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EU Member Countries VisaGuide / Europe / European Union Countries

List of countries that form the European Union

In this article
Europe is one of the smallest continents in the world, but it has a significant impact
on its politics and economy. Inspired by decades of collaboration, Europe is home to
one of the largest global organizations— the European Union.

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What is the European Union?

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member countries in
the European continent. It has a single internal market through a standardized laws
system that applies in all member states. The EU policies aim to ensure the free
movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the internal market.

The core values of the EU are human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, human
rights, and the rule of law. Its primary goals are to promote peace, freedom, justice,
economic and social security among EU countries.

Brief History of the European Union

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The idea of a unified Europe began with Ancient Rome when a few European states
were considered the central rulers in Europe. However, it wasn’t until 1920 that this
theory started to take form when economist John Maynard proposed the notion of
a single labor market.

Eventually, France and Germany first proposed the concept of a common European
trade area five years after World War II. The purpose of creating such a union was to
create a peaceful region in Europe that collaborated in economic terms.

Later in 1957, the Treaty of Rome was signed by six founding members: Belgium,
France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands— creating the common
European market. In 1972 Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined. Seven
years later, the first European Parliament was created.

In 2009, the EU countries signed the Treaty of Lisbon, which increased the powers
of the European Parliament. Moreover, the treaty gave the EU more powers on
border control, immigration, judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, and
police cooperation.

Currently, the EU is the largest trade block globally and the biggest exporter of
manufactured goods and services. At the same time, it’s a leading door of
humanitarian aid, committed to helping victims of natural and man-made disasters
worldwide.

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How does the EU work?

The EU functions based on the rule of laws agreed on by all member countries,
which together run the four key EU institutions as listed below:

The Council of the European Union. Consisting of the Heads of State or

Government of EU countries, the Council of the European Union is responsible
for setting the policies and the new legislation.

The European Parliament. EU citizens elect the MEPs, who represent their
interests to the Parliament in return. Plus, within the Parliament, all the laws
proposed by the Council are debated and approved.

The European Commission. The EU Commission represents the EU interests’

and the EU as a whole. In addition, it’s responsible for executing the laws.

The Court of Justice. This legal body interprets EU laws to make sure they are
applied in the same way in all EU countries. It also settles legal disputes
between national governments and EU institutions.

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EU Countries List
Following is the complete list of EU countries and their accession date into the
block:

Austria January 1, 1995

Belgium March 25, 1957

Bulgaria January 1, 2007

Croatia July 1, 2013

Cyprus May 1, 2004

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Czech Republic May 1, 2004

Denmark January 1, 1973

Estonia May 1, 2004

Finland January 1, 1995

France March 25, 1957

Germany March 25, 1957

Greece January 1, 1981

Hungary May 1, 2004

Ireland January 1, 1973

Italy March 25, 1957

Latvia May 1, 2004

spanthuania May 1, 2004

Luxembourg March 25, 1957

Malta May 1, 2004

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Netherlands March 25, 1957

Poland May 1, 2004

Portugal January 1, 1986

Romania January 1, 2007

Slovakia May 1, 2004

Slovenia May 1, 2004

Spain January 1, 1986

Sweden January 1, 1995

Countries In the Process of Joining the EU

The following countries are still under negotiations to join the EU in the future:

Albania

North Macedonia

Montenegro

Serbia

Turkey

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Potential countries that have yet to begin the negotiation process include Kosovo,
and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Differences Between the EU and the EEA

In terms of membership, the sole difference between the EU and the EEA is that the
latter consists of three more countries, which are:

Iceland

Liechtenstein

Norway

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The EEA was established to connect the EU’s internal market to countries in the
European Free Trade Area (EFTA). As a result, the EEA members are not obliged to
implement EU policies on common agriculture and fisheries, customs union, the
standard trade policy, foreign and security policy, etc.

Differences Between the EU and the EFTA

EFTA stands for the European Free Trade Association, which has four member
states as listed below:

Iceland

Liechtenstein

Norway

Switzerland

None of the EFTA members are part of the EU. However, EFTA has negotiated
access to the EU single market and has partially accepted EU laws relating to single
market access.

The EFTA doesn’t have EU-style standard policies, such as agriculture, fishing,
transport, and regions. It has no plans for the sort of economic and political
integration implied by Eurozone membership.

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Are the EU and the Schengen Area the Same?

The EU and the Schengen Area are two separate concepts. While the former covers
its member states’ political and economic aspects, the latter is primarily focused on
providing international visitors with access to Europe. Additionally, the European
Union has 27 countries, whereas the Schengen Area has 29 member countries.

Differences Between the EU and the EUROZONE

The Eurozone is a subgroup of the European Union, consisting of the member
states that use the same currency; the Euro. However, not every member of the EU
agreed to use one monetary value; that is why there are still many countries in
Europe that use their local currency.

Here is a list of the countries that belong to the Eurozone:

Austria

Belgium

Cyprus

Estonia

Finland

France

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Germany

Greece

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Portugal

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Membership Conditions for EU

Any European country has the right to apply for EU membership— provided they
meet the following criteria:

Have a functioning democratic government that guarantees and protects the

fundamental rights of its citizens and minority groups.

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Have a stable market and economic foundation that enables them to

participate in the EU market.

Be able to follow the EU laws and policies in every aspect.

In addition to these essential criteria, each new member must pay the membership
fee— negotiated during the joining process. However, due to a complicated political
situation, the EU has put additional conditions on some countries, i.e., Balkan
countries.

What Benefits Do the Countries in the EU Enjoy?

EU members enjoy many benefits, some of which are:

The freedom of movement of goods, labor, and capital.

The opportunity for economic growth.

The free movement of EU citizens between member states.

Consular protection of EU citizens during international travels.

Social and physical security under EU laws.

Can Member Countries Leave the EU?

Yes, under EU laws, any member country who wants to revoke its membership can
do so. However, the process may take a few years, during which there will be a
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transitional period until the exit agreement is finalized. The only country that has
exited the EU is the United Kingdom— officially no longer in the EU since December
2020.

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