900 billion euros. The main problem is called insufficient control over compliance with the law in some member states of the union. To combat these phenomena, it was proposed to draw up a "corruption rating" of the EU states so that it could influence the distribution of EU money.

EU Armed Forces

The EU does not have a unified armed forces. Within its framework, various mechanisms of interaction between the military of nation states were created. But basically the policy is within the powers of the EU member states.

NATO remains the main military alliance in Europe today. It includes 27 European states, 22 of which are members of the EU.

Nevertheless, the Treaty on the European Union, the new version of which came into force in 2009, provides for a significant interpenetration of the military structures of various EU member states. But the military contingent directly subordinate to the EU is practically absent. Due to disagreements in the European Council, the optimal form of military integration has not yet been found.

EU population

In the 28 member states of the European Union, on an area of about 4.5 million square kilometers, the population is more than 500 million people. The largest countries in terms of population are Germany - 81 million people, as well as France - 65 million people. The national composition of Europe has not changed for centuries. Various nations living side by side have long "got 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 the high average age of the population. Every year the percentage of able-bodied Europeans decreases and the number of dependents increases.

It would seem that refugees can help by taking open jobs, but most of them live on benefits that are large enough that there is no 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 lies with the person holding the position of High Representative of the Union. Now in this post is Federica Mogherini. 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, Israel have managed to become good trading partners of the European Union.

The EU is one of Russia's most important trading partners and a major consumer of Russian gas and oil. The geographical position of the EU countries allows you to quickly receive energy carriers delivered overland using pipelines.

The EU is actively pursuing not only a trade foreign policy. Diplomatic missions of the European Union operate all over the world. They are in New York, in the African Union and even in Afghanistan.

In 2018, talks about the withdrawal of some countries from the European Union became more frequent, due to the political situation in the world. In this article, we will analyze which countries are included in the European Union for 2019.

Today, the European Union includes 28 countries.
In addition to the major powers, the list also includes a number of autonomous regions that are subordinate to larger states. Among the autonomous territories are the Aland Islands, the Azores and others.

Which countries are in the EU, list in 2019

Date of entry into the European Union	The country	Total Members
March 25, 1957	Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France.	6
January 1, 1973	UK, Denmark, Ireland.	9
January 1, 1981	Greece	10
January 1, 1986	Spain, Portugal	12
January 1, 1995	Austria, Finland, Sweden	15
May 1, 2004	Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia	25
January 1, 2007	Bulgaria, Romania	27
July 1, 2013	Croatia	28

EU map with countries and capitals, EU borders

IMPORTANT: EU countries are pursuing a customs union policy. Within the Union, there is a system of duty-free trade, while the amount of goods plying between countries does not matter, and therefore is not taxed. Those powers that were not lucky enough to enter the Union trade at a single customs tariff.

It should be noted that each segment of the EU retains its own economy and has all the powers to conduct economic activity independently. BUT obligatory monetary influence in the treasury. From the investments of 28 states, the GDP of the entire Union is formed.

Accession to the EU

All current members of the European Union have gone through certain stages that must be passed in order to join the Union. The so-called Copenhagen criteria.

What are the requirements for candidates to join

1. "Any European State may apply to become a member of the Union."

REFERENCE: What does "European state" mean is not entirely clear. Despite the fact that the phrase is used as a term, its clear definition has not yet been given. In practice, "European" is interpreted as a state belonging to Europe geographically, as well as culturally, historically and politically close to the values of the Union.

2. The country applying for membership is obliged to respect the values , that form the basis of the European Union, share them and ensure the maintenance of these values within their own state.

IMPORTANT: Basic requirements: "respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities."

The Treaty on European Union also includes secondary requirements for candidates for accession. They are named in Art. 49 "eligibility criteria"
The terms of the TEU are set by the heads of EU member states.

Candidates for EU membership in 2019

Several countries submitted their candidacy for membership in the European Union:

Republic of Albania.
Montenegro.
Republic of Macedonia.
Republic of Serbia.
Turkish Republic.

REFERENCE: Serbia and Montenegro even has an estimated entry date of 2025.

There are also potential candidates:

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Republic of Kosovo

They are not candidates yet. There is a fundamental difference between the legal status of a candidate country and a potential candidate country.

Which countries were the first to join the European Union?

The first echelon included only 6 countries (all Western European): Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, France. This composition is relevant for the period of the 50s - 60s of the twentieth century.

Already in 1793, there was an increase in the number of allied countries. The so-called expansion, which ended with the accession of Great Britain, Denmark and Ireland.

The year 1981 became the date of signing the agreement also with Greece, and 1986 with Spain and Portugal.

REFERENCE: The Treaty on the European Union was signed only in 1992 (it entered into force on November 1, 1993). Only from that moment did the European Union appear in the format in which it exists to this day. Since the 93rd year, he has been living according to the rules of the DES and the entry is made according to strictly established regulations.

Austria, Finland and Sweden became the first countries entering the EU according to all official procedures and established stages.

Only in the twenty-first century did the further expansion of the union (to the East) begin.
On May 1, 2004, the EU accepted Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and the islands of Cyprus and Malta.

In 2005, an agreement was signed, and in 2007, Eastern European Bulgaria and Romania became EU members.

Which country was the last to join the EU

Not so long ago, Croatia joined the European Union. At the moment, this is the last country that has moved from the status of a candidate to the status of an EU member.

The Croats applied for membership back in 2003, for ten years they went through the procedure for joining the union. In 2004, the European Commission approved the initiative, allowing Croatia to become a candidate.

The process was delayed due to the intervention of Slovenia, whose officials have made it clear that they have a number of objections to Croatia's accession to the EU.
In 2009, the situation was resolved with the help of international representatives.

The signing of the accompanying agreements took place in 2012, and in 2013 they entered into force, making Croatia a full member of the European Union.

European countries outside the EU

Liechtenstein
Monaco
Switzerland
Russia
Belarus
Moldova
Ukraine
Norway
Andorra
Vatican
San Marino
Albania and Macedonia (cannot become candidates for membership, because they are in a state of territorial disputes)
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan (partially located in European territory)
Kosovo (cannot join the Union, as not all countries recognize it as an independent state)
Transnistria (the issue of secession from Moldova has not been fully resolved)

REFERENCE: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican are EU partners, actively cooperating with the countries of the Union, and the official currency of these states is the euro.

Czech Republic;

Sweden.

The European Union has been in existence for almost 90 years, during which time only one country (Greenland) left it, which in 1985 expressed outrage at the reduction in fishing quotas.