The EU is a union of several European states, and it is expanding. The very designation EU is an abbreviation for European Union. The state's belonging to the European Union is formally marked by the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. As of the summer of 2014, the European Union includes 27 states.
History and essence of the European Union
The EU, or the EU in Russian, is an international association that may resemble a state in some ways and an organization in others, but in reality it is something else. The European Union is not a subject of international law, but it participates in international relations.
The idea that European states should unite has been present in the minds of people for a long time. Various military associations were created and disbanded, but after the end of the First World War, politicians thought about creating a single peaceful organization. But at that time, everything was limited to discussions. Real action began with the creation in 1951 of the European Coal and Steel Community, whose goals were purely economic. It includes Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Luxembourg. The community turned out to be very successful, so it was decided to extend the idea of unification to other areas of life. In 1957, the atomic energy community was created. In 1967, a basic structure emerged, which later evolved into the European Commission, Council, Court and Parliament.
Later, the 1992 Maastricht Treaty was signed, which stipulated the main provisions for the European Union. They have been designated as intergovernmental cooperation in international politics and security, justice and home affairs. The issue of a single currency was also resolved. Then additional details were discussed, and as a result, the Amsterdam Treaty was signed in 1997. The expansion of the European Union and the inclusion of new member states is a challenge for the 21st century.
EU countries
In 1958, six countries (Belgium, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) signed treaties on the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. These two communities became the backbone of the European Union.
In 1973 Denmark, Great Britain and Ireland joined the European Union. In 1981, Greece joined the union. In 1986, Spain and Portugal joined. In 1995, Austria, Sweden and Finland joined the European Union. A number of countries have applied for membership, for this they have begun to actively improve their economic and social structures. In 2004 Hungary, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland joined the European Union. In 2005, Macedonia joined the European Union. Romania and Bulgaria were accepted in 2007.
It should be understood that the European Union and the Schengen Agreement are not the same thing. Some countries belong to both associations, some only to one. There is also a euro currency zone, not all countries from the European Union are included in it.
