The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states located primarily in Europe. The member states are:
- Austria,
- Belgium,
- Bulgaria,
- Croatia,
- 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.
Each member state has its own government and is sovereign in its own right, but they agree to work together on certain issues through the EU.
The EU has a number of institutions, such as the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Council, which are responsible for making decisions and enforcing laws for the EU as a whole.
Membership in the EU is voluntary, and each member state must meet certain criteria in order to be admitted. These criteria include having a stable and functioning democratic system, a market economy, and the ability to adopt and implement EU laws and regulations.
Once a country becomes a member of the EU, it has access to a range of benefits, including free trade with other member states, the ability to participate in EU decision-making, and funding for various projects and initiatives.
