The European Union is an organization uniting a number of European countries. Information about how many countries are members of the European Union has changed over the years throughout its existence. Now the exact number is 28. The date of formation of this community is March 25, 1957. How many countries in the European Union can be found in this article.
EU accession by year
The list of EU countries has twenty-eight members. Initially, there were only six. The change in the number of allies by year is as follows:
- March 25, 1957 is the date of foundation of the European Union. Participating countries: Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Netherlands.
- January 1, 1973 - three more states joined the six allied countries. They became Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
- January 1, 1981 - EU countries took under their wing another ally - Greece.
- January 1, 1986 - Spain and Portugal got the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of the community.
- January 1, 1995 - three new countries signed an agreement with the countries of the European Union for further equal cooperation. Since 1995, Sweden, Finland, and Austria have joined the Union.
- May 1, 2004 - this expansion of the list of EU countries has become the largest since its inception. As many as ten new countries have received approval to join the European Union. Knowing which countries in the European Union this year, you can create another list. Here are a dozen newcomers to the EU 2004: three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; neighboring Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary; as well as the island states of Cyprus and Malta.
- January 1, 2007 - Bulgaria and Romania became recruits of the European Union.
- January 1, 2013 - Croatia added to the list of EU countries. At the moment, this is the last country to join the Union.
So how many countries are members of the European Union? 28 countries were adopted over fifty-six years.
UK exit from the EU
A couple of years ago, residents of the UK expressed a desire to leave the European Union. Recall that they entered there back in 1973. So, on June 23, 2016, a referendum was held in the country. According to its results, thirty million people left their vote. The turnout was 71 percent. As for the final value, fifty-one percent of citizens voted for leaving the EU in the UK. The majority of those voting for the exit were residents of England and Wales. As for citizens living in Northern Ireland and Scotland, for the most part they did not want to leave the union.
As for the rules for leaving the community, it is governed by the Lisbon Agreement, which was adopted in 2009. It says in it that absolutely any state can exit the European Union if desired, but subject to certain regulations. Article fifty of the agreement states that agreeing on the conditions for leaving the community should take no more than two years. Thus, the process of separation of the United Kingdom should start March 29, 2019. If all members of the union vote in favor of increasing the time for the UK’s detachment, the period will be extended. According to many experts, this procedure is likely to drag on for six years. As for the current situation, there are still 28 countries in the European Union.
The idea of creating the European Union
A prerequisite for the formation of the European Union from foreign countries was the terrible situation in Europe provoked by the Second World War. The primary goal of creating this association was the prevention of repeated events of this kind. Thus, Robert Schuman proposed to unite the countries. It was on his initiative that the economic community was formed. It is worth noting that in their original format, the countries of the European Union united only in the field of steel and coal industry of European states.
The basis for the merger of the first six members of the union was the Paris Treaty. It was from the moment of its signing that it was decided which countries are in the European Union and which are not. For six years, the union of coal and steel countries has reached the highest development. Noting that the EU contributes to tremendous prosperity, countries decided to expand it. So in 1957, the Rome Agreement was formed and signed. On its basis, the participating countries formed the basis of the modern European Union. As for the EU, the modern model, it is based on the Munich Agreement. It was signed in 1993 and brought into force a single currency - the euro. This modification of the agreement did not become final. New amendments were made three more times. In Amsterdam, the agreement was regulated in 1997. In 2001, improvements were made in Nice, and in 2009, changes were made in Lisbon.
EU specifications
The total population of the EU is more than half a billion people. If initially the union solved only economic issues, now it can be safely called the largest political association. Now his shoulders are entrusted with issues related to migration, security, healthcare, climate change, education and other areas. The European Union acts as a base for a single domestic market. Its presence provided the participating countries with free circulation of goods, finances, and even people. Thus, allies are free to apply for jobs in other countries.
EU Values
The main values of the European Union include:
- the supremacy of the legislative framework,
- democracy
- freedom
- equality,
- respect for human rights and dignity.
In order to ensure compliance with all values, several structures are included in the European Union.
Union structure
In the structure of the European Union, seven large organizations occupy an important place at once. These institutions include the European Council, Parliament and the Commission. Of no small importance are the Council and the Court of the European Union. A number of important issues are addressed by the European Court of Auditors and the Central Bank. According to EU standards, each member is independent and has the right to vote during collective decision-making.
In fact, this situation is much more complicated. These difficulties are created by contributions to the general budget. Thus, more than sixty percent of the total falls on four countries. These are France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. As for the Baltic countries, the three of them contribute no more than one percent. A common budget has been created to support economic stability and aid in social development. As a result, countries receiving serious support try not to argue with financial leaders. Thus, over the years, the bulk of decisions within the EU has been driven by the wishes of Germany.
EU Accession Candidates
To date, the list of potential EU members includes five countries. For example, Turkey came forward in 1987. In 2004, the initiative was Macedonia, and in 2008 Montenegro. In 2009, two states registered their applications at once - Albania and Serbia.
Negotiations with the EU are not currently conducted by all countries. Albania and Macedonia suspended their initiative. It is also likely that the desire to join the EU in the near future will appear in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conditions for their entry are a geographical sign, as well as the presence of a market economy, democracy and other conditions in the candidate countries.
Countries closely associated with the European Union
There are four countries in Western Europe that are closely related to the EU but are not members of the Union. So, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are very closely integrated into the economic structure of the Union, and also take part in the Schengen control zone. Since 2014, the European Union has concluded an association agreement with Ukraine. The EU has similar relations with Georgia and Moldova. This interaction does not affect the accession of these countries to the union, although in the case of an application, their membership will certainly be considered. But information from senior officials often sounds that in the near future new participants in the EU will not be accepted.