The EU is a commonwealth of several countries (abouthow many countries enter the European Union specifically, you will learn a little later), forming a single, from an economic point of view, space. However, each of the countries has its own governing bodies, which are subordinate to the central authorities. But the members of the community have unified laws (there may be minor differences, though) and a common currency called the euro. At the same time, there are only administrative borders between the EU countries, but each language has its own, state language.
Before answering the question, which countriesenter the European Union, let's try to throw aside political demagogy about the "commonwealth of democratic states", as stated on the organization's website, to see that the EU is somewhat reminiscent of the good old USSR.
The EU at one time was the result of a mergerthree other European communities - Euratom, EEC, ECSC. These organizations, which controlled the European economy, nuclear energy and the steel and coal industry, had a common budget and a single governing body. The EU's prospective goal was the need to form a political federation of federative or confederal type.
The EU is already pursuing a policy of so-called"Customs union", under which there is a cancellation of customs duties and the removal of quantitative restrictions in the mutual trade of the EU countries. In relation to the states that did not join the community, the organization introduced a uniform tariff at the customs. The EU also maintains a unified foreign trade activity and jointly implements a regional policy on the development of depressed and backward regions. And, of course, scientific and technical programs are implemented jointly by the member states of this Union (how many countries and what are included in the European Union - read on).
The following five organizations are the governing bodies in the EU:
It should be noted that to date the EUhas 27 member states. This figure was not the original one. The expansion of the Union took place gradually, in groups. Therefore, when asked which countries are members of the European Union, one can give a detailed answer (by years).
So, in 1957 in the EU there were only sixparticipants (Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Italy, France, the Netherlands). In 1973, Ireland, Great Britain and Denmark added to the list. Eight years later, Greece joined the European Union, and after another 5 years - Portugal and Spain.
In 1995, when asked which countries are included in theThe European Union could already be answered by the figure of 15, since Sweden, Austria and Finland were included in the Union. But in 2004, the list of participants was replenished as much as 10 countries - Cyprus, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia, Malta, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Estonia have become successful members of the EU. Include a list of EU countries Romania and Bulgaria, who came to the community in 2007.
What is remarkable is that no state has yetleft the EU, although the wave could do it. Unless Greenland, the Danish autonomy, in 1985 chose to leave this organization. To date, Turkey, Iceland, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro are claiming to be a part of this European whole. Therefore, the question of which countries are members of the European Union, after a few years can be answered in a completely different way. The requirements for all who want to get into the EU are extremely simple - the state should respect the principles of democracy, human rights should be respected, the market economy must be present.
