New citizens’ rights in EU countries section added on how to get advice in the EU country where you live. The EU countries are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, The Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Click on each country to view current estimates (live population clock), historical data, and projected figures. European countries that are not part of the European Union include Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Macedonia and Montenegro. The areas listed below are also considered by Customs to be a non-EU country. This refers to the 19 EU countries which have adopted the Euro as their currency. There are currently 28 countries in the European Union. Any country that satisfies the conditions for membership can apply. It is an area without internal borders, an area within which citizens, many non-EU nationals, business people and tourists can freely circulate without being subjected to border checks. Sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 31 European countries in 2018 2 Tenth ESVAC report About the European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised body of the EU, located in Amsterdam. In 1973, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined. These areas are: Aland Islands (Finland) Over time, more and more countries decided to join. It has expanded as recently as 2007 and may enlarge further in the future. Unlike members of other international organisations, the member states of the EU have agreed by treaty to shared sovereignty through the institutions of the European Unionin some (but by no means all) aspects of government. While having abolished their internal borders, Schengen States have also tightened controls at their common external border on the basis of Schengen rules to ensure the security of those living or travelling in the Schengen Area. 26 countries in Europe are part of the Schengen free travel area. Netherlands’ currency is Euro (€) since it became a member of the Eurozone on January 1, 1999. Countries of Europe for kids, kindergarten, children, and toddlers. Membership in the EU is a long and difficult process, it also requires a free-market economy and a stable democracy. In 2004, nine countries were added, two more in 2007, and finally Croatia in 2013 to bring the total to 28. Armenia and Cyprus politically are considered European countries, though geographically they are located in the West Asia territory. Since June 2014 it has been an official candidate for European Union accession. These countries are collectively known as the Eurozone. When European countries started to cooperate economically in 1951, only Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands participated. These countries are in the process of 'transposing' (or integrating) EU legislation into national law: Potential candidate countries do not yet fulfil the requirements for EU membership: Give feedback about this website or report a problem, Institutions, bodies & agencies – contact & visit details, Public contracts in the EU – rules and guidelines, Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), The European Data Protection Board (EDPB). In 1973, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined. The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993. Which countries have an opt-out? The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is €678,572 billion, as per 2015. The European Union gets mostly favorable marks from the countries surveyed, but not everyone is happy with the Brussels-based institution. It has been engaged extensively with EU institutions like NATO. Despite being within the EU territories, Albania is not part of the European Union. There were several enlargements from the 1980s till the 2010s, and the ECC was replaced by the EU in 1993. If the Commission’s opinion is positive, the Council must then agree upon a negotiating mandate. Europe's continental union is probably most famous to outsiders for its euro currency and Schengen free travel area.But it's actually much more than that. The countries hosting the largest number of refugees are Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan, Uganda and Germany. Of these, two countries, Russia and Turkey, straddle Europe and Asia. The Union currently counts 27 EU countries. In 1957, the EEC was formed amongst France, Italy, West Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. What is the European Union? The euro (€) is the official currency of 19 out of 27 EU countries. The Netherlands is a member country of the EU since January 1, 1958 with its geographic size of 41,542 km², and population number 16,900,726, as per 2015. The European Economic Area (EEA) In subsequent years many other countries joined the Union. It is an area without internal borders, an area within which citizens, many non-EU nationals, business people and tourists can freely circulate without being subjected to border checks. The European Union has 28 member countries. The game Europe: Countries is available in the following languages: Seterra is an entertaining and educational geography game that lets you explore the world and learn about its countries, capitals, flags, oceans, lakes and more! The candidates are supported financially, administratively and technically during this pre-accession period. It also includes a few non-EU nations: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. A country wishing to join the EU submits a membership application to the Council, which asks the Commission to assess the applicant’s ability to meet the Copenhagen criteria. The EU’s common currency is the euro. Countries Integrating into the EU . The European Union (EU) is a group of 28 nations in Europe, formed in the aftermath of World War II. Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined in 1973, Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986. Countries that belong to the EEA include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Twenty-seven of the UK's 73 seats have been redistributed to other countries, while the remaining 46 seats will be kept in reserve for potential future enlargements. The ECSC evolved into the EU and grew to 28 members. New information on using UK banks if you live in an EEA country. Nineteen of the EU countries are also part of the Eurozone, a union of countries that have adopted the Euro as their official currency. What's the Eurozone? Many English speaking European countries have an extremely high level of English throughout the population due to having studied it from an early age, for example, across Scandinavia, at least 67% of the population speak English and even as high as 71% in Denmark. Seven more members will do, in theory, at some point in the future. Member states must agree unanimously for the EU to adopt some policies; for others, coll… Since 1985, it has gradually grown and encompasses today almost all EU countries and a few associated non-EU countries. The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020. Exceptional areas within the EU countries. The area operates as a single nation with a uniform visa policy for purposes of international travel. 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