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European Union
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European Union

European organization
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Also known as: EU, Europäische Union, Union Européenne, Unione Europea
Written by
Matthew J. Gabel
Professor of Political Science, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. Author of Interests and Integration: Market Liberalization, Public Opinion, and the European Union.
Matthew J. Gabel
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: • Article History
Quick Facts
Awards And Honors:
Nobel Prize
Date:
November 1, 1993
Areas Of Involvement:
economic growth
economic integration
euro
currency
trade

News •

Trump adds Europe to the list of US trade partners he's threatening with tariffs • Dec. 20, 2024, 1:25 PM ET (AP)
Rising butter prices give European consumers and bakers a bad taste • Dec. 20, 2024, 8:26 AM ET (AP)
Student protests continue to challenge Serbia's populist government after a deadly canopy collapse • Dec. 20, 2024, 8:16 AM ET (AP)
Diplomatic spat erupts after Hungary gives asylum to Polish politician suspected of corruption • Dec. 20, 2024, 8:06 AM ET (AP)
EU leaders insist no decisions can be taken about Ukraine without Ukraine, or behind their backs • Dec. 19, 2024, 9:39 PM ET (AP)

European Union (EU), international organization comprising 27 European countries and governing common economic, social, and security policies. Originally confined to western Europe, the EU undertook a robust expansion into central and eastern Europe in the early 21st century. The EU’s members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. The United Kingdom, which had been a founding member of the EU, left the organization in 2020. The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered ...(100 of 6239 words)

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