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12.04.2020

One of the largest political and economic unions is the European Union. It was founded a long time ago, today it includes only 28 different countries.

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That is why it is quite difficult to get an EU visa, the list of participating countries is gradually growing.

What it is

The EU is an amalgamation of a number of different regions. At the moment, in 2020, this association includes 28 different states.

That is why you need to familiarize yourself with up-to-date list. Since this list is updated every year. The main goal is regional integration.

This union is fixed, including at the documentary level. The current regulatory document is just the Maastricht Treaty - such was formulated and adopted by the majority in 1992.

For 2020, the EU zone includes countries with a total population of about 500 million people. The total gross product of all countries that are members of the EU is 23%.

In monetary terms, this is approximately 21.6 trillion. dollars. This union develops general directives in the sphere of the political and judicial system.

There is also a common economic space, there is its own defense policy. The main feature of the EU is that this association is characterized by several features at once:

interstate;
supranationality.

There are several different bodies at the same time that interact with various states and are engaged in regulation in this area.

At the moment, the main such bodies are the following:

Council of the European Union - the name Council of Ministers is also applied to this body;
EU Court of Justice;
accounting chamber, central bank;
parliament.

Parliamentarians are elected every 5 years by the people of the EU. Initially, this union included only 6 states.

These are Belgium, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, France, and the Netherlands. Over time, the number of countries that are part of this union has increased significantly.

In addition to the regions that are directly included in this union, there are also those that have carried out the association.

It is important to note that the requirements for entering this union are quite serious. A special agreement is required. You will definitely need to pay quite substantial contributions to the EU budget.

Joining the union is possible only if a particular country meets all the Copenhagen criteria. Those were adopted in 1993, at a meeting in the city of Copenhagen.

It was approved in 1995. The main criteria that such a state must meet:

all generally accepted principles are observed;
there is a competitive economy;
there is a commitment to the common values of the EU - those are published in the relevant documents.

On the territory of these states there is one currency system - the euro is used. It is a payment unit that is used in all EU countries.

It is important to understand that the presence of such takes place without fail in a country that is part of the EU. Moreover, according to the legislation of the union, it is forbidden to have your own currency.

There are both certain disadvantages of joining the EU and pluses. And if possible, you need to carefully deal with all of them yourself.

Initially, in the middle of the 20th century, a common economic space was formed for the sale of coal and steel between states.

But over time, economic cooperation in all areas began to grow more and more. As a result, it became necessary to carry out an integration procedure.

It should be noted that such a process is connected with the achievement of certain agreements. They are formatted accordingly.

Relatively recently, Greece joined the EU. At the same time, the UK left. The reasons for this are economic, as well as many others.

It is important to note that the EU also has a common space in terms of the movement of all citizens. Countries that are surrounded on all sides by EU countries are in a special position.

In this case, they are provided with a simple passage through the territory of other states. Citizens of Luxembourg, for example, can obtain a visa without any difficulty.

The list of EU countries includes a fairly wide list. Moreover, obtaining an EU visa is quite difficult, it requires the preparation of a wide list of documents.

All of them will need to be carefully reviewed. This will avoid many difficulties and problems. Separately, it is worth noting the issue of collecting documents for obtaining a visa.

Today it is required to prepare a fairly wide list. Accession to the EU of other countries has certain subtleties.

Which states are included in the association

The EU zone includes a fairly wide list of states. These are not only large ones (Germany, Italy), but also small ones - Croatia. The borders on the map are marked quite accurately.

But at the same time, there are a number of different zones that, for a number of reasons, are not included in the EU. But they border on it from all sides.

For 2020, the following states are members of the European Union:

Country name	State capital	EU accession date
Austria	Vein	1995
Belgium	Brussels	2007
Bulgaria	Sofia	2007
Hungary	Budapest	2004
Great Britain	London	1973
Greece	Athens	1981
Germany	Berlin	1957
Denmark	Copenhagen	1973
Italy	Rome	1957
Ireland	Dublin	1973
Spain	Madrid	1986
Cyprus	Nicosia	2004
Luxembourg	Luxembourg	1957
Latvia	Riga	2004
Lithuania	Vilnius	2004
Malta	Valletta	2004
Netherlands	Amsterdam	1957
Portugal	Lisbon	1986

In addition to those indicated above, this list also includes many other states. The years of accession differ significantly due to the gradual expansion of this zone.

But it should be noted that the very process of joining the EU has certain subtleties and peculiarities. In addition to the above states, the zone includes the following countries as full members:

Poland;
Romania;
Slovenia and Slovakia;
France and Finland;
Croatia;
Czech Republic, Estonia and Sweden.

It should be noted that the common area with the EU in some cases is actually not beneficial to the country that joins.

For example, goods for sale, deliveries to other countries must meet fairly stringent requirements.

Not all countries correspond to those. This question needs to be carefully considered. Because that's the only way to prevent various complexities, problematic moments. It is worthwhile to work out all the questions in advance.

In addition to the official members of this union, there are a number of states that are applicants or potential candidates for entry.

The list of official candidates includes:

Albania;
Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Kosovo;
Macedonia;
Serbia;
Turkey;
Montenegro.

A fairly significant number of states have signed an association agreement with the EU, but this is only the first step in joining this zone.

You need to carefully read all the nuances and subtleties of the entry procedure. The list of such potential candidates includes the following:

Algeria;
Georgia and Egypt;
Israel and Jordan;
Canada, Lebanon;
Morocco;
Moldova;
Mexico;
Tunisia and Ukraine.

The process of preparing for entry has a number of features. Moreover, it will be necessary to work out all such issues in advance.

Only in this way it will be possible to avoid many difficulties, problem situations. Separately, it will be necessary to dwell on the issue of requirements, the fulfillment of which is mandatory for member countries.

In return, those who joined the EU receive a number of benefits. For example, the absence of duties when transporting goods across the border between countries.

Requirement for candidates to join

A special regulatory document establishes a special list of requirements for states that plan to join the EU.

At the moment, the main requirements are primarily the following:

If these requirements are met, then the state has the right to apply for accession to the EU.

This will be only the first step towards joining, it is designated as a consultative one. In this case, the state will be a candidate for EU membership.

This is followed by a negotiation stage - it implies a discussion of the terms of entry. If all discussions are completed, there are no difficulties and difficulties - the process of admission to the ranks of the EU is underway.

Acceptance prospects

The development prospects for the EU are quite significant. At the moment, the main advantages of being in this supranational association:

ease of movement of citizens between countries;
common, single currency, economic space;
the absence of any difficulties associated with crossing the border by car;
member countries can count on fairly large loans at a relatively low rate.

Only three and a half weeks left until May 1 - the day of EU enlargement. The “United European Family” will almost double in size. Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Estonia will become EU members. There are ten states in total. But even after that, there will be many non-EU countries in Europe. 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, with the exception of tiny Liechtenstein, the "Alpine Republic" is surrounded on all sides by the EU states: in the north - Germany, in the west - France, in the south - Italy and in the east - Austria.

More recently, the majority of Swiss residents were categorically against joining the European Union. Evidence of this is the results of the referendum held three years ago. However, recently many Swiss have been overcome by doubts: did they make the right choice then? More details about the current mood 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 dots over the "i" 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, the European Union. So it's not surprising that in the last autumn Swiss parliamentary elections, no major party dared to make joining the EU the main theme of their election campaign, says political scientist Claude Longchamp:

For the public, the relevance of this topic has lost its former significance. Switzerland began to cooperate very closely with the European Union after signing bilateral agreements with it, but at the same time, formally, the country is still not a member of the EU. This is what the Swiss have always dreamed of.

Agreements regulating the issues of moving EU residents to Switzerland, the procedure for the transit of freight transport, have already entered into force. The issue of signing the second package of documents is being discussed. Nevertheless, critics point out that it will not be possible to solve all existing problems with the help of bilateral agreements. In particular, Germany recently decided to restrict flights over the southern regions of the country in order to reduce the level of aircraft noise. This measure directly affects the interests of Switzerland. After all, the country's main airport in the suburbs of Zurich is only 12 kilometers from the German border.

By the way, not everything is safe on the border itself either. Switzerland is not part of the Schengen area. Until recently, this did not prevent the inhabitants of the "Alpine Republic" from visiting Germany and other EU countries completely unhindered. However, now the situation has changed. The Swiss still do not need a visa to enter Germany. But after tightening the rules, German customs and border guards now inspect and check the passports of all people without exception crossing the Swiss-German border. This is 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 the stamp in the passport mandatory again when crossing the border.

As a result, Switzerland itself is now not averse to joining the Schengen agreement. This was 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 the EU countries, will prevent the export of illegally acquired capital to Switzerland. Then, they say, welcome to the "Schengen zone".

But even more indignation was caused in Bern by the intention of Brussels to impose duties on the re-import of goods from the "Alpine Republic". 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 tariffs. In response to Berne's indignation, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, during negotiations with the Swiss government, in particular, stated:

We are discussing many issues that were decided not by the Federal Republic of Germany, but by 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, everything can be resolved. conflict situations fail. So, even the agreement on the relocation of EU residents to Switzerland already needs to be reviewed in view of the upcoming enlargement of the European Union. Otherwise, the labor market of the "Alpine Republic" will be flooded with cheap labor from Eastern Europe.

Nevertheless, politicians are in no hurry to seek the entry of the Confederation into the European Union. Especially after the Swiss People's Party managed to achieve significant success in the last autumn parliamentary elections, and its leader Christoph Blocher, who was extremely critical of the EU, entered the government.

But the mood of the inhabitants of the "Alpine Republic" has changed somewhat. According to poll data released this Sunday, seven out of ten Swiss now have no long-term plans to protest against their country's accession to the European Union. Answering a question about the problems that Switzerland is currently experiencing, one of the inhabitants of the country said:

Everything will be resolved by itself after Switzerland becomes a member of the European Union. Everything is simple. And someday it will happen.

Interestingly, the Swiss cantons are more friendly towards the EU than the government in Bern. At a meeting held at the end of March, most of the 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 can set EU accession as their strategic goal,

Said, for example, the representative of the canton of Basel, Hans-Martin Tschudi. So the discussion about Switzerland's accession to the European Union may flare up with renewed vigor in the near future. It is possible that the enlargement of the European Union scheduled for May 1 will serve as 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 "perpetual neutrality". Both Norway and Iceland have been NATO members since the founding of the Alliance. It's just that the inhabitants of these countries, until recently, believed that it was better and more profitable for them not to join the European Union. For example, in Norway over the past three decades, there have already been two referendums 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 take place in Norway - already the third in a row. This was recently announced by Prime Minister Khjell Magne Bunnevik. At the same time, however, he 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, there is simply no need to urgently make any decision about this now. But since much is changing in the EU right 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 Bunnevik was considered one of the most ardent opponents of joining the European Union. In 2001, when he took office, no one had any doubts 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 involved in agriculture and fishing will undoubtedly suffer. 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 counterbalance to the United States in world politics and economics.

True, according to experts, there is one more circumstance that Kjell Magne Bunnevik preferred to keep silent about. We are talking about public opinion surveys that testify to the growing popularity of the idea of joining the European Union. According to recent polls, two-thirds of the kingdom's population is in favor of Norway joining the EU. More than ever.

Unlike Norway or Switzerland, the Balkan republics (whether it was their will) would join the EU tomorrow... or better, right today. The trouble is that no one is waiting for them in the European Union. The political situation in the Balkans remains too unstable, the economy of the former socialist republics is relatively underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the prospect of, say, countries such as Croatia, Albania and Macedonia joining the European Union seems very real. Let not now, let not in 2007, when, as expected, the “single European family” will be replenished at the expense of Romania and Bulgaria, but someday it will happen. The first step has already been taken. Two weeks ago, the Government of Macedonia sent to Ireland (the current chair of the governing bodies EU) an application to start negotiations on accession to the European Union. Details are in the message. Zoran Yordanovsky.

The handover ceremony for the official application for EU membership was scheduled to take place in Dublin on 26 February. 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 a government delegation led by Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski returned to Skopje urgently.

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 political establishment of Macedonia.

The future of Macedonia and the future of the entire region depends on integration into European and transatlantic structures.

Representatives of all opposition parties are in solidarity with the statement of the head of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry, Ilinka Mitreva.

But Macedonia now has a lot of problems, without solving which, one should not even think about joining the European Union. Corruption flourishes 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, every third adult in Macedonia today is unemployed. The average salary in the country is 175 euros. 30 percent of the population barely makes ends meet. Needless to say, it will be very difficult to achieve the standards generally accepted for the EU. Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski is also aware of this:

We cannot be satisfied 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 leap forward. This requires investment. Our own resources are limited, so we rely on foreign capital. To do this, we should demonstrate our capabilities and the openness of the country in order to attract foreign investors in this way. In the economic and commercial spheres - just as in any other areas of life - it is very important to create an atmosphere of trust.

How successful the measures taken by the current Macedonian government will become clear in the coming years...

(since January 1) Chairman
Council of the European Union Jan Fischer
(from May 8) Square
- General 7th in the world *
4,892,685 km² Population
- Total ()
- Density 3rd in the world*
499.673.325
116.4 people/km² GDP (based on PPP)
- Total ()
- GDP/person 1st in the world *
$ 17.08 10¹²
$ 39,900 Educated
signed
It entered into force Maastricht Treaty
February 7
Nov. 1 Community Currencies Timezone UTC from 0 to +2
(+1 to +3 during Daylight Savings Time)
(with overseas departments of France,
UTC -4 to +4) Top level domain Telephone codes Each member of the European Union has its own telephone code in zones 3 and 4 Official site http://europa.eu/ * When viewed as a whole.

European Union (European Union, EU listen)) is an association of 27 European states that have signed European Union Treaty(Maastricht Treaty). EU - unique international education: it combines the features of an international organization and a state, but formally it is neither one nor the other. The Union is not a subject of public international law, however, it has the authority to participate in international relations and plays an important role in them.

Special and Dependent Territories of EU Member States

EU territory on the world map European Union Outer regions Non-European states and territories

Special territories outside Europe that are part of the European Union:

Also, according to Article 182 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ( Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), member states of the European Union associate with the European Union lands and territories outside Europe which maintain special relations with:

France -

the Netherlands -

United Kingdom -

Requirements for candidates to join the EU

To join the European Union, a candidate country must meet the Copenhagen criteria. Copenhagen criteria- criteria for countries to join the European Union, which were adopted in June 1993 at a meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen and confirmed in December 1995 at a meeting of the European Council in Madrid. The criteria require that the state observe democratic principles, the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, as well as the principle of the rule of law (Art. 6, Art. 49 of the Treaty on the European Union). Also, the country must have a competitive market economy, and must recognize general rules and EU standards, including commitment to the goals of political, economic and monetary union.

Story

Logo of the Czech Presidency in the first half of 2009

The ideas of pan-Europeanism, long put forward by thinkers throughout the history of Europe, sounded with particular force after the Second World War. In the post-war period, a number of organizations appeared on the continent: the Council of Europe, NATO, the Western European Union.

The first step towards the creation of a modern European Union was taken in: Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Italy signed an agreement establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, ECSC - European Coal and Steel Community), the purpose of which was the unification of European resources for the production of steel and coal, this agreement entered into force in July 1952.

In order to deepen economic integration, the same six states established (EEC, Common Market) ( EEC - European Economic Community) and (Euratom, Euratom - European Atomic Energy Community). The most important and broadest of these three European communities was the EEC, so in 1993 it was officially renamed the European Community ( EC - European Community).

The process of development and transformation of these European communities into the modern European Union took place through, firstly, the transfer of an increasing number of management functions to the supranational level and, secondly, an increase in the number of integration participants.

History of EU enlargement

Year	The country	General number members
March 25, 1957	Belgium, Germany 1, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France²	6
January 1, 1973	UK*, Denmark ³, Ireland	9
January 1, 1981	Greece	10
January 1, 1986	,	12
January 1, 1995	, Finland , Sweden	15
May 1, 2004	Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia	25
January 1, 2007	Bulgaria, Romania	27

Notes

² Including the overseas departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion and French Guiana. Algeria withdrew from France (and the EU) on July 5, 1962. Saint Pierre and Miquelon was an overseas department (and part of the EU) from 1983 until 1983. Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, which seceded from Guadeloupe on February 22, 2007, will return to the EU after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

° In 1973 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) joined the EU along with the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar

Norway

The first pillar of the "European Communities" combines the predecessors of the EU: the European Community (formerly the European Economic Community) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The third organization - the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - ceased to exist in 2002 in accordance with the Paris Treaty that established it.
The second pillar is called the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
The third pillar is "police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters".

With the help of "pillars" in the treaties, policy areas that fall within the competence of the EU are delimited. In addition, supports give visual representation on the role of EU member state governments and EU institutions in the decision-making process. Within the framework of the first pillar, the role of the EU institutions is decisive. Decisions here are made by the “community method”. The Community has jurisdiction over matters relating, inter alia, to the common market, the customs union, the single currency (with some of the members retaining their own currency), the common agricultural policy and the common fisheries policy, certain issues of migration and refugees, as well as the cohesion policy ). In the second and third pillars, the role of EU institutions is minimal and decisions are made by EU member states. This method of decision-making is called intergovernmental. As a result of the Nice Treaty (2001), some issues of migration and refugees, as well as issues of ensuring gender equality in the workplace, were transferred from the second to the first pillar. Consequently, on these issues, the role of the EU institutions in relation to the EU Member States has increased.

Today, membership in the European Union, the European Community and the Euratom is unified, all states joining the Union become members of the Communities.

Chamber of Auditors

The Court of Auditors was established in 1975 to audit the EU budget and its institutions. Compound. The Chamber is composed of representatives of the member states (one from each member state). They are appointed by the Council by unanimous decision for a term of six years and are completely independent in the performance of their duties.

verifies the income and expenditure accounts of the EU and all its institutions and bodies that have access to EU funds;
monitors the quality of financial management;
draws up a report on its work after the end of each financial year, as well as submits to the European Parliament and the Council conclusions or comments on individual issues;
helps the European Parliament to control the execution of the EU budget.

Headquarters - Luxembourg.

European Central Bank

The European Central Bank was formed in 1998 from the banks of 11 EU countries that are members of the Eurozone (Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg). Greece, which adopted the euro on January 1, 2001, became the twelfth country in the euro area.

In accordance with Art. 8 of the Treaty establishing the European Community was founded European System of Central Banks- a supranational financial regulatory body that brings together the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks of all 27 EU member countries. The administration of the ESCB is carried out by the governing bodies of the ECB.

European Investment Bank

Created in accordance with the Treaty, on the basis of capital provided by member countries. The EIB is endowed with the functions of a commercial bank, operates on international financial markets, provides loans to government agencies of member countries.

Economic and Social Committee

(Economic and Social Committee) - an advisory body of the EU. Formed in accordance with the Treaty of Rome.

Compound. Consists of 344 members, called councillors.

Functions. Advise the Council and the Commission on EU social and economic policy issues. Is various areas economy and social groups (employers, employees and liberal professions employed in industry, agriculture, the service sector, as well as representatives of public organizations).

Members of the Committee are appointed by the Council by unanimous decision for a period of 4 years. The Committee elects a Chairman from among its members for a term of 2 years. After the admission of new states to the EU, the membership of the Committee will not exceed 350 people (see Table 2).

Location of the meetings. The Committee meets once a month in Brussels.

Committee of the Regions

(Committee of the Regions).

The Committee of the Regions is an advisory body that ensures the representation of regional and local administrations in the work of the EU. The Committee was established in accordance with the Maastricht Treaty and has been operating since March 1994.

Consists of 344 members representing regional and local bodies, but completely independent in the performance of their duties. The number of members per country is the same as in the Economic and Social Committee. Candidates are approved by the Council by unanimous decision on the proposals of the Member States for a period of 4 years. The Committee elects a Chairman and other officers from among its members for a period of 2 years.

Functions. Advise the Council and the Commission and give opinions on all issues affecting the interests of the regions.

Location of the sessions. Plenary sessions are held in Brussels 5 times a year.

European Ombudsman Institute

The European Ombudsman Institute deals with citizens' complaints about the mismanagement of an EU institution or body. The decisions of this body are not binding, but have significant social and political impact.

15 specialized agencies and bodies

European monitoring center against racism and xenophobia, Europol, Eurojust.

EU law

A feature of the European Union, which distinguishes it from other international organizations, is the existence of its own law, which directly regulates the relations not only of the member states, but also of their citizens and legal entities.

EU law consists of the so-called primary, secondary and tertiary (judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities). Primary law - EU founding treaties; agreements amending them (revision agreements); accession treaties for new member states. Secondary law - acts issued by EU bodies. Decisions of the EU Court of Justice and other judicial bodies of the Union are widely used as case law.

EU law has direct effect on the territory of the EU countries and takes precedence over the national legislation of the states.

EU law is divided into institutional law (the rules governing the creation and functioning of EU institutions and bodies) and substantive law (the rules governing the process of implementing the goals of the EU and the EU communities). The substantive law of the EU, as well as the law of individual countries, can be divided into branches: EU customs law, EU environmental law, EU transport law, EU tax law, etc. Taking into account the structure of the EU (“three pillars”), EU law is also subdivided into the law of European communities, Schengen law, etc.

EU languages

In European institutions, 23 languages are officially used equally.

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. It's about about 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 eligible to enter the EU are considered practical support for state level democratic procedures such 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 new history 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 they not only form political “wishes”, but also create regulations, which 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 rightfully 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 institutions, individuals and legal entities. Its decision is binding on all national courts. Most of cases dealt with by the court concerns 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 of the Union when concluding international agreements relating to customs regulations, conditions for trade competition, common trade policy, monetary policy, protection environment 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. Last years the union was faced with many problems that the states of Europe tried to solve together. The Ukrainian crisis and the situation around Crimea, which led to complications in relations with 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 major 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. National composition 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 population. Every year the percentage of able-bodied Europeans decreases and the number of dependents increases.

It would seem that the 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 accept active participation 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. Geographical position EU countries allows you to quickly receive energy carriers delivered overland using pipelines.

The EU is actively engaged not only in 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.