Who is part of the european union

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Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Matt Rosenberg. Geography Expert. Updated January 11, Cite this Article Format. Rosenberg, Matt. Countries in the European Union. Countries Using the Euro as Their Currency. Every member state is part of the founding treaties of the union and is subjected to binding laws within the common legislative and judicial institutions.

In order for the EU to adopt policies that concern defence and foreign affairs, all member states must agree unanimously. Before , the EU was not as big as it is today.

European countries started to cooperate economically since , when only states such as Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, The Netherlands and Italy participated.

Gradually, more countries decided to join. The last to join is Croatia — in Austrians comprise 1. Its capital is Vienna and the official language in Austria is German.

Austria holds 18 seats in the European Parliament, while it held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU twice, once in and in Austria is also a member of the Schengen Area since December 1, Belgians comprise 2. The political system in Belgium is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Belgium holds 21 seats in the European Parliament and held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU 12 times between and Belgium is also a member state of the Schengen Area since March 26, Bulgarians comprise 1.

Its capital city is Sofia, and the official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. The political system in Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. Bulgaria holds 17 seats in the European Parliament and will hold the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in Bulgaria is not a member country of the Schengen Area. Croatians comprise 0.

Its capital is Zagreb and the official language in Croatia is Croatian. The political system is a parliamentary republic. Croatia holds 11 seats in the European Parliament and will hold the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in the first half of Croatia is not a member country of the Schengen Area.

Cypriots comprise 0. Its capital is Nicosia and the official language in Cyprus is Greek. The political system is a presidential republic. Cyprus holds 6 seats in the European Parliament and has held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU once in Cyprus is not a member country of the Schengen Area. Czechs comprise 2. Its capital is Prague and the official language is Czech.

The Danish comprise 1. Its capital is Copenhagen and the official language in Denmark is Danish. The political system is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

Denmark holds 13 seats in the European Parliament and held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU 7 times between and Denmark is a member country of the Schengen Area since March 25, The Estonians comprise 0. Its capital is Tallinn and the official language is Estonian. Estonia holds 6 seats in the European Parliament and will hold the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in the first half of Estonia is a member country of the Schengen Area since December 21, The Finnish comprise 1.

Its capital is Helsinki and the official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. Finland holds 13 seats in the European Parliament and held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU twice, in and Finland is a member country of the Schengen Area since March 25, The French comprise Its capital is Paris and the official language is French.

The political system is a semi-presidential republic. When European countries started to cooperate economically in , only Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands participated.

The 27 member countries of the EU. Norway has high GNP per capita, and would have to pay a high membership fee. The country has a limited amount of agriculture, and few underdeveloped areas, which means that Norway would receive little economic support from the EU.

Switzerland signed a free-trade agreement with the then European Economic Community in , which entered into force in Since accession negotiations have stalled. The EU has accused and criticized Turkey for human rights violations and deficits in rule of law.

In , EU officials expressed that planned Turkish policies violate the Copenhagen criteria of eligibility for an EU membership.